FOR LOVE OR MONEY
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1993 James Berardinelli
Rating (Linear 0 to 10): 4.8
Date Released: 10/1/93 Running Length: 1:35 Rated: PG (Language, mature themes)
Starring: Michael J. Fox, Gabrielle Anwar, Anthony Higgins, Michael Tucker, Bob Balaban Director: Barry Sonnenfeld Producer: Brian Grazer Screenplay: Mark Rosenthal and Lawrence Konner Music: Bruce Broughton Released by Universal Pictures
Doug Ireland (Michael J. Fox) is the concierge at an upscale New York hotel, where his attention to the guests sometimes goes beyond the call of mere duty as he plays the role of a "genie is a suit", helping them realize their less grand dreams. But Doug has a dream of his own--building the "ultimate" hotel--and all he needs is a $3 million investment from super-rich tycoon Christian Hanover (Anthony Higgins). Hanover seems interested, but first he wants Doug to babysit his mistress, Andy Hart (Gabrielle Anwar). At first, Doug has no trouble with the task, but as he begins to fall for Andy, he realizes that he may have to make the choice between the girl and the dream.
"Cute" is the operative word to describe FOR LOVE OR MONEY, and there are numerous times when this picture takes cuteness to an extreme. It's nice when a movie gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling deep inside, but too much sweetness can turn sickening. FOR LOVE OR MONEY has its moments, but it's debatable whether there are enough of them to justify the movie's existence.
Michael J. Fox and Gabrielle Anwar make a good pair, and there's a decent rapport between them, but the script fails to take full advantage of the chemistry. Despite the amount of screen time that they share, the development of their romance is fitful and incomplete. For a romantic comedy, this is a serious flaw, and it makes the inevitable conclusion less satisfying than it should be. For those who enjoy this sort of lighthearted, frothy boy-meets-girl sparring, last year's THE CUTTING EDGE is a far better choice.
There are a number of seemingly unnecessary subplots going on, the inclusion of which damages the early pace of the movie. When the audience wants to see more Michael J. Fox/Gabrielle Anwar interaction, they are instead treated to Doug trying to duck the earstwhile, seemingly-incorruptible IRS agent Drinkwater (Bob Balaban). Admittedly, things get tied together in the end, but the conclusion is so feeble that it doesn't warrant all of the excess garbage that leads up to it.
There are a number of charming scenes sprinkled throughout FOR LOVE OR MONEY, most of which feature the delicately growing relationship between Doug and Andy. There's also a very funny mistaken identity incident that shows the promise of a more enjoyable film than the one we're presented with.
The ending, in addition to being unaccountably rushed (the movie weighs in at a light 95 minutes, so there's no obvious reason for things to be truncated so suddenly), is disappointing in its unoriginality. Since this is basically a modern-day fairy tale, we know everything is going to turn out right--in fact, we'd be disappointed if it didn't--but the manner in which things are smoothly resolved is far from satisfying.
This is one of Michael J. Fox's better film performances (put it alongside his BACK TO THE FUTURE and DOC HOLLYWOOD roles). The movie itself isn't that great, but Fox is affable, and seems the perfect choice for Doug. Gabrielle Anwar, who had a quick scene in SCENT OF A WOMAN and a much larger role in WILD HEARTS CAN'T BE BROKEN, is a refreshing as Andy, perfecting a breezy attitude. Unfortunately for Ms. Anwar, she is forced to wear a number of too-tight outfits whose presence indicates that sex appeal is one of her main functions of her part.
Romantic comedies have become something of a scarce breed of late, and this is a prime example of why (there's an old saying that if you can't do something right, don't do it at all). Although FOR LOVE OR MONEY is a marginal film by any standards, it isn't unwatchable, and it does fit nicely into the "date movie" niche. I can't honestly recommend the movie, but it isn't completely without redeeming qualities.
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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