Un étrange rendez-vous

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.

Mystery Date doesn't offer a thrilling suspense, doesn't have an intricate plotline, and doesn't have mind-boggling special effects. It does, however, give an entertaining hour and a half.

This film may be able to be counted as the last eighties movie; the type where the hero is a jerky, awkward boy who does not realize the situation he is in. He does manage, however, to end up in the end with the girl of his dreams. If only one of the Cory's (Haim or Feldman) could have made a guest spot.

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.

I watched "Mystery Date" as a kid and liked a lot, although I couldn't remember almost anything except that Fisher Stevens was very funny playing a annoying delivery flower guy who keeps bothering Ethan Hawke's character in many scenes. But I watched this recently and it turns out that all the fun disappeared and the story is incredibly similar to many other films of the 1980's and 1990's. Except for the amazing soundtrack that includes hits from INXS and Seal the movie doesn't offers much quality or funny things.

The clichéd story of a shy guy named Tom (Ethan Hawke) and his first and troubled date with his beautiful neighbor Geena (Teri Polo). Trying to impress the girl he picks the impressive car of his brother Craig (Brian McNamara) with whom Tom is going to be confused and involved in crazy situations with corrupt cops, the Chinese mafia and the flower guy played by Stevens.

I love stories that happens in only one day. Films like "Superbad", "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" and "After Hours" are incredibly funny and it gives you the sensation of living or enjoying the lives of the characters of these movies, the situations are very well presented and you enjoy easily. "Mystery Date" tried to be a teenage and dangerous version of "After Hours" (or at least is that what I think for I can remember a few things of Scorsese's film) and all the adventure aspect of 1991 movie took out some of the fun, it was very exaggerated in some points, things very difficult to laugh at it. As an adventure it goes well, as an comedy it's not so funny. Hawke's very nice as the lead guy and Teri Polo is quite suitable for the role of the girl next door, but the movie is only interesting because of the few scenes of Fisher Stevens, while trying to get a tip from Tom after delivering the flowers. Watchable indeed. 6/10

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")