Blame It on Rio

At the risk of ruining my credibility, I proudly declare this as one of my favorite movies. Nobody in their right mind would ever even contemplate a movie like this now, I know. In truth, I'm always shocked it was made at all. It's subject matter beyond the pale of even the low-life studio execs who make the big decisions. The most important and amazing consideration is it was intended as mainstream release. Its not a Troma shclock job. Its a very well made, extremely well written film about a very naughty topic. Consider it a blooper, an accident, if you will, but its great. Quick synopsis, a middle aged dude messes around and falls in love with his best friends 18 year old daughter. And its not exactly tastefully told. There's a ton of gratuitous nudity which is what really dooms it, and makes it just the sort of oddity and pariah people so love to hate. I'm old now, but when i fell in love with it I was like 19 so wipe the perverted sanctimonious smirk off of your face! I like good comedy and well made on location vacation pics, that inspire me to travel. So it's the Peters-Gelbart script and the wonderful scenery that have won it a place in my cold heart. Ok, ok, topless 18 year old girls are a decided bonus.

Now let me start by saying I love a good movie! I love a great script, engaging characters and brilliant cinematography.

***This movie has none of these things!

But it does have the type of storyline and pointless nudity that Hollywood seems unwilling to include in a mainstream film. This is one of those movies that was on HBO late at night when I was a kid and I loved it.

There's something to great nudity! We just don't celebrate it enough anymore! Plus Demi Moore pre-implants!

It's a travelogue/sex-comedy with great photography of Rio, funny jokes and a pleasing early eighties feel. All the typical aspects of life in Brazil are shown like Carnival, native gods/religion, topless sunbathers, street dancers, the monolith dome with Jesus on top etc. There are a lot of funny lines that will keep you entertained and Michael Caine delivers them well. The soundtrack has a lot of bossa nova strains (composed by Ken Wannberg) and adds to the sexy, lighthearted mood.

This film couldn't have been made at any other period of time than that tumultuous, garishly colored, love affair with dubious, cheesy excess known as the 1980's. At any other period of time, this movie would simply be overlooked as a horrid piece of meaningless crap. But not in the 80's, oh no. As a fine work of pure cheese, in the decade of cheese, this film is a sort of masterwork. Everything about this film is total cheese: the acting, the writing, the directing, and cheesiest of all, the music. Has a movie ever had a more grating theme than this movie? It even trumps "I Had The Time Of My Life" and "She's Like The Wind" from Dirty Dancing, which is no small accomplishment. And not only that, but the song is repeated several times throughout the movie. And oh, what else is there? Michael Caine's horrible hair, enormous glasses, and that whacky blue underwear he wears. And Joseph Bologna's insane overacting! Demi Moore's insane attempts at acting! And Michelle Johnson's ample nudity, ample bosom, and insane attempts at being seductive! One could charitably call this film an awkward misfire, but if you're up for it, it's a fine helping of cheese, and a good reminder that as bad as movies can be now, the 80's were the true decade of crap! Crap would never again be as hilariously crappy as it was in the 1980's, and Blame It On Rio is the king of 80's crap!

There was one major reason to watch this movie: Michelle Johnson, and that's about it. The film doesn't offer too much else. Basically, it's a silly story.

Michael Caine ("Matthew") and Joseph Bologna ("Victor") plays some middle- aged guys who are going through marriage problems (bad marriage and a divorce, respectively) so they go down to Brazil to spend money since they're rich. They bring their late teen/young-adult daughters? Huh? Well, Victor's daughter is a knockout and they have a fling. Johnson plays the girl, "Jennifer," who shows off her breasts as much as she can in this film. This is why I and a lot of other guys saw this movie. In reality, there isn't much merit to this story, regardless.

This must have been a wonderful role for Caine to play! Caine, an outstanding and likable actor, keeps this film - along with Johnson's obvious assets - from being a total bomb. As "Matthew," his mind knows this a bad relationship and vows to end it, but you know what else "doing the talking" for him, so it ain't easy. Demi Moore, by the way, plays Caine's daughter in this movie.

It's really not a horrible film but it's pretty inane and crude in areas. The real shocker might not be all the nudity or sex jokes and lying but who directed the film: good 'ole Stanley Donen, who also gave us "Singin' In The Rain" and "Charade." How in the world did he get involved with this movie? Maybe Johnson was too much of an allure for him, too!