Young Doctors in Love

This is a great movie. The two subplots are almost better than the main storyline. I've always liked Michael McKean and it was nice to see him in a serious role. If you used to be hooked on General Hospital and recognize the characters in their cameo roles it's even funnier. It's very seldom seen on television but well worth watching, even though they will cut it up a bit.

The title "Young Doctors In Love" is perhaps the most mis-leading title ever to be placed on a movie. It sounds like a passionate love story and not like a hilarious "spoof" movie that it is. This spoof movie is right up there with the "Airplane" and "Naked Gun" movies, and far better than the spoof movies of the 90's such as "Wrongfully Accused", "The Silence Of The Hams", "Hot Shots", and "Mafia". Rather than poking fun at other movies, "Young Doctors In Love" has an original idea for a spoof movie....A Total Satire On Hospitals!!!! It may sound crude or it may sound boring, but it's nothing less than hysterical and once you view it you'll find out for yourself. I loved Michael Richards' performance as a hit man who tries to assassinate a mafia godfather who is a hospital patient but has trouble finishing the job due to his mis-identity. Hector Elizondo is great as the godfather's son who dresses up as a woman to disguise himself from the other gangsters! There are great one-liners! Dabney Coleman was marvelous as an insane surgeon! Every doctor, along with the patients, have something comical about them that makes all of the jokes that are pulled in this film work 100%! If you love silly movies, then this one is a treasure! Stay tuned during and after the credits! Great fun from beginning to end!

In the tradition of other spoof movies, "Young Doctors in Love", a skewering of medical soap operas such as 'General Hospital', is the kind of thing that does require some attention to be paid, as there's a fair amount of detail to its presentation. It's handled by a group of TV veterans - Garry Marshall made his theatrical directing debut here, and the writers are Michael Elias and Rich Eustis, who also pack the movie with cameos by actual soap opera actors (you get to see a very young Demi Moore, who at the time was on GH). The main story line is of an arrogant, insufferable prick, Simon August (Michael McKean) who wants to be a top surgeon but who is scarred by a childhood prank, and the fellow doctor he loves, Stephanie Brody (Sean Young, looking just beautiful) and attempts to save after realizing she needs special surgery. Some gags are good, such as the pitiful fate of terminally unlucky hit man Malamud (Michael Richards, long before 'Seinfeld'), although it's some of the throwaway gags and lines that are the funniest. References to pop culture of the time are there, such as a line involving "E.T.". There's also the standard device of the popular man-in-drag idea as gangster Hector Elizondo (who as we all know became Marshall's good luck charm in all of his movies) disguises as a woman in order to smuggle his sickly dad (Titos Vandis), who's been targeted by other mob families, into the hospital. There aren't many performers here who did little else of note, and people will have a high old time noting all of the familiar faces. Ted McGinley, Taylor Negron, and Rick Overton are among the group of doctors, Dabney Coleman is the stressed out guy in charge, Patrick Macnee is utterly wasted in a next to nothing part, Crystal Bernard is an underage prostitute, Harry Dean Stanton is the expert in tasting bodily fluids, and Pamela Reed the dorky nurse who blossoms when she thinks Negron's doctor is interested in her (really, he just wants the key to the drug cabinet). It's a bit of a revelation that this first effort from Marshall is so unabashedly R rated with its sexual jokes and liberal use of profanity. It's not always terribly successful, but it does generate a pretty respectable amount of genuine laughs. What's amusing is the device it employs at the end, which we see sometimes in film, when the fates of the characters after the events of the movie are revealed, and the actors also get a roll call as well, which is nice. While "Young Doctors in Love" doesn't set off any real comedy fireworks, it's still not bad at all, and does present a respectable effort to go for a certain zaniness, even if it's not on the level of a "Blazing Saddles", "Young Frankenstein", or "Naked Gun". Generally likable. Seven out of 10.

Dr. Prang (DabneyColeman) is in surgery as he welcomes the new residents under his direction. Amid nips and tucks, he asks the gang to introduce themselves. Dr. Stephanie (Sean Young) says she is from Vermont and wants to practice rural medicine, like her father, in her home state. Others say they are interested in allergy care, pediatrics, or some other field. Then comes Dr. Simon (Michael McKean) who declares he is going to be a "great surgeon". Yes, he's brash but serious. The other residents laugh behind his back, as he is a buttoned-down stiff. Meanwhile, a mafioso who has been in hiding from a rival crime family, with his son Angelo (Hector Elizondo), suffers a stroke and can't speak. Disguising himself as a woman, the new "Angela" takes him to the hospital where he is given a private room. But, ho ho ho, the rival gang gets the info and sends bumbling henchman Malamud (Michael Richards) to knock him off at the first chance. Also, head nurse (Pamela Reed) keeps the key to the medicine cabinet around her neck and tolerates NOTHING. With Dr. Prang on the phone with his accountant more than instructing his underling doctors, this all might not end too well. In addition, will Stephanie fall for Simon, even as she has some ailment which makes her faint from time to time? This very funny film is not quite on par with Airplane! or Naked Gun but it has wonderful scenes, comedy, and gags. Richards is a hoot, long before Seinfeld, as he can't seem to knock off a stroke victim. just as the Coyote can't defeat the Roadrunner. Young and McKean make a nice, attractive twosome and the rest of the cast is good as well. Expect eighties costumes and just average sets and photography. Alas, there are a few risque situations. But, you will definitely have to watch it more than once to catch all of the rapid fire comedy elements. Young or old, you will love it!

This, one could say, a uniquely fascinating spoof on hospitals, did provide some moments of real belly laughs. Not to say, this film isn't completely without flaws. The film has a number of likeable actors, some uncredited soapie stars, as well as a pre Seinfeld crazy, as is a great 95 minutes of spoof entertainment, while kind of at times, it feels more serious, if you judge the underlying story as to med student, Young's, ailing plight. Hector Elizondo of course, steals the movie as a disguised gangster figure, who's hiding his crime boss father in City Memorial, as being a marked man. A lot of jokes work, where some just sag, but there's a lot of clever ones at play, where some won't wash, but you admire the film for the clever ones. I really liked Michael Mckean (an ex Laverne And Shirley favorite) in this, as the no nonsense, "aspiring to be the greatest surgeon that ever lived" med student, a totally serious, likeable contrast, as to all the other hang back, partying collegues, and Dabney Coleman, the other top performance in this, shows us again, why he's such a great adept and versatile actor. YDIL is a standalone spoof, with some bouncing breasts, skating nurses, falls, spills, forgotten soapie star cameo's, even, a rectified too sudden actors. 7.5/10