What a pleasant surprise.
“My Blue Heaven” is an enjoyable film with two of our
best comic actors – Steve Martin and Rick Moranis – in best shape.
Why is it a surprise? Because Warner Bros. purposely
kept critics around the country from viewing this before its release. Chris Hicks said in his review, “That usually means the movie is a dog and the studio
wants to avoid reviews for the all-important opening weekend.”
Hicks continued, “But "My Blue Heaven" is a
bright comedy, and my guess is it will receive largely favorable reviews.”
The story is funny by itself, with Martin as a strange
New York mobster who’s been relocated to a Caucasian San Diego suburb under the
federal witness-protection program. Moranis is the tense over-organized FBI
agent tasked to keep him alive and in line so he can testify in a mob hit case.
Martin’s signature manner of inserting himself into
the community provides many of the film’s biggest laughs, as when he reprices
food in the supermarket and mows the lawn in his Armani suit.
Also, he keeps getting thrown into jail by local
authorities, under the supervision of assistant D.A. Joan Cusack – where even
his cell gets a huge laugh.
Hicks said, “Moranis gets Martin out of one jam after
another, so to repay him Martin fixes Moranis up with Cusack, perhaps the only
person in the world more straight-laced than he is. Meanwhile, not
unexpectedly, Martin has a profound influence on Moranis' character, helping
him loosen up and enjoy life.”
There are flaws, scenes that don’t really work, gags
that fail and a temporary slowness that comes in somewhere in the final third.
However, in the entirety, screenwriter Nora Ephron and
director Herbert Ross keep things going with so many sight gags and clever,
inventive parts of business and a surprisingly nice romance between Moranis and
Cusack. This is a movie that rebels you not to like it.
Martin and Moranis are very good, both as a team and
separately. Hicks noted, ‘If Martin's explanation of why a hitman uses a .22
instead of a .45 doesn't have you on the floor you're in serious need of a
humor checkup.”
The rest of the cast is more than up to their level:
Cusack’s wonderful straight woman. Melanie Mayron as a local cop. Carol Kane as
a late-in-the-film romantic interest for Martin. Daniel Stern as Cusack’s
obnoxious ex-husband. William Irwin as Moranis’ dancing partner. Finally, William
Hickey, whose appearance as a pet-shop owner has a very funny plot device as a crowd
of known hoods under federal protection are reunited.
Hicks said, “Patrons of the annual Sundance Film
Festival in Park City may also recognize Irwin; under the name of
"Bill" Irwin, he showed off his multiple talents for a live one-man
show at the festival a couple of years ago.”
Hicks continued, “As a point of trivia, this is the
third film to open in the past two weeks with a strong baseball subtext, the
others being "Taking Care of Business" and "mo' better
blues." And it was also interesting to see a plug for Warner's upcoming
Clint Eastwood movie "White Hunter, Black Heart" on a local movie
theater marquee.”
When I saw this movie a couple of days ago, I found
myself enjoying this. It is definitely one of those comedies that everyone
should check out and enjoy. If you’re a fan of Moranis and Martin, you should
see this movie. This film was released the same year as "Goodfellas," which is surprisingly about the same person. Check it out and have an enjoyable time watching this during
Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Hopefully everyone has a
blessed day today celebrating with family. Just make sure you don’t
overindulge, which everyone is guilty of doing. Tomorrow will be the conclusion
of “Francis Ford Coppola Month.”
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