Docteurs in love

Young Doctors in Love reminds me of the early 80s comedies Meatballs, Johnny Dangerously, and Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid. Spoof comedies that, despite the abundance of gags and running gags, just can't quite seem to match the comedic brilliance of something like Airplane. Although, Young Doctors in Love certainly fares better than some of the others, it too, offers humor that may wear thin after several viewings (Airplane, on the other hand seems to remain of timeless quality).

The film follows a handful of med school interns, although the movie itself really focuses on 1) the relationship between the emotionally void Dr. Simon August (Michael McKean) and the melodramatic, and soon-to-ailing love interest, Dr. Stephanie Brody (Sean Young); 2) the bizarre budding relationship between Dr. Phil Burns (played by the hilarious 80s bit-part regular, Taylor Negron) and the somewhat held-back but probably secretly kinky Nurse Norine Sprockett (Pamela Reed); and 3) my particular favorite, the interaction between Dr. Charles Litto and Angelo Bonafetti (played famously by Hector Elizando who's best was the deadpan delivery of "I used to play guitar and then I broke it over my brothers head and then I went to work"), a mobster who disguises himself as a woman to get his father in the hospital who is meanwhile always unsuccessfully threatened to be bumped off by his mafia rival, Malamud Callahan (played by a young Michael Richards).

There is a lot of course going on in the film, and it even uses the old PA background gags like we heard in Airplane and Meatballs. And it does have it's funny moments. But, as a mild spoof comedy of medical soap operas using humor that is somewhat outdated (on the order of like old dirty-joke joke books), it may best be reserved for the spoof cult crowd who can appreciate it best. If nothing else, tune it in to see big names in the old days (like Dabney Coleman, Harry Dean Stanton, Billie Bird, and more).

A friend of mine knew I loved the movies "Repossessed" and "Silence of the Hams" along with the Zucker and Brooks films and introduced me to this one. Just as funny as those, this movie struck me with having just as many of the stars of the day as well as several up and coming future stars such as Ted McGinley, Richard Dean Anderson, Crystal Bernard, Rick Overton, Saul Rubinek and Michael Richards as a very Krameresque hit-man trying to bump off a underworld figure in the hospital. The main plot isn't as good as the sub-plots, but there's also some light nudity in order to really get your attention. Some of the jokes were later stolen to use in other parodies, but I was surprised to see an "E.T." reference since I was sure this movie predated that one. I don't know if this was shown theatrically, but I do consider myself lucky enough to find it on tape.

Dr. Joseph Prang (Dabney Coleman) teaches the new batch of interns at City Hospital for the next twelve months. A mob boss in hiding has a heart attack. Angelo (Hector Elizondo) takes him to the hospital in disguise while hunted by a hit-man (Michael Richards). Intern Phil Burns (Taylor Negron) likes hard-nosed head nurse Norine Sprockett (Pamela Reed). Popular intern Dr. Bucky DeVol (Ted McGinley) falls for hooker Julie. Intern Dr. Stephanie Brody (Sean Young) is suffering from mysterious pains. Dr. Simon August (Michael McKean) is cold but can't help falling for Stephanie. He is desperate to be a surgeon but can't stand the sight of blood.

This Garry Marshall movie is part spoof of a soap opera like General Hospital in the vein of 'Airplane!'. There are some funny bits. I still remember the urine scene. However, the comedic jokes don't come quite as fast and furious as 'Airplane!'. It's pretty broad but not all of it works. The cameos don't work on me since I don't watch soap operas. Sean Young is great and her character is classic soap material. Michael McKean is less capable as a leading man. He doesn't have charisma. His character is suppose to be stiff but it doesn't work if the actor is too good at it. Overall, this needs more jokes.

Why isn't this movie better known? I stumbled across it in a used video store and paid $2 for lack of anything else available. What a great surprise! It is the funniest movie I have ever seen. You can't take the world so seriously after watching "Young Doctors in Love."

All "Airplane-sque" films have to be extremely broad (but not vulgar) comedy that still somehow doesn't insult the viewer's intelligence. Such is a really tough combination (recall any of Leslie Neilson's attempts without the Zukers). Their audience is bright people who aren't embarrassed to laugh in the presence of other bright people. Young Doctors in Love is even better than Airplane. It is multilayered, and indeed does require several watchings to catch all its simultaneous hilarious flickers.

Nothing is sacred here. Dancing orphans, little people, egotistic surgeons, stroke victims with pointy tongues, balloon pregnancies (my personal favorite), (un?)requited transsexual love, nurses with pharmacy keys up for grabs, latino rumbra seducers, even vanilla ice cream. And poor "Kramer". Michael Richards fans must see this movie if for no other reason.

"Think fast!" and rent Young Doctors in Love today. You will be delighted. Guaranteed.

The title "Young Doctors In Love" is perhaps the most mis-leading title ever to be placed on a movie. It sounds like a passionate love story and not like a hilarious "spoof" movie that it is. This spoof movie is right up there with the "Airplane" and "Naked Gun" movies, and far better than the spoof movies of the 90's such as "Wrongfully Accused", "The Silence Of The Hams", "Hot Shots", and "Mafia". Rather than poking fun at other movies, "Young Doctors In Love" has an original idea for a spoof movie....A Total Satire On Hospitals!!!! It may sound crude or it may sound boring, but it's nothing less than hysterical and once you view it you'll find out for yourself. I loved Michael Richards' performance as a hit man who tries to assassinate a mafia godfather who is a hospital patient but has trouble finishing the job due to his mis-identity. Hector Elizondo is great as the godfather's son who dresses up as a woman to disguise himself from the other gangsters! There are great one-liners! Dabney Coleman was marvelous as an insane surgeon! Every doctor, along with the patients, have something comical about them that makes all of the jokes that are pulled in this film work 100%! If you love silly movies, then this one is a treasure! Stay tuned during and after the credits! Great fun from beginning to end!