Mystery Date - Eine geheimnisvolle Verabredung

Saw this movie in college, thought it was hilarious, and somehow not very many people I've asked have seen it. Did you like the paper boy in Better Off Dead? (also riotously funny) Then you will like the flower boy in Mystery Date. It's true, if you are into reality and seriousness you will NOT like this movie. But if you like a bit of ridiculous fun, and watching someone dig deeper into trouble, (*for example, if you liked Meet the Parents) you would like this! NOTE: The girl in it was the girlfriend in Meet The Parents last year. It's weird that she made MD 10 years earlier. She doesn't look THAT much older to me.

The shy teenager Tom McHugh (Ethan Hawke) worships his sexy neighbor Geena Matthews (Teri Polo) that lives on the other side of the street, but he does not dare to talk to her. When his parents travel with their dog for a competition and his self-confident big brother Craig McHugh (Brian McNamara) unexpectedly arrives from California for a visit with a classic 1959 Cadillac, Graig decides to call Geena and schedule a date with Tom. He lends his clothes and his credit card to Tom, who cuts his hair like Craig, buy flowers while Tom calls a limousine service. However, the driver has an accident and Tom decides "to borrow" the fancy car to impress the girl. When Tom is mistakenly taken as being Craig and finds a body in the trunk, his dream-night with Geena becomes a nightmare.

"Mystery Date" is one of the funniest adventures of the 90's and completely underrated in IMDb. The enjoyable story is delightful, with Ethan Hawke and Teri Polo showing a magnificent chemistry in the beginning of their successful careers. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Que Garota, Que Noite" ("What a Girl, What a Night")

When someone even if it's your brother offers to fix you up on a date with the girl of your dreams, watch out because if it's too good to be true, it usually is. That's the position that young Ethan Hawke who worships his older brother Brian McNamara.

McNamara is however not studying to be a lawyer, but instead is a crook who has stolen from a Chinese gangster played by James Wong and who wants his goods back. What McNamara is doing by even giving Hawke his car, his fashionable wardrobe and even his credit card is set up his younger brother while he deals in relative safety. So that first date with Teri Polo is an experience not likely to be forgotten.

Mystery Date definitely has a few laughs in it, but throughout it I couldn't really get all that amused over the plight of Hawke and Polo. I mean this kid really worships McNamara and this guy is such a sleaze to take advantage of that. Kind of puts a damper on the humor.

Funniest performance has to be from Fisher Stevens who plays a psychotic floral delivery guy who McNamara stiffs for a tip and then goes berserk, taking it out on poor Hawke, the schlemiel. It doesn't make up for the overall weak plot premise.

It isn't ever going to be considered an Oscar caliber classic, but it is a very well written, directed, and performed movie. Almost all the lines are referenced to each other at one point or another. The soundtrack is phenomenal. Even the extras (with the possible exception to the guard shack guy) are even good and believable. The movie captures all the nervousness and awkwardness of that first date with a woman you are trying hard to impress. If you have a date and don't know what to see, take a chance with this (rental or go all out and buy it if you can find it). I don't think anyone going in with an open mind will be disappointed. PLEASE STICK WITH IT THROUGH THE FIRST 15 MINUTES. It does pick up. The only (if it has one) downfall of this movie is that it starts slow but you have to pay attention from the opening credits to after the credits. Worth your time and money.

Hey there IMDb viewers, Seriously - I took a chance on this film when it came to TV and I honestly have to say that, if you can watch it for what it is - i.e. pure entertainment - your gonna have a blast! It stars a young Ethan Hawke (Training Day) and a very attractive, younger Teri Polo (Meet The Parents). When Tom McHugh's (Hawke) older brother Craig (McNamara) sets Tom up with Gina (Polo) for a blind date everything for the beginning part, starts off well... until Tom finds himself chased throughout the night by cops, a psychotic flower deliver man (Stevens) and a mob Boss by the name of James Lew (Wong) - it seems everyone wants a piece of Tom... or is it Craig and why?... Watch and find out! A great date movie and one to watch when your in one of those "I want to watch something, but i'm not sure what" type of scenarios. Cheers.