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Mannequin is notionally a romantic comedy in which Andrew McCarthy plays a luckless department-store employee and Kim Cattrall (Sex and the City) is an Egyptian princess reincarnated as a shop-window dummy, who comes to life when she encounters McCarthy, only to revert to mannequin status when anyone else is watching her. With her encouragement, he becomes emboldened in his career as a window decorator as well as falling in love with the princess. James Spader's oily, stammering executive is just one of the many examples of a film that tries way too hard to be funny, the sort of characterization that would be barely adequate for a TV commercial, let alone a 90-minute movie. Still, for fans of Sex and the City who might want to feast upon the spectacle of a younger Kim Cattrall, Mannequin might offer a measure of relief. --David Stubbs ... Read more

Reviews (23)

5 stars for the film 2 for the DVD
I give them 2 stars for finally releasing this gem on DVD but no extras??
This film is delightful and refreshing, Leonard Maltin obviously was having a bad day when he saw this film. I must have seen it 6 or more times when it was in the theaters.
Kim Catrall(Sex in the City) is delightfully coy and silly as well as charming in this comedy about an ancient princess with a too modern outlook and is "cursed" to live through thousands of years until she finds a love who can appreciate her for who she is and not try and control her.
Andrew McCarthy(Pretty in Pink) is wonderful as a failed sculptist who cannot keep a job until he gets a job working as a window dresser at a failing dept store in Philadelphia.
Great co-stars Estelle Getty(Golden Girls), Mesach(sp?) Taylor(Designing Women), James Spader(Stargate the movie) and others make this film a hysterical and romantic romp!

Guilty Pleasure from the 80s
In an era where big hair, ripped jeans, and bad movies were the norm, Mannequin simply shines. While not especially noteworthy as a film, it becomes memorable for the fact that it's not as stupid as most films in the 80s were. The movie manages to remain charming and fun all the way through due to the eccentricty of its characters and good acting.
Cattrall and McCarthy are the strongest in this movie, and they manage to make you forget reality for a little while. Cattrall's enthusiasm and innocence is well-balanced by McCarthy's skepticism and good humor, and they pull the viewer into the simple and often silly plot of an ancient Egyptian princess reborn as a mannequin who happens to fall in love with her maker who now works as a department store window dresser and the two have a Calvin and Hobbes-like relationship (Cattrall only comes to life when alone with McCarthy). However, the most memorable character is Hollywood, the flamboyently gay and hysterical window dresser played by Meshach Taylor (Anthony from Designing Women).
Charming, simple, and fun, this is a great flick to put on the TV on a friday night while hanging out with friends or just that special someone.

A live mannequin
Andrew McCarthy,back in 1986 when he was a teen idol,co-starred with Kim Cattrall in this hysterical romance film. Jonathan Switcher(McCarthy) has held,but not for long,various jobs. Some of those jobs only lasted a few hours! But that all changed when Jonathan came to a department store and found his main superior,a late 50ish-early 60ish woman,very sweet and loving. He did everything at the store. He was a sales clerk,manager and even a security guard. At the store,in one of the ladies' departments,he discovers a beautiful female mannequin who comes alive. Cattrall,is the mannequin named Emmy. She even becomes the girl of his dreams! Jonathan couldn't be happier. Another security guard(G.W. Bailey) finds Jonathan pretending the mannequin is a real woman and romancing it. To everyone except Jonathan until the final scene,Emmy is an "it". James Spader plays one of Jonathan's immediate supervisors. Steve Vinovich is the store's president. Jonathan had broken up with his pre-Emmy girlfriend. So the girlfriend and her new boyfriend spy on Jonathan in the store and with a camera. Jonathan and Emmy are riding a motorcycle in one scene in formal apparel,with Jonathan operating the vehicle. Everyone else observes the "it" behind Jonathan on the bike. Jonathan almost lost Emmy to a trash incinerator in operation. The shoes she wore were destroyed by the incinerator. Bailey's and Vinovich's characters were taken into police custody after committing some kind of devious crime. The surveillance camera caught them in the act. It was then when the mannequin "died" and "was reincarnated as" a real woman. In the final scene,we see Jonathan and Emmy tying the knot. The featured song is "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now",recorded by Starship. Bailey and Cattrall previously appeared in 1984's POLICE ACADEMY.

A Kooky Classic
I recently tried to watch my old "Mannequin" VHS but it wouldn't work. Fortunately, my boyfriend was aware of my disappointment and ameliorated the situation by purchasing this 1980's farce.

So, I watched it, and enjoyed it thoroughly. "Mannequin" follows a sculptor working at a mannequin factory who just got fired for making the darn things too slow. He lovingly chooses each body part, and truly cares for this unacknowledged "art" form. But soon enough, the quirky mannequinphile finds another job making window displays for a large store. He is successful at this in that people come from all around to see what his latest display is, but he is also looked at as much nuttier because he has fallen in love with a mannequin! She is played by the fabulous Kim Cattrall (sp?) of the HBO hit "Sex and the City" (she hasn't aged a bit since this film I might add!) Of course, he sees and interacts with her as a real person, but everyone else just sees a lifeless hunk of plastic in fashionable new clothing.

How does it end? You just have to watch it... it's not a serious film, but provides many laughs for all (read: cheesy dance/song numbers, corny jokes, and the pop culture of the 1980's that is represented)!!!!

This is classic comedy.
I've seen this movie more times than I can count. I've even memorized a lot of the lines. There isn't anything about this movie that isn't enjoyable. It's one of my favorite movies. I have no complaints about the acting, the cast was great. What else can I say?? The 80's was blessed when this gem was released. ... Read more

Reviews (48)

A classic yes, but Crouse's acting is miserable...
As one other reviewer here very accurately put it: "we've become smarter since this movie was made". Especially when we've since seen mega-stunners like the "Usual suspects" or "Sixth Sense", movies that took the "film with a twist"-genre to a whole new plataeu.
A hotshot psychologist finds out the hard way that her trade doesn't cut it much down at the streets when she becomes emotionally (and otherwise) involved with a con-man and his circuit. As she's awed by all the "rules" and even more so the tricks that make the con-world spin, she asks to be "shown more", only to see that being shown more includes being caught in an invisible and catastrophic spider web. I don't want to give the plot away since this is obviously the strength of the film, but "House of Games" was one of the premier twist films for the time it was made, even if it might seem dated today.

Some of the twists might (emphasis on the "might") be somewhat predictable but that would be the case only for the very initiated viewer.

Mamet has got some great scripts under his belt, but if there's one thing that seriously undermines his film hee (he also directed it) is the acting of J.Crouse. While Joe Mantegna (the other lead in the movie) is in my opinion absolutely great, Crouse gives a half-dead performance, wooden and surreally uninspired, especially when one considers that she was acting (?) a part in a solid story. Were it not for her terrible performance this movie would be elevated into whole new heights.

Some people thought that the dialogue was problematic, but in my view it's exactly the bizzarity of the dialogue that makes the "House of Games" all the more special. The dialogues are unique in the way things are being said and not in what is being said.

But otherwise, this is a great film, also in a historical way, since it provided a cue for many scriptwriters since, with maybe better results but this doesn't diminish this film's importance.

Well worth its reputation and the time you'll invest in watching it.

Love It Every Time We See It
This is a very intricate movie written and directed by David Mamet. Unlike lesser talents, he can make a convoluted story totally understandable to the viewers yet surprise you every step of the way. Lindsay Crouse, his then real life wife, played the woman psychiatrist who has just written a bestselling book and become the toast of the intelligentsia in New York. She's also had quite a bit of money roll in from her book. One of her young male patients exhibits great distress and she discovers he is in mortal danger because he owes some big guys in crime a lot of money that he can't pay. Although she's not supposed to become personally involved with patient's lives, this time she decides to talk to the head man in question and see if she can reason with him for her patient's welfare. That crime man is played by Joe Matagna who does a tour de force acting job showing every facet of this con man, trickster character. The psychiatrist is attracted to him and Mantagna can make this guy attractive. But there is no doubt that he can be a very bad guy and an expert con man. You find yourself drawn further and further into the con games going on until they seem like one of those Russian nesting dolls which keep breaking down into yet more dolls. Hubby and I have seen this film about 4 or 5 times and we always enjoy it. I can't tell you anymore though without giving too much away. Let the film work its own mesmerizing magic on you.

"Trust no one"
David Mamet's "House of Games," is another of that director's giant flip jobs. I've been working my way through the Mamet catalogue, and one can't help but feel the director sees the world itself as a giant con. Well, that's perhaps a bit simplistic, but Mamet does cling, in movie after movie, to some core principles. One of these is that you must trust no one. In "Spartan," "The Spanish Prisoner," and "House of Games," this very line is uttered, usually by a villain to an innocent. This sounds like a negative credo, but it really isn't. First, consider who's issuing the warning: the villain. Will the innocent learn from experience? And will the learning result in corruption? (Important questions for Mamet.) Second, trusting yourself and knowing yourself (weaknesses included) in a dangerous world is advisable, necessary, in order to survive . I have to believe Mamet is a big reader of Joseph Conrad.

The story behind "House of Games," involves Lindsay Crouse as Margaret Ford, a doctor and popular author. Her "big book" is titled "Driven," about compulsive and addictive personalities. It doesn't take long to figure out the book is about herself. So driven is Margaret that she is beginning to make Freudian slips in her conversations, slips that reveal dark corners of her own personality. She may be heading for a breakdown - and a teaching colleague warns her, tells her she must slow down. But "slowing down" comes as another writing project presents itself, seemingly accidently due to the dilemma of a patient , when Margaret is introduced to the world of the Con at a local bar and pool hall called "House of Games." This introduction comes at the hands of Mike (Joe Mantegna), a handsome and slick con man who is willing to provide a tour - though he does warn her: "Trust no one."

To reveal any more would be telling. Like all Mamet films, the dialogue is essential. I don't think I've ever seen a director make such interesting use of dialogue. On one level the dialogue in all of Mamet's films (that I've seen so far) is seemingly stilted. But it works! Why? I can only attribute this to Mamet's precision as a director. What seems stilted, comes across instead as elevated speech - as in Shakespeare. Mamet is a dramatic poet who no doubt has Shakespeare's great maxim engraved upon his mind, and present in the framing of each scene: "Suit the action to the word, and the word to the action." (Good actors must love working with this guy.) So pay attention, there's no fat in a Mamet film, and always plenty to ponder. "House of Games" is no different. See it.

Don't believe these reviews!
It may be due to the fact that I was only 7 when this film premiered, but I found House of Games to be atrocious! The acting was laughable (Lindsay Crouse was dull and wooden, while Montagna's lines came across comically though not usually intended to be so), the plot was entirely transparent (just imagine - getting conned by con men), and the character development left much to be desired.
An interesting side-note, however, is that this movie reminds viewers just how much influence tobacco companies had on movie houses back in the '80s. The whole film is one long drag off a Camel, and even Granny happily lights Crouse's cigarettes with her vintage lighter.
Do not purchase this movie without first watching it!

"Look Out for The Tell...."
....or, "The Large Con consists of a series of Small Cons put in an 'attractive' order".

....or, "Everybody's got a little bit of small con in them. Well, some folks have larger cons..."

I saw this movie again and, despite my distaste for certain aspects of the Mamet approach (He wishes actors to read the dialog as written, without emoting too much. The emoting is somehow brought across in the words. In my opinion sometimes the dialog comes off as more staccato than true life, but who am I? Mamet is the world renown author/director, here. I am simply a hack reviewer--but I digress)...this, I think, is a very cool movie with a lot going for it. The chemistry with Crouse and Mantegna is subtly packaged...the cool psychologist becomes child like to the swaggering, but one step from being oily, con-man. She wanted so much to believe that she was being allowed in a world of secrets, privy to only a few, so she trusted this guy to Father her thru this mesh of crosses and double-crossings.

Those moments with the con-artist to her were romantic, exciting, hell, downright sexy and she was feeling more alive than the sterile clinical environment offered to her as a psychologist. Until, that is, The Big Tell gave her a kick in her nether regions.

What makes the movie a surreal experience is that on one level anyone who is in movie making and story telling (or sometimes health services like psychiatry/psychology) is some what of a con artist that we all surrender to one way or another. And we in the audience usually have to remind ourselves to Look Out for The Tell...do you see where I'm going with this? Good. Remember then. And see this movie. It's a good one. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

fun movie
I remember watching this movie over and over when I was younger. You can't go wrong with the Olsen twins movies from when they were little--I'm sure most of us would agree that they were absolutely adorable and endearing at this age.

DDTT is a fun Halloween movie with lots of magic and supernatural powers that might be too much for younger kids, but it's still a very enjoyable film. Sick and tired of being twins, 7-year-olds Lynn and Kelly often get into fights. After experiencing cold rejection from their witch aunt Agatha and hearing stories from a mysterious "grave-digger," the girls finally learn of their parents' financial problems and set off on their own to rescue their beloved Aunt Sophia, who was the victim of a spell from her sister Agatha 7 years ago and is the only person who will be able the family get out of debt. And of course, lots of friends are made along the way, and the movie has got Mary-Kate and Ashley as the stars--a good formula for a kids' film.If you're a kid, you'll probably enjoy watching this on Halloween--if you're like me or anyone else who remembers the Olsen twins' younger days, you'll also enjoy watching and remembering.

my favorite Olsen movie
This is my favorite Olsen movie that they have made, mainly because unlike so many of their more recent movies, it has a good plot and a very good supporting cast. The plot sends 7-year-olds Lynn and Kelly on a Halloween night mission to get a magical moonstone from their evil aunt who has cast a spell on their other aunt. Fun for little kids, but also enjoyable for older fans. It's a good movie to pull out around Halloweentime (or whenever) and at 17 years old, I am not ashamed to watch it because it is truly one of Mary-Kate and Ashley's better movies. I guess the reason I think that is because of the stronger recognition of the other characters--they really get a more substantial role in the movie than the surrounding characters in some of MKA's other movies. In this film, you'll fall in love with the endearing gravedigger, the money-hungry yet lovable Mr. N, and the supportive, "take charge" Oscar the Clown. And then you've got the girls' parents--who, for once, actually act like parents. Gentle, loving, good people--and yet they have problems of their own that they must get through as a family. Now you start to get the feel of a real movie with a real plot. Too many of Mary-Kate and Ashley's movies either have them with single moms or dads(which there is nothing wrong with at all, but it got a little repetitive with the Olsens) or completely up-in-the-clouds parents who were practically at their feet doting on them and giving them everything, thus showing the viewer exactly what life is NOT like. This movie is one exception where the casting of the girls' parents is very strong and realistic. After seeing enough of their other films, you may grow to appreciate seeing this. I am a long-time fan of these girls' films--have been ever since their memorable Full House days. But if you're looking for a quality Olsen movie, I'd recommend that you go for the ones from their younger years--this one may be your best bet. But that's only my opinion.

Parents Beware
I purchased this video and was appalled when I watched it with my child. The twins go home with a homeless man without a second thought! What kind of message is this for children? Plus, the movie has disturbing imagery, that I found scary even as an adult. This is not wholesome entertainment!

Looking for a good "scary" movie for five+? Try The Ghost and Mr. Chicken with Don Knots. I loved it, and now all the many children in my life love it, too.

Don't get this video
This is a scary show, not due to the Halloween content, but because two little girls run away from home, talk to a stranger (a homeless man, or "hobo", go into another stranger's house (who is a midget male clown), need I say more? Although these fellows turn out to be nice guys, we all know that doesn't always happen in the real world. Bad message for kids who are supposed to be learning not to talk to strangers!

Double Double tiol and trouble
I loved the movie. I am a big fan of the olsen twins. I have liked them since they were in Full House as babies. They are so cute and I am going to keep bying their movies until they stop making them. They are such a joy to watch on tv considering all of the bad junk that is on tv these days. I have a 3 year old child who loves the olsen twins as well. she gets me ot go out and buy them when she
sees them advertised on the tv.Elizabeth ... Read more

Reviews (52)

The O-Man Book II
As I get older I realize how right the great Mad Magazine
was to skewer The Omen and its even more preposterous
sequel, Damien: Omen II, in its hilarious pages. These
films might have scared an old horror buff like me
when I was 10 years old but the more I watch the two
films now, the creakier and more totally ridiculous they
seem. I will grant that the first film is a horror classic
despite the absurdities once must swallow in suspending
disbelief witnessing the accelerated catastrophes and
mysterious murders that befall all who stand in Damien's
way to power. This sequel is well-made but more of the same,
Bill Holden is great as usual but yes he does seem out of
sorts in the "Gregory Peck" role, and Lee Grant is near-comatose as his unbelieving (but secretly Damien-worshipping) wife.
One thing I will say about these films is anyone that knows the final biblical Book of Revelations (which Damien quotes out loud in this sequel) knows the passage: "And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads." Well, this
might be quibbling but Damien's "mark of the beast" is square on
the back of his head (or the top, looking like it was done with
a produce ink marker! Aisle 5, antichrist price-check please) and NOT anywhere near his forehead or his hand. And if this is the case then shouldn't there eventually be thousands if not millions of fellow anti-Christs roaming the
earth with the mark on them? I'm pretty sure the 7 Daggers
of Meggido are totally fictitious as well, and nobody ever gets
near enough to Damien to actually use them anyway, so we'll
never know if they really are effective, like Raid, of
finally offing the Antichrist.
But hey aren't we supposed to take Revelations that literally/seriously? I think not, and neither should we take this film, fascinating trash though it might be. And Lance
Henriksen was destined for much better films (ALIENS), God bless him!

THE SCARIEST OMEN OF THEM ALL!
OMEN II TELLS THE STORY OF DAMIEN AFTER THE HORRIFIC TRAGEDY OF HIS PARENTS' DEATH. DAMIEN NOW 12 AND LIVING WITH HIS RICH UNCLE AND AUNT. THIS FILM HAS THE MOST SHOCKING MOMENTS AND MOST CREATIVE DEATH SCENES IN MY OPINION. THE DROWNING BENEATH AN ICY LAKE, DEATH FROM AN ELEVATOR, BURIED ALIVE BY SANDS IN A CAVE, ETC. THE FIRST OMEN HAS A DOG AS THE HELPER OF THE ANTICHRIST, THIS ONE HAS A BLACK RAVEN. THE RAVEN IS A LOT MORE TERRIFYING THEN THE DOG IN THE FIRST FILM AND IT ADDS TO THE HORROR OF THIS FILM. THE MOVIE HOWEVER IS SORT OF RETELLING THE SAME THING AS THE FIRST OMEN, PEOPLE WARNING DAMIEN'S GUARDIAN OF HIS SECRET, THEY REFUSE TO BELIEVE, PEOPLE GETTING KILLED FOR TELLING THE SECRET, THE FAMILY REALIZED THE TRUTH AFTER MANY DEATHS AND DECIDE TO KILL DAMIEN... THIS MOVIE HAS A SURPRISE ENDING (AT LEAST IT SURPRISED ME). ANYWAY OMEN II IS A MUST SEE FOR HORROR FANS AND PEOPLE WHO LOVED THE FIRST OMEN. THE MUSIC ALONE MAKES THE FILM PRETTY SCARY, PLUS THE DEATHS SCENES. BUT ONE THING THAT MIGHT DISAPPOINT THE MODERN HORROR FANS IS THAT THERE ARE NO SEX AND NUDITY IN THIS FILM. BUT IT'S STILL A CLASSIC HORROR AND HORROR FANS SHOULD LIKE THIS MOVIE.

Worth a look for fans, but first OMEN is still the best
In William Holden's biography, GOLDEN BOY, he was just coming off the classic film NETWORK when he was offered the lead in the first THE OMEN. He threw the script aside and said it was ridiculous: no one would believe a story where a kid is born from a dog!
THE OMEN would end up being the biggest hit in Gregory Peck's career, not William Holden's.
But he did end up in the watchable sequel.

Jerry Goldsmith delivers another great score but the crow is a poor substitute for a demonic creature like the Rotweiler in the original (in OMEN's original script, it was a German Sheperd).
I wish there were more moments of self-discovery for Damien but the kids end up sounding phony spouting lines like, "You're the son of the devil!"
I liked the idea of the excavated wall.
The sequential deaths kept things moving but chopping that guy from DESIGNING WOMEN in half in the elevator was too over-the-top to revive the creepiness of David Warner's demise in the first film.
And William Holden's character's abrupt realization of how things have gone wrong isn't nearly as developed as Gregory Peck's superb dread and grief from the original.
The ending feels rushed no matter how you look at it.

I know, I know, it's a sequel. But it's the sequel to a very powerful story and, considering the leads in this film, I ended up wanting much more.
Worth watching though.

"THE FIRST TIME WAS ONLY A WARNING..."
WOW! This movie far surpasses the 1976 blockbuster, with better characters, music, & a plot that's much, MUCH easier to understand compared to that of the original. Damien Thorne is now one of my favorite horror icons of all time next to Leatherface and Pinhead! Continuing from where the first left off, Damine is 13-years-old living at his uncle's mansion in Chicago where he attends a Military Academy. This time, Damien shall discover the truth about himself as the supernatural terror continues for anyone who stands in his way! Very chilling and graphic horror film that will appeal to almost any horror fan! Followed by "The Final Conflict", the last chapter in the 'Omen' trilogy.

Not scary at all....but I don't like crows anymore!
Don't believe the hype, this movie is not scary at all, it may be abit freaky but it isn't something to scare the living daylights out of you. DO NOT WATCH THIS FILM IF YOU DON'T INTENT ON WATCHING THE REST OF THE SERIES!!! There is absolutely no point in doing that because the ending isn't really an ending, it's more of a break for the next movie in the series. The movie is about a boy named Damien who is 13 years old, learning that he is the antichrist, and the people that threaten him and his secret must die in mysterious ways. The death scenes were very well done and creative and the history in the movie is also very accurate. But don't believe the hype, this movie isn't scary, I honestly thought it would be when I started watching it, but I didn't find it to be scary, maybe more shocking than scary. It's more interesting I would say, the movie keeps you wanting more and you just want to know what happens next, it does a great job of keeping the viewer entertained and curious. But if you want a scare, watch something else like The Exorcist. This movie is alot like Final Destination, in the sense that you can't escape from death, whether you expect it or not, this was of course made before Final Destination but just to give you an example of what you can expect. The soundtrack for this film is very, very good and sounds very morbid, which was really good because it sets that mood for the movie. But remember, only watch this if you plan on watching part 3 which is called The Final Conflict. ... Read more

Description

Stephen and Danny are a hip Manhattan gay couple who have it all,until a surprise visit from Stephen's parents threatens to blow the boys' big secret.Thesecret?Not that they're gay - but that they are hit men for the mafia!Since Stephen's dadis an FBI agent, the boys are frantic to keep him in the dark.They enlist their fellowmobsters to pose as gay waiters at the faux catering company Stephen "owns" so they canhost a party for Dad - with hilarious complications! ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Light Amusing Comedy
Friends and Family is the story of two gay men who work for the mafia. When one man's father (an FBI agent), comes to town, the guys must pretend to be caterers in order to prevent trouble. But all is not what it seems, and this film culminates in an elaborate feast with several different groups trying to trick eachother.

While I enjoyed Friends and Family, I found the main couple lacked chemistry. If possible, they were just TOO good looking. The pair looked like they belonged in an advertisement for GQ rather than in the mafia. (I'd much prefer a more homely pair with stronger acting talents), I did think the actor who portrayed the mafia boss, did an excellent job, and the cooking scene and the scenes with the drag queens were amusing.

Overall, this movie reminds me of a combination of "Wedding Banquet and the Bird Cage." Fun, light comedy, but nothing too original.

A jewel of an old-fashioned comedy.
I loved this movie when I saw it at a comedy film festival a couple of years ago, and I love it even more on DVD, looking pristine and with an excellent set of "extras". I hope this wonderful film manages to find the audience that missed it in its apparently brief theatrical run.

Inexplicably dismissed by many - though I should add not all - critics that I read, this personal favorite of mine is finally being given a second chance on DVD. It's about a gay couple who are hit men for the Mafia, but that doesn't begin to convey the stylishness of the comedy and the tight structure of the story line(s). It's a genuine throwback to the old-fashioned farces of the golden age of Hollywood, with its giddy, improbable starting point, hilarious cast of stock characters and the overlapping stories. It's truly one of the few American film comedies in memory that gives you a laugh every minute or so, and that deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as "Trouble in Paradise".

As a gay man, I was glad at last to see a movie in which the gay characters are in a long-term relationship, and aren't closeted, ambivalent about their sexualities, or drug addicts. Instead, despite the fantastic story line, they're actually presented in a fashion that is in some ways truer to life than most depictions of gay men in movies - as happy, confident and successful (and did I mention attractive?)

The cast is fully up to the level of the material. I especially liked Rebecca Creskoff - a delightful, lovely presence as the mob boss's daughter - and Beth Fowler, who in some ways is the motor that gets the plot going: perfection as the gay hero's unstoppable mother. And catch Anna Maria Alberghetti, of the "Mary Tyler Moore Show" knock-knock joke, hilarious as Creskoff's mother.

Pounce on this one.

Bad
The movie never finds its tone. It's supossed to be funny but it isn't, mainly due to its unbelievavility. The director treats some scenes as if it were high-comedy, and others as pure caricature, and it doesn't work. The first ones end up as ridiculous and the second ones as tiresome.
Also this is one of those movies where the 2 main characters are a gay couple and they almost don't touch each other during the whole movie. And I think they don't kiss once.
The dvd has a full-screen transfer.

A BIG PUFFY SOUFFLE
"Friends and Family" a film homage to the screwball comedies of the 1930's is a big puffy soufflé. The opening credits are clever and beautifully photographed. They set up a perfect tone for a sparkling comedy of screwball manners. After the credits fade, something goes wrong and all the air in this concoction slowly escapes like a whoopee cushion being sat upon by a large mobster.
The premise of the film is clever and with a talented cast of fine New York actors there are moments in the movie that are indeed funny. But you have to wait for them. This film is not the rollercoaster ride it wants to be, it is the line waiting to get onto it.
In possession of one of the truly handsome faces on the screen today, Greg Lauren is coolly menacing as the straight acting Steven Torcelli gay mob hit man with his partner/lover Danny Russo. His comic timing is well placed and contrasts well with the zany characters he is surrounded by. As Steven's boyfriend and fellow killer, Christopher Gartin does well in the bland role of Danny. Yet with most of the comedy chores going to Lauren he becomes not much more than comedic wallpaper. Tony Lo Bianco is well cast as the Don of the mob family and brings well-timed humor to his role especially in his phone conversation with the Senator. Anna Maria Alberghetti turns the role of wife to the Don into something other than the expected creating a comic black widow eager to have her sons assume the roles of killers for the family.
Tovah Feldshuh and Brian Lane Green catapult themselves over the top as midwestern parents of the boy who is to marry into the mob family. They have fun in their roles but somehow their comedy is too strident and clashes with the rest of the ensembles more polished performances. Beth Fowler gives the best performance in the film and has just the right edge to her character as the mother of Steven. She steals the spotlight every time she appears on screen.
The look of the film is marvelous. The cinematography by John Leuba is so rich and atmospheric that it gives "Friends and Family" the look of a studio film from the era it means to honor. But a film such as this needs to have much more going for it than just a pretty face, it needs energy.
The major problem with "Friends and Family" lies in two camps. First there is the screenplay by Joseph Triebwasser. There are a few good scenes, but where it strives to be a light and fast-paced comedy in the manner of Hawks or Capra is fails. It is not much more than a plodding pilot for a WB sitcom. It needs tightening and several more re-writes and a good injection of smart dialog. Smart fast paced dialog is essential for screwball to succeed. The second problem is in the direction and editing. This was Kristen Coury's first time at bat as a director and it is a valiant and ambitious effort. So the problem of pace is not hers alone but must fall partiality in the laps of her editors, Tom Swartwout and Hector Venegas. A good director and editor can work together to tighten timing and pace where it is needed. That does not happen here. Nowhere is it more evident than in the third act at the banquet. Where the action should be frenetic and zany it grinds on and punctures the comic intent of the scene. It is evident that that the lack of time and money available to the production added to the problems in this scene and we are left with some odd jumps in cutting and loss in some vital connecting information. The whole film is building to this final madcap ending yet we are left sitting on the floor twiddling our fingers while the action stops for all the characters to reflect and yawn. I agree with the screenwriter, maybe it would have been funnier to have Anna Maria Alberghetti save the day.

A delightful comedy!
Friends and Family is a delightful and clever comedy. The plot, and many subplots actually, are a bit far-fetched, but they provides pure escapism, which we all need sometimes. The characters, as unbelievable as they are, come out as totally outrageous, much needed in a comedy of this nature. The story becomes so over the top, it borders on ridiculous, but manages to entertain, while being totally hilarious.

I really enjoyed this film and smiled throughout at the pure absurdity of it all. The cast was good, the acting okay, but the characters were terrific in my mind. Yes, some people might consider these people stereotypes, but the stereotype came about for a reason....these people actually EXIST! The only real problem I had, and for a movie like this it's a big one, is the displays of affection between the two leads. I don't need to see full on gay sex, but it would have been nice to have seen the couple at least share a light kiss or two. The end did have them hold hands, with beautiful dialogue expressing their love for each other, and I would have liked to see more of that throughout, just a couple more times at least. It showed a human side to these killers that we just needed to see more of.

This is a cross between La Cage Aux Follies (The Birdcage), The Sopranos, and Mambo Italiano, but is too Disneyfied for it's own good. Actually, it's one 'gay film' the whole family can enjoy-- no sex, no profanity, and only very mild violence. I'd definitely rate it a PG. This isn't a perfect film, but it's a perfectly enjoyable one. Grade: A- ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Well, It Has Susanna Hoffs.....
The Allnighter is a cheesy, weak-plotted typical teen/20's film about 3 girls having lots of fun before graduation. The movie, however, is not very fun and I found it somewhat boring. However, Susanna Hoffs makes the movie! If you like Sue as much as I, then you will like this movie. What really makes the DVD version great is the commentary with Susanna and her mother, Tamar Simon Hoffs, who directed the movie. The commentary is worth the buy alone. Now as for Shakesphere's Sister above, I have had no problems with my DVD version and I have a cheapie player. Then again, some DVD's just don't work well with certain players. Overall, if you like Sue and like to get to know about her and her mother (the commentary) buy this DVD.

Proof the 80's sucked.
It's no wonder that neither Tamar Hoffs who wrote, directed and produced this junk NOR her daughter Susanna Hoffs ever made another film again. Sue is now married to film director Jay Roach (Meet the Parents, Austin Powers) and wisely, unlike Madonna, isn't letting her hubbie direct her in anything else. Why? Because the girl can't act to save her life and she knows it. Sue is a great video poser (like Madonna) but is she ever wooden -- even in a silly, no-serious - acting-required romp like this. This film isn't even for Bangles fans since the other three Bangles themselves wanted nothing to do with it and even Vicki Peterson wondered how this atrocity was "even being made." But it does goes to show what happens when you get a hit record. For some reason pop stars believe that hitting the Top Ten automatically qualifies them for starring roles in films. In this case Sue's mom wanted to be the Orson Welles of her generation. Only because she had a famous daughter and a forgettable short flick to her name did she get the chance to do it.You would think the film had a better soundtrack, being that Sue and bandmates did make some good music. But this ultra lame film lacks plot, wit and purpose. It's not even unintentionally funny, it's just stupefyingly dumb! "Molly's" valedictory speech is moronic (and she was first in her class!). But then again, she would be #1 at "Pacifica College" where teachers "recreate Woodstock" as part of the curriculum. Any brains, out there? And how do 3 penniless college students afford such a gorgeous beachfront house as their pad?There's no irony here, except for Joan Cusak's character Gina, who displays some occasional caustic wit and seems to be very aware of the idiots she's surrounded with. But this flick is too long, too boring and one wonders if these 5 brainless twits will ever make it in the real world.And this mess certainly didn't help Sue's standing in the Bangles who at the time were trying hard to fight the "sex kitten" image the record company wanted them to have. This film also brought even more media attention to Sue - something the band resented. Looking at yourself in the mirror with close-ups of your panties, while moving to and fro to Aretha's "Respect" (talk about irony!) was hardly going to help the Bangles to be taken as a serious female musicians.

A Movie to cry about... The time was the 80's...
It's a great movie, great actors, now we have seen them become legends, and Susanna Hoffs, a voice, a Star, in a time that fasion and music were everything, if you ever read this Sue... I just want to tell you, I'm proud of you!!!! keep on rocking!!!

Oh Well
Yeah, she's cute, but the movie is a real stinker. You're not sure what's going on and then you realize it............Nothing's going on. The only good thing about the movie was Joan Cusack who, as usual, is the real star of any movie she's in. If you're having trouble getting to sleep, this is a real tranc.

A nice surprise from the day-glo era...
I found this one in the bargain section. As others have mentioned, this film is not exactly "Citizen Kane". What we have here is a tame teen-sex comedy from the mid-80's that is almost instantly forgettable... almost.

The big draw is of course Susanna Hoffs, of Bangles fame. While Hoffs dances a bit, she doesn't sing anything except on the soundtrack. Still, if you're a fan of the Bangles or just Hoffs, then this film was made for you.

Hoffs doesn't really embarrass herself acting-wise. She does pretty good for what a film like this one demands (not too much), and the same can be said for the other cast members. Actually, the whole cast is likable. And at heart, "The Allnighter" is an indie film more than it is a throwaway Hollywood teen flick. Both factors make the film more tolerable.

The story is pretty weak, lending more to caricature than characterization. Five co-eds are about to graduate after four long years at Pacifica University. Gina is documenting her friends' last day as college students on a videocamera, so that "twenty years from now... [you'll] remember us as were were on this day." While not quite twenty years later, the line is still ironic.

Val is about to be married to some rich but overbearing and fey business dude, and she must go spend time with him rather than attend the last big fiesta with her pals. Bummer! The strangely pale Gina (the only character without a suntan), is fixated on her documentary. Molly (Hoffs) is just down on herself. After four years, she's still not met the perfect guy (or any guy). The girls' two male friends are surfer dudes. Killer is a philosophying hippie soul-of-an-artist type, and king of the waves. CJ is his best pal, and the object of Molly's affections, 80's hair wings and all. If only CJ could open up and be real, and see more than the waves, he and Molly could be making their own waves!

Complications follow throughout the rest of the evening in this "Animal House Lite" chick-flick, including a run in with the police, the big fiesta, an old romance between one of Molly's teachers and a former rock star, etc.

Actually, there are some interesting moments, since as I said, at heart this is an indie film. Credit newly minted director (and Hoffs' Mom), Tamar Simon Hoffs for making the attempt to go beyond the average teen comedy flick.

Familliar faces include Pam Grier as (of all things!), Sergeant McLeesh, matron of the female section of the local jail. Pam Grier fans will like her in the movie (and acting-wise, she overpowers the entire cast despite her small supporting role). Michael Ontkean of "Twin Peaks" fame is also on hand, as a washed up rock singer that Molly idolizes. Meshach Taylor plays a hotel detective. Dedee Pfeiffer (Michelle's sister), plays the struggling Val, and Joan Cusack plays the camera-toting Gina.

The device of Joan Cusak's character documenting the last day of their college time works for the most part, but somewhere along the way the film gets lost and takes bizzare sidetrips that stall the story. This is too bad, because there was some real potential for a memorable film here, which could have gone further than just Bangles fans or day-glo-philes.

On the plus side, the disc includes "The Haircut", a short 1982 indie film by Tamar Simon Hoffs. This is the real prize, believe it or not.

The cast is impressive for what Tamar readily admits was practically a student film. John Cassavetes stars. Three Bangles are on hand. Joyce Bulifant (best known as Murray's wife on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", among many other roles in the 70's & 80's), plays a manicurist. Remember Nicholas Colasanto, Coach from "Cheers"? He's the barber! Again, Meshach Taylor plays a role, this time as a shoeshiner/waiter.

This is a real treat, as we see a man getting the best haircut ever, which seems to change his outlook on life in the span of fifteen minutes.

Audio commentary is available for both films, plus a short behind the scenes interview with Tamar about "The Haircut". This was subtitled in French. I suspect the interview was probably made for a Canadaian audience, since Canada was where the short was filmed.

If you like the 80's, the Bangles, Hoffs, or just want a harmless teen flick from the day-glo era to watch, then this disc is for you. I give it three stars for "The Allnighter", plus one for the addition of "The Haircut". ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Very Good for Kids!
This movie is very entertaining, my dear son loves it. The 1st movie is a classic, but this one does its job entertaining nad a good story.

An Okey sequel
This the squel to the Original secret of Nim. Timmy goes of to forn valley to fullfil hte prosey fortold by Nicodemus before his unfortunate death. Timmy must journey to the lab where the doctor that experiment on the rats is perform mad experiments.

Part of this reminds of redwall. There is a battle near the end against Timmoy and his brother Martin who has gone mad due to experience due to be alter after he was captured by the scientist.

He plans to conquer thorn Valley but timmoy stops him returns him to good. Some cheesy parts it is a musical. That there is a cheesy scence where Jermy pretends to be the great owl. Cons the wodland creatures of there of golden coins.

Some new characters are sela a capterilar and a real pretty female.

Recomend for children 5 and older. Not as intense as the original but still has some scary part. Like at the end when Nimth catch on fire and two cats chase timmoy.

Unfortunatley Jon Debluso who played the voice of the crow Jermy in this a and the original died shorrtly after the Second secret of Nimh was complete.

Timmy is the main character and you barley see his mother in this one. Pluse some of the characters have changed. Brutus the rat in the first one who almost squabobds Miss Frissby is a softy in this one. Justin and Mr.Ages return. I find the song good. I rented this a couple of years ago from blockbuster.

I plan on Buy this and the original after I move out of my house. For my sister are very picky about what I watch. Okey would have been better if It had been more intense like the first one. This was the last movie made in the series. All the people who reviewed it but gave it only star. I think some of these people are to picky. Coome on Eight Leged Freaks was on of the best monster movies I have ever seen the stink critic only gave it 2.

My advice people ligten up there has never been a movie bad enough to be only one star. Except for made Red zone Cuba and the Original Little shop of Horrors.

This degrades the name Secret of nimh
words cannot describe how much i loathe this film. its a major dissapointment compared to the first one.
i really think the writers of this thought the origianl was 'too dark and scary' for the kids today. excuse me! how old were
biggest part of you Nimh 1 lovers when you first watched the first film, i was atleast 5!
the characters break out into song every 5 minutes into the film *hiss*
this is not a sequal, its more of a 'what if' story.
the rats are stealing! the reason they went to thorn valley was so they could stop that. evil martins song was majorly dissapointing, when i first watched it and realised martin was the baddy not to mention there was song's in it, i was thinking 'ho maybe it wont be all that bad, the villains songs are mostly really great' i certainly got that wrong, it is so pathetic compared to Rasputins song from Anastasia, now i know theres some out there that may dislike that (i dunno how Don Bluth was part of that creation too). but that is one of my favourite songs.
okay sorry but people who think the first one was boring because timothy was sick well 'oh dear what a crying shame, its the end of the world' sure but he was suffering from a real illness but as it was said in the film you can die from it. Jim henson died from it for crying out loud. BUT sickness can be treated and can be recovered from. experimentation is worse. if they were abit more realistic martin could have ended up with an ear on his back, i had that idea and would have loved to see that. XD. and that really happened to a real mouse, so nobody moan at me for saying thats not real.

anyway i was so very dissapointed in this film as you can obviously tell. so.. im going to work on my own sequal.

hey any of you nimh 2 haters contact me, i'd like to converse with fellow dislikers.

Pure-D Crap
The first movie was my favorite as a child. When I saw this sequel, I wanted to throw a shoe at through the television. Whoever decided to make this movie must have never saw the original. Simply terrible.

Horrible!
I'll get strait to the point. This is one of the worst movies I have EVER seen. The plot is stupid, the charactors are annoying, the animation is WAY too cartoon-ish unlike the classic original's great animation, and the songs can cause you're ears to bleed. Don't buy this movie, or rent it. Buy the classic original Secret of NIMH instead. ... Read more