Un pourri au paradis

My wife & I really enjoyed this film, and I was previewing it to see if it was appropriate for my kids because of the PG-13 rating. There really wasn't anything I found to justify the PG-13 rating. The only thing that came close was the description of a mob hit, talking about a 22 caliber bullet bouncing around inside the victim's head. But that is so brief it hardly bears mention. The rest of the movie is pure enjoyable fun, with Steve Martin as the mobster under the witness protection program who can't keep out of trouble, and Rick Moranis as the FBI agent assigned to baby-sit him. Great dialog, good middle-america footage, and well-played contrast between cardboard cookie-cutter track living as opposed to the big city life of New York.

I see where some people did not much care for this movie. That's the way it is with comedies. Not everyone has the same sense of humor.

I liked it.

I found Martin's character to be very entertaining. His constant stream of BS is very entertaining. I know it's comedy, so I am not like those people who felt a more traditional gangster actor would have been better. It's his very silly over the top style which I found endearing.

Moranis is OK. He's too typecast for me, always playing a similar role. I thought he was maybe funnier in ghost busters. I don't know. He's a decent actor. It's that whole square role he plays that gets to me a bit. He's supposed to be boring, obviously. But he's maybe too boring.

I found the female cop love interest for Martin to be great. She's cute and she's funny.

Joan Cusack...I have liked her better in other roles. She's hilarious in Grosse Pointe Blank. She's OK in this role.

I liked the silent film style "captions, or whatever you would call them a lot. They added humor to the movie.

In summary, I found the movie very light, very entertaining, and cute. I like that type of movie. If you want something that requires no thought, where your goal as a viewer is just to relax and be amused, this is perfect.

At the time of its release, I thought this might be Steve Martin's best work. He's done so many good things that I wouldn't say what's his best anymore but he is very good in here. His Italian hoodlum accent is funny and the unique character he plays, "Vinnie Antonelli" is very entertaining to see and hear.

This isn't a laugh-out-loud-type of comedy but a pleasant one all the way through with good subtle humor. The first half of the story was much better than the second half. It gets cornier as it goes on. Martin's supporting cast - Rick Moranis and Joan Cusack - don't quite cut it as an FBI man and district attorney, respectively, being ridiculous clown-type characters but, hey, this isn't supposed to be taken seriously. Moranis' "Barney Coppersmith" is stupid but likable and Cusack's "Hannah Stubbs" is overly silly.

The language is very tame, especially for a PG-13 film. It's just a nice lighthearted comedy, worth a look or two. I saw it three times and by then, that was enough. The DVD version I saw wasn't a whole lot better than the tape with poor surround sound and a so-so transfer.

Steve Martin is a mobster turned informant in the U.S. Witness Protection Program, but his dishonest habits are hard to break in this clever little comedy. Director Herbert Ross uses a smart screenplay, talented performers, and a great premise to make "My Blue Heaven" work a lot better than most films of its genre. Rick Moranis is the FBI agent who tries to protect Martin from mafia hitmen and more dangerously himself. Joan Cusack is priceless as a local district attorney who wants to get Martin for every little offense he commits while awaiting his court date to testify. William Hickey is also good as one of Martin's shady friends. A good little film overall. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

My Blue Heaven is exactly the kind of movie you want to see after a long day of work, when you're just looking for something relaxing to spend your evening with. The movie is pretty simple and predictable, some of the gags are not too funny, but it has its good points. Steve Martin is great as an italian mobster, he plays really great. Some gags are very cool and funny, and the dialogue is many times interesting. In conclusion, a good watch. Vote: 6 out of 10.