Tout pour réussir

In this day and age, many people have forgotten what really matters in their lives. Materialism is fleeting, and trying economic times are shining new light on this wonderful cautionary tale of twenty years ago.

The McBains are, like most of us, a product of their times. Not merely a dysfunctional family, but one so immersed in the material world that they've lost sight of what truly matters in their lives. But when it all comes crashing down around their feet, they discover that the loyalty of family and friends reigns supreme.

I consider it wrong to classify this wonderful story as a comedy - it is a drama through and through, despite comedic moments. Though there are moments of coarse language and nudity, they are done tactfully and the movie should probably be re-rated to PG-13. The family learns a hard lesson on what it is to be a family, and people shouldn't be so quick to dismiss it due to its R rating.

The themes are hardly suitable for pre-teens but, all-in-all, a wonderful movie for the entire family.

This movie has a lot to recommend it. The paintings, the music, and David Hewlett's naked butt are all gorgeous! The plot, a story of redemption, forgiveness, and courage in the face of adversity is also very interesting and touching -- and it's not predictable, which is saying quite a lot about a movie in this day and age. But, the acting is mediocre, the direction is confusing, and the script is just odd. It often felt like it was trying to be a parody, but I never figured out what it was trying to be parody *of*. And if it's not a parody, well, it remains a movie with great potential that it didn't live up to.

This film brought out the barracuda in most of the major critics. And did the public take one bit of notion? It did and flocked elsewhere.

But I still remember the overall impact this forgotten little gem had on me when I watched it some 14 odd years ago in one of these little arthouse cinemas that had all but vanished as multiplexes became the latest rage. 'Breathtaking' was the word for it. This reaction was caused by the picture's extraordinary visual beauty: cinematography as an art form has never been more ravishingly demonstrated as in the composition of light, shade and colour. I remember a series of scenes so beautiful I wanted to stop the moving pictures occasionally and just be a picture.

But like other visual masterpieces, its triumph did not extend to the screenplay and dialogues that were often boring, sometimes even downright foolish.

This "farce" about a wealthy millionaire who puts his spoiled children out of their plush lifestyle, forcing them to live in a Brooklyn slum building he owns is a strange little item. There was possibilities in the storyline but Coleman's children (which include Uma Thurman) are so flighty they get on your nerves quickly. Circumstances occur that force Coleman to enlist his children's help and the movie gets unglued at the end. Both Dabney Coleman and Joanna Cassidy, both fondly remembered from the "Buffalo Bill" tv series of the mid 80's, deserve better.

This is quite honestly a beautiful film. The women and men are gorgeous and there is eye-candy here for many and charm and grace for other's. I don't agree with the "comedy" classification. This is a film that stretches social boundaries. Maybe the biggest problem with this film was it tried to say too much in far to many areas, thus leaving holes or unfinished plot lines.

In the late eighties and early 90's the impact of computers (and internet) on business made a mint for some and lost a mint for other's. Those that fought the old ways, no found themselves to be the outsiders in society. Not the artists, gay males, old homeless men, etc. It was and still is a time to reaccess priorities.

I liked there was a gay male character shown in such a positive light. The ending is a bit of a sell out for his story line, but should not impact the importance of the role during the time it was filmed. There was interracial dating, the realization that homelessness could happen to anyone at any time.

I also understood the main character's motivation for "tossing" his college educated children out of their wealthy home ..... he didn't exactly leave them on the street. As was mentioned briefly, most of the parents in this super wealthy world were more then ready for their children to leave the nest.

The way the adult children adjusted to a new lifestyle and fending for themselves (or not) and the strange yet strikingly beautiful life they built with friends and new friends, was IMO well developed. The movie also covers the territory of the empty nest syndrome and the parents realizing after 26 years they are "strangers." The reawakening and strengthening of family values was very inspiring.

Final note .... students of art and art lovers, or those that enjoy beautifully filmed movies should not miss it.