Bare Essentials

"Gordon" (Mark Linn-Baker) and "Sydney Wayne" (Lisa Hartman) live very stressful lives in New York and decide to get away from it all by spending some time together in the South Pacific. When they finally get to their destination they rent a small sailboat and accidentally get blown off course and are stranded on what appears to be a deserted island. Fortunately for them, there is one person named "Bill Buzell" (Gregory Harrison) who lives on the island and offers them food and shelter until the next supply boat comes along in a week or two. However, both Gordon and Sydney suspect that there is more to Bill than meets the eye-and they are correct. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a decent made-for-television film which benefited greatly from the beautiful scenery and likable cast. Unfortunately, for a comedy it really wasn't very humorous and lacked the action, suspense or mystery that might have made this film better than it was. Again, it was a pleasant film for the most part but it clearly could have been better. As a result I have rated it as just average.

This movie deserves a 10 out of 10. It's totally funny, very sexy, and entirely enjoyable. Stressed out Gordon and sexy Sydney (played by Lisa Hartman) are on vacation and rent a sale boat. After unwinding under Sydney's sudden urges, the two wake up to find they are lost. They soon crash on an uninhabited tropical island only to find out that Bill, a former New York stockbroker, lives on the island. Bill takes Sydney out on some nature walks around the island and they hit it off real well…actually too well. I laughed so much watching Gordon in all his frustration. After spending the day chopping down a ‘shrub' in his determination to make a boat and get back to civilization, he completely looses it when Bill tells him it won't float. While his girlfriend is off with Bill, Gordon meets Tarita (played by Charlotte Lewis). For a TV movie I was surprised to see almost full exposure of her breasts. Coming up out of the water to meet Gordon for the first time, there is only a very thin strand of wet hair blocking her nipples. The rest of her wonderfully huge natural mounds are just gushing out around and clearly visible. So she gives Gordon's aching muscles a massage straddling his back – oh damn those beautiful globes are again just barely concealing her nipples! By the time the four of them meet up in the later afternoon, they've all switched partners. Bill is too drained and not in the mood for sex with his lovely islander girlfriend Tarita. To make a long story short, Bill loosens up and enjoys island life while Bill reconsiders a more financially profitable career to support his new girlfriend. This movie really got me hooked on Charlotte Lewis. She is a gorgeous babe and quite a hunk of ass! Enjoy this movie – I sure did!!!

Director of Valley Girl and Real Genius does it again. Sure to cure any ills, this movie watches two highly uptight New Yorkers break out to the Tahiti area for a quick holiday only a few weeks after their engagement, and get stranded as they do the dirty in a very expensive sailing boat. It's just a wonderful screenplay. It's always good when a screenplay works. It's not that often they do, but this one does. I won't spoil the ending, but it was neither what I was expecting nor what I had hoped for, but this tale could realistically only go one way (hope that didn't spoil it). This movie cures all ills. It's filmed in the VI, not in Tahiti, but who cares? Some of the footage is awesome. If I haven't mentioned it before, this movie cures all ills.

A totally original storyline which other reviewers lay out in detail below. I guess it would be categorized midway between a rom-com and a romance. The comedy alternates between Bill's dry sarcasm and Gordon's silly comedy. The women are scripted to be grounded and non-foolish throughout, just being desirably sexy from beginning to end. The story keeps your interest as it is a scenario where you aren't going to be satisfied until you see how it turns out. The 4 leads acted out their character roles convincingly. I found it on YouTube recently and I think it is definitely and fun and interesting watch.