Dans les pompes d'un autre

Carvey stars in this fun comedy of mistaken indentities and big money. Carvey does many SNL-style characters and skits and carries the film, with help from Loggia, Graff and old pro Milo O'Shea.

To cut to the chase, "Opportunity Knocks" was funny about half-way through, but then it became tiresome and predictable.

Dana Carvey plays Eddie Farrell, the world's most successful conman. Well, not really. He's a good conman, but he isn't rich. He and his co-conman Lou (Todd Graff) have been down on their luck lately. But things really escalate downwards when a vicious loan shark comes looking for the men. So they rob a home to get some quick cash. While they do so, an answering machine on a desk clicks on. Eddie and Lou listen to find out that not only is the owner away for a month or two, but that the person supposed to be watching the house has called saying he won't be able to come over to the home, due to a new job in another part of the country. So Eddie and Lou relax in the rich man's home until Milt Malkin (Robert Loggia) shows up--president of a hair-blowing company. Milt is a distant relative of the homeowner, yet he has never seen him before. Therefore, Milt mistakes Eddie for Jonathan, the owner of the home. Eddie, thinking this is all great, plays as the houseowner...and the shenanigans begin...

"Opportunity Knocks" is one of those movies with a decent premise, and some typical eighties' comedies laughs. But even the half-baked laughs soon evaporate as the plot becomes tiring and thin. There gets to be a certain point of Eddie pretending to be someone he isn't that becomes unfunny.

"Opportunity Knocks" is Dana Carvey's first main starring role. We know what this means. Somewhere in there they're going to fit in a Bush impersonation. Luckily, they do it quite well, and it proves to be one of the most interesting and amusing, if not hysterical scenes in the film.

"Opportunity Knocks," despite some average laughs, has a certain charm to it that is attracting. Perhaps it is the characters. Perhaps it is just the style of the film. I'm not sure. It's just a very charming film. Technically it is very typical, but if you look deeper it has a strange charm to it that is hard not to like. And besides, who cannot like Dana Carvey? Oops, spoke too soon--"Master of Disguise" just popped to mind.

I actually was beginning to really get into this film, before the last quarter or so that is so predictable and stereotypical for the genre that it was quite disappointing.

In the end, "Opportunity Knocks" has some good potential, ultimately some good laughs, never reaches its full potential, yet is still charming and worth watching.

How's that for a confusing review?

3/5 stars -

John Ulmer

"Opportunity Knocks" is very much a movie of its time. Apart from the fact that it stars then-hot Saturday Night Live star Dana Carvey, it has the general feel of an 80's comedy (though it was actually released early in 1990).

Carvey plays a struggling con-man who charms his way into the lives of an upper class family after they mistake him for a friend of their son. He soon hits it off with both the businessman father (Robert Loggia) and the reserved daughter (Julia Campbell), though his growing attachment is destined to end in the exposure of his deception. To make matters worse, he's got a dangerous loan shark hounding him for $60,000 that he doesn't have.

The acting is mostly decent but certainly nothing to write home about. Carvey gets ample opportunity to showcase his varied comedic skills, though he could have used some better writing to work with. Robert Loggia & Julia Campbell both do well in their respective roles but the rest of the cast is unremarkable at best and below par at worst.

Donald Petrie's direction is capable but not particularly memorable. He's actually directed a few above average rom-coms in his career but this one isn't one of them. The soundtrack includes a couple of good selections but these are overshadowed by some dated music and an embarrassing karaoke rendition of "Born to be Wild".

Ultimately, "Opportunity Knocks" is a passable time-waster but it too often strays into cliché and unbelievability. Even as a Dana Carvey vehicle, it pales next to the "Wayne's World" movies which were yet to come.

opportunity knocks is very funny. the first time i saw this movie back in 1990 or maybe early 1991 i didn't really like it that much. but then i saw it again in 1997 or early 1998. i loved it. i guess i couldn't understand this movie when i first saw it.i was only 8 or 9 when i first saw it.but now i understand it very well.all the jokes i get.it's carvey's best movie! it's very funny.it has a great plot to it.just all around great.i give this movie ***1/2 out of ****

I just saw the film "Opportunity Knocks" for the first time last night. I've seen it twice since then. This film just proves how talented Dana Carvey is. He provided laughs and fun throughout the movie.

Being a fan of "Saturday Night Live" since the first time I saw it, Dana Carvey has been the funniest (in my opinion) ever to star on the show. During the movie, Mr. Carvey portrays his oh-so-famous impersonation of George Bush (no one could do it better).

I think "Opportunity Knocks" is a great film and you can't watch it without smiling at the things Mr. Carvey does. So, for a fun time and lotsa laughs, you should go see it.