How to Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days

Great performance by Wallace Shawn and some good dialogue make this a good show. Originally aired as part of PBS's "Wonderworks" program, and based on a short novel by Daniel Manus Pinkwater. Milo is the perfect junior-high nerd without becoming a caricature, and Wallace Shawn plays his character as the pure caricature that the role calls for. And the message of the movie? Why try to be perfect? Just be yourself. If your kid doesn't quite fit in (but not in the violent shoot-up-his-school way), show them this video and they will feel a lot better about themselves. Highly recommended.

Entirely silly, even kitschy, and clearly geared for a family audience, one can only wonder just how entertaining this might be for all ages. It's not every such title, after all, that can be fun for kids and for adults, to say nothing of a TV movie that's almost 40 years old. Color me surprised, though - 'How to be a perfect person in just three days' is a total blast. Yes, it's invariably a little ham-handed, but all in the spirit of wholesome, wholehearted fun and good humor. At the same time, it's also filled with valuable, earnest thematic content that's both as plain as day, and meaningfully relevant and applicable for kids and grown-ups alike. The production values show their age, but what does this truly matter when in every other way the feature is so roundly enjoyable?

I'm sad to say I can claim no familiarity with Stephen Manes' book, but between Bruce Harmon's adapted screenplay and Joan Micklin Silver's direction, this becomes a warm, smart, yet ridiculous good time. In writing and realization alike the characters, dialogue, scenes, and overall narrative are all terrific, as consciously nonsensical as they are witty and imaginative. And the crew really went overboard in making this the most delightful romp that it could be - the production design, art direction, practical effects, and sound cues are all a total whiz-bang, rich and flavorful in the wildest of (family-friendly) ways. And to the credit of the cast, they unreservedly embrace the tomfoolery: among others, star Ilan Mitchell-Smith, appearing as hapless, hopeful Milo, is downright endearing; Hermione Gingold, playing Very Serious teacher Miss Sandwich, somehow maintains character through all the foolishness; and Wallace Shawn, above all, is just having an absolute ball as peppy, preposterous Professor Silverfish.

No one could ever mistake this for anything but the lighthearted amusement that it is. Not even one hour long all told, it's a passing fancy that has some wisdom to impart, and then goes as quickly as it comes. It is also, however, all that it needs to be to end up a simple, refreshing joy. It's hardly an essential must-see, but should one have the opportunity to watch, I don't know how anyone could step away from 'How to be a perfect person in three days' without a smile on their face.

PBS's "Wonderworks" series must've been an "After School Special" for younger kids. "How to Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days" deals with the issue of self-esteem. Another one, "Necessary Parties" (featuring a very young Mark-Paul Gosselar) addressed kid's and the issue of divorce, for example. They were nice little productions reminiscent of those Saturday afternoon short-movies that Nickelodean used to produce in Canada (what the heck happened to those?!).

This is a movie based on the novel, "How to Be a Perfect in Just Three Days." A very young Ilan-Mitchell Smith ("Weird Science", "The Chocolate War") stars as accident prone Milo Crimpley, something that seems to have gotten worse over time. Milo is made to be like that Beverly Cleary chariacature of imperfection, one that is comical, though a little exaggerated.

Milo, however, finds an opportunity to get rid of embarrassing accident-prone nature when he stumbles across an advertisement from Professor Silverfish (the hilarious Wallace Shawn), who has a sort of seminar on "How to Be a Perfect in Just Three Days." So, Milo signs up.

Basically, it is just a test in self-esteem, though Milo expects to be an absolutely perfect kid. Silverfish's little three day assignments are meant to make Milo a bolder person, one with will power, and one who is willing to accept challenges when he doubts his abilities most. In actuality, the assignments are just intended to get Milo to accept himself. Because, as Silverfish says: "Why would anyone want to be perfect, anyway? You can't do anything wrong. So, then you don't do anything."

It isn't a horribly corny movie, and it is a rather funny one for younger kids who might be able to appreciate it, despite the dated appearance.

I saw this for the first time in the first grade, when on a rainy day (they have more of those than you would imagine in South Florida!) we gathered in the school library to watch movies instead of having recess. Being a bullied klutz myself from the moment I started elementary school, I related to Milo's experiences and thought the movie was a lot of fun. I liked the movie so much I wanted to see it again so bad, but it would be years before I would track down another copy, but I eventually found one and it's been in my collection ever since.

The quality of the script, direction and performances are better than in most theatrical movies, and considering that this was a made-for-public television movie for kids from the early 80's, that's saying something! The film is loaded with interesting side characters like Milo's teacher Miss Sandwich and the three old ladies at the bus stop who are bothered by him. I especially liked the subplot about him trying to win his older brother's respect and affection, in spite of bad timing and bad judgment. This is a movie that goes above and beyond when it comes to establishing likable characters and interesting situations.

In the intervening years, I also read the book it was based on and thought that it, though funnier than the movie in a broad sense, didn't have quite the emotional impact. The third "lesson" differs between the book and the movie, and I have to say, I think the movie handles it better. In the book, Milo is directed to just sit and do absolutely nothing for twenty-four hours...this is to set up the point that being perfect is stupid and that it means doing nothing to avoid doing anything wrong. In the film, instead, the lesson is for him to do something he's never done before, and never thought he could do, while the point of "being perfect means doing nothing" is delivered at the end in passing. Sometimes establishing such a message in a brief manner is better than to belabor the point with a whole chapter of a book. I thought it was a much better idea for Milo to develop self-esteem by proving himself wrong by doing something he never thought he could. And for a kid with a history (even in first grade) of self-esteem issues, this was a liberating experience for me to see happen onscreen.

Joan Micklin Silver is quite a talented, relatively unknown director, but here she mastered character and the internal lives of children. She was to do this again nine years later in the wonderful Big Girls Don't Cry...They Get Even (AKA Stepkids). These are the only two films of hers I've seen (though I intend to see Chilly Scenes of Winter soon), but she is one of my favorite filmmakers of her generation because she has such an ear for convincing, emotional character development and a taste for fascinating characters. Even if the same script were used, this film-in the hands of a lesser director-would not be half as impactful without Silver's sense of timing and sympathetic direction.

In other words, don't be put off by this little gem by the fact that not only was it made for TV, it was made for PBS! It comes alive in a way that few mainstream theatrical movies do, and deserves to be seen.