Touch and Go

Bobby (Michael Keaton), "the Hornet", is an extremely good hockey player. He has a rough edge and never walks away from a fight, for he grew up in a tough neighborhood in South Chicago. Now, however, he drives a jag and has a revolving door for women at his posh apartment. Denise (Maria Conchita Alonso) is a single mother with a tweenage son named Louis. Although she has a good business head on her shoulders and big aspirations, she still lives on the poor side of town. One day, Bobby leaves the downtown hockey arena late, as he likes to avoid the press when possible. As he is getting into his car, he is approached by Louis, who begs for money. But, it is a trap. Soon, thugs surround Bobby and start pummeling him. Yet, they have chosen the wrong target, as Bobby soon knocks THEM out and captures Louis. Threatening the young boy with a call to the police, Louis tells him where he lives and Bobby takes him home. Denise is upset but, even in her anger, she has eyes for the attractive Bobby and he looks her up and down, too. Is this the beginning of a beautiful friendship? Romcom fans, beware. The film's box cover makes the movie appear to be a comedic love tale, but, it is far from that, although there is some sporadic humor. It is really a story of an unlikely love between a newly rich local celebrity and not-so-rich but lovely lady, with a violent, inner city undertone and a hockey theme thrown in for good measure. Regretfully, it attempts too much and falls flat on its face. The script is uneven and far from cohesive, making it a mundane watch at best. Keaton and Alonso are good and attractive actors and they make a valiant attempt to save the film but can not overcome the deficiencies in the storyline and the direction. If you like hockey, or either one of the main stars, you might wish to watch the film some night when entertainment choices are few and far between. But, for most viewers, don't touch this one, as it is very disappointing fare.

This was a great film to watch and very entertaining. I picked it up cheap in the local DVD store and wasn't expecting anything much. However I was surprised that I really enjoyed it. The characters were believable and well scripted. All the actors were good, especially in the more comic moments of the film. However the little boy was especially impressive in his role of a streetwise child running wild. The relationships between the characters are carefully developed and you find yourself caring about what happens to them. It was especially interesting to see the much younger Michael Keaton and Maria Conchita Alonso. All round good family entertainment.

I would strongly recommend it.

Michael Keaton, cast as Bobby "The Hornet" Barbato, the star player on a Chicago ice hockey team, is in terrific physical shape and gives this formula "feel good" movie whatever vitality it has. Bobby is mugged after a game in the parking lot by a young boy and his teenage gang; he ends up begrudgingly giving a helping hand to the belligerent kid while also dating the boy's mother. Director Robert Mandel, a stage director who made an impressive movie debut with 1983's "Independence Day", can't shake off the sitcom cobwebs here. Everything--from the kid's perpetually disgusted expression to the exaggerated reactions of the waiter while Keaton and Maria Conchita Alonso change their dinner orders--is underlined, slammed home. Nothing in the picture feels fresh or comes off natural, certainly not the ugly, combative dialogue by the three screenwriters, Alan Ormsby, Bob Sand and Harry Colomby (also the executive producer). Back to the plot: Alonso is next in line to get hit by the gang of punks (who apparently have nothing else to do but bully this family). By the time Keaton tracks them down (with help from the kid), you might be wishing for the typical assembly-line finale with an important hockey game hanging in the balance. * from ****

Touch and Go is quite an interesting and different film. I liked some of the music, the sports stuff was well shot, the love triangle was very predictable, there's some cliches too about the sports star and womaniser finding true love by finding a "real" woman at the end. There's a plot about a boy too mixed up and in trouble with some older gang members, I didn't totally buy everything that happened involving that plot line. You will either find the characters unique and funny or annoying and rude. All in all okay. It's not one of Michael Keaton's best movies but nor is it one of his very worst ones either. The film is also probably a bit long and I thought it should have ended sooner.

I did not like this movie. I did not like Michael Keaton either, or Maria Conchita Alonso, or them getting together. I did like the kid played by Ajay Naidu a little. The kid is Luis and one evening he and three others including the dangerous Lupo try to rob Bobby Barbato (Keaton) who is the hockey star from Chicago. Luis claims he was only a helper. Bobby feels a little sorry for the kid so he takes him out to dinner and delivers him with his mom Denise (Alonso). Luis' mother wants to make up with Bobby and take him out to dinner. They end up in bed, what is very normal for Bobby, and for him it has to end there. Since this is a romantic comedy it can't end there, so it doesn't. Luis, a troubled kid, and his actions make sure Bobby and Denise keep seeing each other. As little sub-plots we have Bobby's hockey and the Lupo-situation. Especially that second sub-plot is stupid and is only there to show what kind of hero Bobby van be in the end.

Why I didn't like most of the characters? Bobby can't make up his mind. He is not a nice guy in my opinion. We see how aggressive he gets in a hockey game, we see how he treats people (mostly women, although they probably don't mind), how he talks to reporters and how he handles the Luis/Denise situation. All this is egocentric and suddenly something hits him and he becomes a nice fellow. I didn't buy it, probably because I disliked him too much before he became a nice guy. And for Denise, she really is annoying. Although Bobby is a jerk to her too, most people probably would have done the same to her. She gets on your nerves. May be I am a little too hard for her because sometimes she can be charming, but never in a way Audrey Hepburn, Meg Ryan or Julia Roberts can be charming. The only character a little likeable was Luis but even he gets on your nerves. It seems he has to make a problem of everything just to drive the plot into the next scene where Bobby and Denise have to meet again. Personally I could never really like the kid, he is just too much of a trouble maker.

As for the performances, they are pretty good. It is that the characters are annoying and not believable but Michael Keaton and Maria Conchita Alonso do the best they can. The best performance in the movie comes from the kid Ajay Naidu. You believe him when he is angry or sad, even when it doesn't make any sense. They all deserve better characters, a better plot and definitely a better ending. If you are a fan of romantic comedies you will find some nice things but if you have a choice you want to see a different movie.