Danger public

This Americanized remake of the French film "Le Chevre" is essentially a mild, one joke comedy. That said, that one joke is reasonably amusing and leads to some effective slapstick, all performed with bravado by the talented Martin Short. He and the other cast members make this pleasant, if not hilarious, to watch. Certainly there's gorgeous Mexican scenery to enjoy as well. Eventually the movie does get a little tiresome but it *does* continue with the gags right up to the end credits.

Sheila Kelley co-stars as Valerie Highsmith, the daughter of a business magnate played by Sam Wanamaker. Her character is terminally accident prone, and when she disappears, a psychiatrist in Wanamakers' employ (Harry Shearer) has a brainstorm: use Eugene Proctor (Short), the unluckiest man in the company, to try to track her down. Hopefully these two hapless souls will be just unlucky enough to be drawn to each other somehow. Naturally, dedicated private detective Raymond Campanella (Danny Glover) thinks this is a stupid idea, and he starts to grow weary of Proctors' endless pratfalls, but starts to become a believer as he and Proctor get some leads.

If it weren't for Short, this wouldn't work as well as it does. He just throws himself right into the part. And Glover, just as he did in the "Lethal Weapon" franchise, proves to be the consummate straight man. Shearer doesn't really get a chance to be funny, but Wanamaker is good, and the sexy Ms. Kelley is an appealing klutz. Also providing fine support are Scott Wilson as small time crook Frank Grimes - who comes to deeply regret his association with Valerie, Jorge Russek as helpful Mexican police inspector Segura, Jorge Luke as an amiable pilot, and Sergio Calderon as a sleazy bartender.

The best gag revolves around a bee sting, with fun makeup effects by the ever reliable KNB effects group.

All in all, it's watchable enough, and good for some modest chuckles.

Six out of 10.

Martin Short is a guy who made a couple of comedies that I thought were pretty good. Though looks like once again I like a comedy that a lot of people do not. Granted I did not think it was super great or anything, but I did find this movie about a detective trying to find a girl who had been kidnapped by using a guy with as bad of luck as the girl kidnapped to somehow stumble upon her rather funny. It was Short's character though that carried this one, as Danny Glover was not bad, but he at times was a bit too serious in this one. That is okay, most of the comedy does around Short and he does a good job in his scenes as he has physical comedy scenes and with most other comedy as well. Danny Glover's character spends most of the film trying to prove that Short's character does not have luck and that luck has nothing to do with anything which seems silly to continue thinking shortly after he and Short's character meet. Some good scenes involve Short finding quicksand in a place that has no quicksand, a very bad bee sting and a very bad decision by Glover to get Short to proposition a lady. Short ended up pretty much disappearing from movies for the most part, but I thought he was a good actor in comedies.

Is a great funny film that can cheer up any day of your life and keep you thinking on some of the scenes after it's been finished.

The combination between Danny Glover and Martin Short even when is a bit strange it really works out in a funny way and how the story been such a simple plot can take you from the desert to end up in the waterfalls in the beautiful Mexico.

There is a certain American humor that i can enjoy a lot, this film belongs to that type, because even when is about bad luck and how funny that could be, is never over the top and you are just waiting what would be the next thing to happen.

I didn't stop laughing.

I loved this movie. It is always real funny. There is a good scene that is real funny and martin short gets stung by a bee or maybe a wasp. what happens next, i won't spoil it for you (Let's just say he gets a little fat). I fell off my chair when i laughed real hard at that.

This is a very funny movie that deserves to rated much higher than it is! I have seen it several times and always laugh hard. It was witty and cleverly written, and I think Short and Glover play very well off of each other (contrary to what many reviewers have said.) The scene in the mission is among the funniest things ever put to film. I don't need to write a book about this...you just need to rent it for yourself and you'll understand. It is a true comedy classic despite being a lesser-known film (like some of the other "bests" I might add.)

While there is not a lot of "substance" to this movie, for pure comedy, it is amongst the best!