Llámame Mr. Charly

White corporation man George Segal gets a rude awakening when he finds out that he has an illegitimate son who happens to be black (our first real theatrical look at Hollywood icon Denzel Washington). Naturally Segal's Beverly Hills life turns topsy-turvy with wife Susan Saint James and father-in-law Jack Warden complicating the situation by forcing Segal into a life of degradation and poverty with usually hilarious results. Pure early-1980s fluff here as Washington puts that bright smile of his on and steals every scene from veteran Segal. Segal though does an admirable job and feeds off the film effectively. Ultimately though the substance is lacking and the typical comedic situations eventually end up being predictable and sometimes stale. The late drama also feels forced and somewhat unnecessary. Still a watchable piece of entertainment for its two leads. 2.5 out of 5 stars.

This was the first time I had seen Denzel Washington and our family really enjoyed the movie. We are a Black family, so the White dad buying into the stereotypes about Black people struck us as quite amusing and he deserved his comeuppance for his sorry thinking. The movie was funny and also touching. True, there was a lack of depth in some of the acting, but not all movies that are made contain a great amount of depth. For the most part, if you want to watch a movie that won't assault your eyes or ears, yet entertain you with some true and humorous depiction of slices of life, this is a good one to check out. I've been a Denzel fan ever since I saw "Carbon Copy" and it is a part of my "favorites" collection.

Before watching this, I feared I was in for some cringy, eye rolling moments. Not as many racial slurs as I'd thought, plus two great actors (Denzel Washington and George Segal) starring in this. I was thrilled that I was about to witness Denzel's film debut, and I'd hoped it wasn't as offensive as I'd imagined. I mean, for young Denzel to be in such a film? I had expected something... better.

There were a few poignant moments between father and son. At the heart of this 80s film, it became more of a son trying to connect with the father he never knew, and they made some discoveries. In the end though, it's all about what the white person learns about other people. I understand who this film is aimed at, which is common. Still, it was better than I realized. It looked for something redeeming and the moments at the prison had Denzel's Roger give a good moment. It was good that George's. Walter gained insight too: loved that. I won't get into the awful supporting characters (I've met too many people in real life like that), but overall, I'd challenge people to find some worthy moments in this. At least it's not "Soul Man"!

I was very surprised to see this movie today on a channel that plays lots of familiar movies. I had never heard of this one before, but I figured with Denzel Washington how could I go wrong? Yes, Carbon Copy is over-the-top in its depiction of snooty racists, and some of the comedy borders on slapstick. But if you concentrate on the relationship between the Denzel Washington and George Segal characters, you're in for a real treat. They are truly wonderful together and Denzel, especially considering this is one of his earliest roles, has all the charisma, polish, and depth we have come to expect from him. Bonus points for some really funny lines and a serious point that is made with heart.

Talk about an undiscovered gem. I never knew this film existed. Denzel Washington's first film role. You could see the potential for greatness even then. Yes, I know that is easy to say now, but I really mean it. Even in this small role, he was great.

My personal connection to this film aside, it really hit home the problem in this country. The divide is so great that only the election of Obama will begin to heal it. We still have the separate communities displayed here, and we still have the separate attitudes. George Segal really did a good job in displaying the angst of the two worlds that divide us.

Most of the credit has to go to Oscar-winner Stanley Shapiro, for writing and producing this film. He used humor very creatively to spotlight a real problem that has plagued us for many many years.