Guai in famiglia

Very strange and somewhat demented black comedy that really plays more like a Road-Runner/Wile E. Coyote cartoon than a live action motion picture. Tom Selleck takes in his elderly parents (Don Ameche and Anne Jackson) after his father accidentally burns down their home. Immediately everything comes apart for Selleck as he and his sexy wife (Wendy Crewson) start to have marital problems, then he is investigated for possible insider trading by FBI man Michael Murphy, then his crazed sister (Christine Ebersole) and her unruly kids move in after they are evicted and the hits keep coming when Ebersole starts to fool around with Selleck's door man (Robert Pastorelli). Things are going from bad to worse fast and then Jackson pleads with Selleck to kill her and Ameche (no kidding). Selleck's financial woes and the fact that Ameche is suffering the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease are the reasons for Jackson's request. Selleck naturally is torn with what to do, while Ebersole thinks it is a great idea (she obviously has a heart of gold, haha). Soon Selleck tries and tries to have his parents knocked off so he can collect their insurance, but their safety is never really in danger. Instead he is the one who might end up dead trying to come through. I must admit that I like this film a little more than I dislike it. It is a bargain-basement effort and the ideas are no better than those that a junior high student would come up with. With that said, the cast is first-rate and actually make the story come to life with quirky situations and surprisingly hilarious dialogue. There is a darkness to this picture though as there are questions raised about Alzheimer's Disease (a disease that is so tough on everyone who has seen it firsthand) and the rights of elderly people who do not want to lose one another to death. I guess the main problem with me here is tone as I laughed, but did not always feel good laughing at these characters. Ameche is a revelation (as he always seemed to be) and the other primary players are talented performers. Overall I got stuck in the middle with "Folks!", but this is still a picture that deserves a little more credit than it has received. 2.5 out of 5 stars.

This is a black, slapstick, offbeat comedy that may not be for everyone.

It's not your usual Tom Selleck as in Quigley Down Under or Runaway.

This film really shows his versatility as an actor.

Don Ameche shows that he still has what it takes. It's the first time I've seen him since Trading Places and he's still going strong.

At first I thought Tom's mother was being played by Miriam Margoyles of Black Adder and Ed and His Dead Mother.

This film is heart-warming with a happy ending.

Definitely a family fun film for the right family.

Some people have no sense of humor. I laughed until I cried the first time I saw this movie. It is not reality, it is comedy. Real life situations that many of us may face as our loved ones age have been taken to the extreme, so we can laugh. The loss of a testicle is not funny but how it happened and being called one-nut is. I would call it a modern day screw-ball comedy along the lines of "Bringing Up Baby". It should be released on DVD shortly (I will be getting it) just sit back, suspend reality and enjoy--what's not to enjoy about watching Tom Selleck?! I also loved "Blind Date" with Bruce Willis and Kim Bassinger. I recommend this movie to anyone who loves to laugh.

Poor Tom Selleck's character provides the viewer with an endless string of laughs (and groans). His relationship with his parents is one that almost everyone can identify with in a loving, but humorous way. Throughout the movie there are funny events that I can see coming but am helpless to warn Selleck about. Also, there are several twists and turns that delight the viewer. All in all, a great comedy.

This is a good movie. Sure, it won't win any awards, but it's still a lot funnier than many more successful films out now. Some people seem to have a problem with mixing humor and Alzheimers. My own grandfather had this horrid disease and eventually passed away a few years back. Does this make me feel that this movie is less funny? Not for a moment. The reason is that nothing bad ever happens to Dom Ameche's character. He sets up Tom Selleck time and time again for painful slapstick gags, but he always comes out squeaky clean.

I found the writing witty with some good one-liners and great character interaction. On a believeability scale, it rates pretty low, but it is plausable. I saw no plot holes that others have mentioned, but it's easy to see plot holes when you already know the concept of the story, unlike the characters who are in the dark and haven't seen a "trailer" of their lives. The cast is also great, btw.

All in all, this movie is a great distraction, but if you haven't smile or laughed in awhile and you think South Park is immature, you probably won't like this film. If you do see it, just remind yourself that they are not making fun of Alzheimers, they are poking fun at the misadventures one man has trying to take care of his aging parents while trying to retain his own sanity.