FATHERS' DAY
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1997 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): **
Ever weepy, ex-Berkeley hippie Dale Putley (Robin Williams) has had some exciting news. He now has a son he never knew had. It seems that one romantic trip to the wine country with Colleen (Nastassja Kinski) produced a son, whom Colleen named Scott (Charlie Hofmeimer).
But there is a small problem which Colleen springs on Dale along with the news that he is a father. It seems their seventeen-year-old has run away, and she needs Dale's help to find Scott since her husband refuses to look for him.
Colleen, being a generous sort, decides to share the good news with others. She finds hot shot lawyer Jack Lawrence (Billy Crystal) and proudly announces that he is Scott's dad. Oh yes, and could he go looking for him? With Jack's skills at head butting and groin kicking, he is just the right person to tangle with the behemoth bouncers at the rock concerts where Scott has become a groupie.
Jack and Dale accidentally meet and join forces to look for their sons before they compare pictures and realize that one of them has been hoodwinked.
FATHERS' DAY is a remake -- you didn't expect Hollywood to waste time trying to generate fresh ideas, did you? -- of the 1983 French film LES COMPERES. The setup for FATHERS' DAY takes place in the first twenty minutes of the picture. After that, they capture Scott, and this one-joke movie is over. The script by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel then proceeds to tread water until the requisite feature length movie time has elapsed.
Besides running out of gas, the film has other problems too. Charlie Hofmeimer, playing the central figure of the boy, gives such a lethargic performance that it becomes hard to care what happens to him. Neither happy nor angry, he sleepwalks through most of his part.
Of course, people come to see FATHERS' DAY for only one reason, the considerable comic talents of Williams and Crystal. Williams, the more unreliable of the two actors, does his usual shtick. As Williams gets older so does his routine. As he showed in the unsuccessful movie JACK, he seems to be losing his creativity and runs too often on autopilot. Although some of his routines in FATHERS' DAY are funny, most, such as the one where he sings an ode to his intestines ("Hello, Mr. Colon"), are lame and lackluster. Williams has a single character now, and he recasts his role in every movie so he can do it again.
Crystal, whom I normally love, is not given much to work with. Although he does have a good line every now and then, he has less jokes in the entire movie than in his opening monologue at the Oscars.
Perhaps the real surprise of the movie is Nastassja Kinski's return to a significant, albeit small, part in a major American movie. Lacking the raw sexuality she evidenced in CAT PEOPLE, she now has become a radiantly beautiful middle-aged woman. Her part in FATHERS' DAY is just enough to make you want to see her cast in a more substantial role. (Even more surprising perhaps is Mel Gibson's uncredited cameo as a walking ad for body piercing.)
Producer and director Ivan Reitman (KINDERGARTEN COP, DAVE, and JUNIOR) generally has a deft touch when it comes to comedy, but his FATHERS' DAY manages only sporadic bits of humor. If there weren't so many funnier shows in current release, it might be worth recommending, but as it is, you are better off waiting to rent it so you can fast forward to the few funny parts.
FATHERS' DAY runs a long 1:41. It is rated PG-13 for sexuality and profanity and would be fine for kids say 9 or 10 and up. I cannot recommend the film, but will give it ** for a few good laughs.
**** = A must see film. *** = Excellent show. Look for it. ** = Average movie. Kind of enjoyable. * = Poor show. Don't waste your money. 0 = Totally and painfully unbearable picture.
REVIEW WRITTEN ON: May 7, 1997
Opinions expressed are mine and not meant to reflect my employer's.
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