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The Money Pit (1986) was very early on in tom hanks's Hollywood career, and I'm so glad he decided to do it! Him and Shelley Long that is. I mean this is just a classic to me. From both Long and Hanks's very talented comedic performances to the funny script and some of the best physical comedy I've ever seen done. Tom hanks can play very serious roles in dramatic movies, exhibit A: Forrest Gump, and he is very good at it, but he also is very gifted comedic actor too. He has a lot of great moments that he just delivers the lines in such a way where it works and will have you busting out laughing. Shelley Long is good here, has some very funny scenes, she has some humor that's not very obvious such as slapstick, but it works very well and the two of them have very natural romantic on screen chemistry. They are believable as a couple. I hate it when filmmakers cast romantic leads that have absolutely zero natural chemistry between them. It just makes for awkward interaction and a poor couple. Tbankfully they avoided that with this movie. The movie has some quality physical slapstick style comedy while the house is being worked on, and it for the most part works. The movie isn't the best comedy or 80's movie you'll ever see, but it's cute at times, very funny, and well acted. I suggest it.

I loved this movie. Granted, I was a teen when I first saw it, but even so, I laughed often and that is my standard of judgment. Shelley Long is as good as she was in Cheers (which is gooood). Tom Hanks shows off the early "Bosom Buddies" hopes of physical comedy genius here in a way that he never did again. The bee-attack scene to the flight of the Bumblebee violin solo is fabulous. the whole "We're Sitting on a Dream" sequence with the stairs and doorbell and raccoon and the bathtub is hilarious but PEOPLE. Come on. The entire collapsing stairs bit is the best, capped off by Hanks sweet little blown kiss at the end ... slayed me. My brother and I still reference it whenever everything is more crap than bearable, and we always will. I think this is an overlooked gem and will always have it in my video catalogue. Finally, a quote: Paint. Don't tickle. Alexander Gudonow will be missed.

I know, the critics ripped at "The Money Pit" when it got released. They apparently didn't realize that it wasn't pretending to be a masterpiece; it was a big excuse to be funny, and they succeed. Some of the gags her seem to forecast the equally funny "Mousehunt". Personally, I think that Tom Hanks needs to act in some more comedies, and Shelley Long needs to get more roles in movies. My favorite scene? Well, I get the giggles whenever I think of the whole chain reaction. Just the kinds of things about which anyone should worry when moving into a new house (although my family didn't have such experiences when we moved into our house).

All in all, it shows that Richard Benjamin is as great a director as he is an actor. My generation ought to give him the recognition that my parents' generation gave him. Also starring Alexander Godunov (one of the Amish guys in "Witness"), Maureen Stapleton, Joe Mantegna and Josh Mostel.

It continually amazes me that Tom hanks will go down as one of the best dramatic actors of our generation and little will be spoken of how good a physical comedian he was before "Philadelphia" changed his career. Hanks made a string of movies in the 80s relying on his physical comedy ability, most notable "Big", "the burbs", "dragnet", "turner & hooch" etc. But I think that with the POSSIBLE exception of "Big" - "The Money Pit" is his best. Some of the scenes involving Hanks in this movie made me laugh so hard I couldn't breathe. This movie is intended to be a farce and it succeeds totally. The rest of the cast is not very strong - I have never, and I assume never will be, a Shelley Long fan - she doesn't do anything but provide a sounding board for Hanks anyway. But then again, she really doesn't need to.

This movie is definitely worth taking a look at if you haven't seen it - the first time you watch it, it is genuinely hilarious. I just watched it again after about three years without seeing it and found it to still hold up. The scene when the chimney falls apart is my favorite. I wish hanks would do another comedy, but he's all serious now. oh well.

Tom Hanks and his girlfriend are desperatedly in need of money and a new house. They find a beautiful house at a very low price, which seems too good be true. And it is. Hilarious disasters will follow, when they disover how disastrous their new home really is.

I love Tom Hanks ( and also Shelley Long from Cheers) in their younger days. Hanks was an unguided comedy projectile back then, with wild antics that are just to die for so funny.

Just a lovely comedy about all the disasters that can go wrong and therefore WILL GO WRONG when starting a renovation! The jokes still stand strong after many decades. Must see for Tom Hanks fans. Suited for young and old.