You Can't Hurry Love

Okay, the movie was pretty awful, though it didn't make me want to vomit. I'm trying to figure out what the makers of this film were thinking. The most amusing part of the film was of course all the dates that the lead character got set up on. Of course it wasn't all that original because the dates from hell is a standard plot in every movie and sitcom. I am a fan of Bridget Fonda's, and even though she wasn't a big name at the point of this film's making, I have to wonder why she would consent to be in this. Other than she needed the money. I definitely don't need to see this one again. It may have been aiming for charmingly goofy, but it ended up at the destination of head shaking bad.

Blast from the past with this cast: David Leisure, Frank Bonner (wkrp), Charles Grodin (mister low key), sally kellerman (back to school), Kristy McNichol. In the film, Eddie (Packer) heads to LA to hang with his cousin Skip (McGinnis). The midwest guy has a hard time fitting in, and the job Skip got for him is handing out flyers on the beach! He gives video dating a try, but each date is wackier than the one before. It's a bubble gum flick, with lots of saxophone, and big hair. The actors all show weird smiles after each sentence. There's barely a plot, where mom and dad are trying to convince Eddie to come back home. Of course, there's full frontal female nudity. That's about the only redeeming feature of this one. Moves so slowly. Written and directed by Richard Martini. This was his first direction of a full length film. Seems to have done a bunch of docs recently.

I think the title is trying to explain why this film ddrrrraaaags along. It's like swimming in molasses. Lots of dialogue here but none of it of any value. I challenge anyone to sit through this entire movie in one sitting without falling asleep or going mad. But then one should expect no less from the co-writer of "Three for the Road", that movie was no winner either. I'm sure this movie looked good to Bridget Fonda on paper, it just should have stayed there.

David Packer (whom you may remember from the NBC-tv miniseries' "V" (1983) and "V: The Final Battle" (1984)) is so wonderful in this film. His acting is so natural and very easy to watch. His voice is nice and soft to listen to. His personality is kind and gentle. No attitude here. David Packer makes this film worth watching. The cameo appearance by Kristy McNichol is fun to watch. Wish there were more scenes of her. Yes, that is Sally Kellerman singing nicely during the end credits.

David Packer wants to find success, love, and his path in sunny California. Leaving his parents and home behind, he goes to live with a friend (Scott McGinnis.) The whole plot of the film is his experience of joining a dating service "Love Connection"-style and hooking up with supposedly nice girls and the quandaries they put him in. For such an obviously simple film, it has enough charm to make you relax and feel at home. This is not terribly inspired or original, but you get to see plenty of 1980s stars, such as David Leisure, Kristy McNichol, Sally Kellerman, Charles Grodin, Anthony Geary, Lu Leonard, Frank Bonner, Merete van Kemp (from Dallas and TV miniseries) and Bridget Fonda. I don't usually read other reviews, but I agree with a lot of them when I say "I ashamedly admit to enjoying and liking most of it." It's so unpretentious and is not in your face with crude jokes like others of its kind. In other words, this is better than it has any right to be, given the likable and down-to-earth lead actor and colorful and professional supporting players. The director rightly made a who's who cast to keep the viewer interested. While this is peppered here and there with some skin scenes for those who enjoy that sort of thing, on the whole, this is a better than usual 1980s film about a guy trying to find love.