Paternity

Burt Reynolds loves kids. Well after the opening of the film, we get a cringe-like song to listen to while us watch how Reynolds' character connects with children and how much they like him. Even Peter Billingsley (of "A Christmas Story" fame) digs him. The tagline spells out the story "He wants you to have his baby!" New York's most eligible playboy bachelor has just turned 44 and wants to have a child to fill the void in his life, but doesn't want to marry. So he decides to go about trying to find a surrogate mother, where he comes across a waitress who needs the money and doesn't want to be emotionally involved. So the two strikes up a no strings attached agreement, but soon enough they begin to fall for each other. Quite a predictable, but charmingly fashionable and playful old-fashion romantic comedy with a breezy performance by Burt Reynolds and a heart filled turn from Beverly D'Angelo. Even the support cast featuring Norman Fell, Paul Dooley, Lauren Hutton, Elizabeth Ashley and Juanita Moore shape up rather well. Reynolds' clueless character has some rather amusing scenes and complications, especially those when he is searching for his surrogate mother and then of course when he bumps into the ex-girlfriends. Light-hearted entertainment with very good performances.

"I'm a lawyer. Not a pimp."

I was watching a marathon of National Lampoon vacation flix, and I instantly thought of this movie when I thought of Beverly D'Angelo. She's done many, many memorable movies over the years. Hair, the John Candy flick Summer Rental, and this one are standouts. Suburban Mom roles for Beverly. Odd, but she does it well.

This movie is all about Beverly, and Burt allows it. Which I think is very cool. Because she excels in the role. About as serious as an 80's RomCom can stand to be.

Paternity tells the story of a self centered man who just fall into a rout when he suddenly felt that he has no legacy in him. He decides to get a surrogate AND develops a relationship with a young musician who is in deep need of money for her music education.

I actually did like it until it tried to create a romantic narrative between the leads. There is little to no reason for it AND the separation anxiety being the main gist of the romance is just plain STUPID or her just letting him in after he goes out philandering for the giggles. They did not built it well enough chemistry between them to be honest AND some scenes where just long replay of earlier ones. From reading the trivia about this film, might have been affected by the fact SAG was under strike then lol.

Otherwise, this can also be viewed as a great travelogue into 70s New York. Beautiful shot within the river going through some famous spots in NYC lead by the creepy camp master in Sleepaway Camp.

Very Soft Recommendation.

PS: From reading the surrogacy wikipedia page, this was shockingly possible. Surrogacy during this period was only through artificial insemination or through natural sex. A Surrogacy Contract was only first drafted on 1975 AND IVF would only be publicly available by 1986, which kinda lines things up.

In his string of romantic comedy films, and even his car chase flicks, Burt Reynolds is never alone. There's always an eclectic cast of characters supporting him along the process...

But here's a movie where Burt, playing extremely subtle as a single successful guy who yearns to have a baby, seems completely isolated, at first, and not only because he wants the child born through a surrogate mother...

Other than Paul Dooley as his work buddy and Norman Fell as a shrink, there aren't too many outlets for the usual ensemble humor -- not the kind that would result in the signature blooper reel during the end credits...

Some of the best moments have Burt interviewing women for the job -- mostly ones he's dated in the past. And one particular insult battle with ornery Carol Locatell is a hilarious standout while on the classy side, Lauren Hutton turns in a cameo as perhaps the perfect candidate... leading to a chase through Manhattan, the buildings and skyline captured as if a character in itself...

Yet what brings real light to this unique lightweight comedy is Beverly D'Angelo as a waitress/music teacher needing money to study abroad...

She takes the gig and sleeps with Burt after a contrived yet still romantic date and, once impregnated, she lives at his bachelor condominium...

Of course they hang out enough for both to fall in love (D'Angelo's restroom conversation with Burt's lover Elizabeth Ashley is a standout): but it takes long enough to not be another New York City romantic-comedy. And while the ending is visible for miles, D'Angelo plays her part with enough vulnerable charm to make the turnout a happy instead of corny one. You'll be glad things worked out, if only for her sake.

It's a comedy based on the theme of "torture the star". Burt is the star, so he gets tortured. His character Buddy does strange things throughout the movie, making for an adventure into his life that is anything but predictable. Buddy has a big heart but many small character flaws. These flaws are what leads to the predicament he finds himself in and the progression of the film to it's conclusion is a true classic in romantic comedy. The film is a wonderfully done and although there are some adult scenes,nothing in it is graphic. It is just pure comedy. So open a bottle and enjoy this timeless classic with someone you love. Burt's impeccable timing and style make every scene is a work of art. Sadly Netflix seems to have forgotten to get a copy so you will have to look elsewhere to view it.