kev@apollo.HP.COM (Kevin Romano) (11/03/89)
WORTH WINNING
A film review by Kevin Romano
Copyright 1989 Kevin Romano
* MINOR SPOILERS *
Judging from WORTH WINNING, America is in deep trouble! I knew that the
film probably wouldn't be too good because it has Lesley Ann Warren in it, but
I went to see it anyway. It is so deeply shallow that there's not a whole lot
to be said about it.
Most of us have seen the television show MOONLIGHTING no doubt. Well if
you've seen MOONLIGHTING, you've seen WORTH WINNING. WORTH WINNING, however,
is much more predictable. Mark Harmon takes the place of Bruce Willis. He
talks to the camera, explains his feelings, what's happening in the story, etc.
Admittedly, I missed the very beginning because the Boston Globe with its
usual crummy quality control had the wrong start time printed. But it didn't
matter. This TV program that thinks it's a movie is such a formula flick that
you don't need to catch the opening to understand it.
Here's the plot. Two friends make a bet that one of them can/can't get
three women to agree to marry one of them. He does, but falls for one. The
women find out and turn the tables on him. He repents and wins back the lady.
Pure hack!
This movie defines new lows in the consumer mentality that has overtaken
America. It assumes that we are all part of a great era of dreck in which
reality is defined not by any drive to make ourselves better as individuals, as
a people, as a nation, but by our unblinking acceptance of the drivel of
consumerism. We are no longer looked upon as thinking people, or even as film
audiences. We are - media consumers! Boy, does this flick ever make you feel
like an consumer!
Lesley Ann Warren is one reason I went. She is a wonderful, talented
lady. It's a pity she seems to always appear in stuff that is way below her
capabilities. I don't know if she herself has the bad taste, her agent, the
casting directors, the producers? I just don't know. How awful to watch
someone loaded with talent consistently exploited in demeaning roles. Of
course, she has considerable physical charms, but, while undoubtedly a reliable
aspect for manipulation of the audience, hormone production is best left where
it belongs - with pharmaceutical companies; Lesley Ann is wasted in this
outing. There are so few good screen parts written for women that taking
someone as talented as Lesley and using her in a part like this should be made
part of the felony statutes. Nevertheless, she does a good job in the
second-rate role of a vapid, repressed housewife.
I can only hope that the producers and financiers of this piece of skit
will get to read reviews like this and somehow get it through their witless
skulls that vulgarities, jiggling tits, and a hack TV formula do not a movie
make. They should stick to things they're best at, like manipulating the stock
market, or certain of their anatomical appendages. This is not light comedy;
it's a comedy for air heads, which is what the producers apparently think of
their audience. Do yourself a favor. Miss this one even on cable.
--Kevin Romano