Ryan O'Neal plays a tweedy east coast grad student who finds success in Hollywood first as a film editor, then as a writer, and finally as a director in quick succession, thanks in large part to his talented wife (Shelley Long) who is the one who really knows how to write--which makes me wonder how much of this is autobiographical since the script was co-authored by the husband and wife writing team of Charles Shy and Nancy Meyers.
Success immediately goes to his head and O'Neal trades Long in for a younger model (Sharon Stone, in her debut, looking slightly Latino and very cheap, but already in possession of that unique Sharon Stone quality of evil). Long is devastated at being replaced and loses all her self- esteem and unravels. Without his wife, however, O'Neal's scripts are not so good; and of course Stone is only using him to further her own ambitions. His solo film flops and he goes broke, but Long bounces back and writes a revenge best seller...
Drew Barrymore plays the nine-year-old daughter who, finally disgusted with their vanities and being neglected, hires a lawyer and "divorces" her parents for her nanny (the "clever" premise of the film).
The script shows a lot of workmanship, and lectures Hollywood from the pulpit nicely, but starts too slow and is a little too predictable in places. The movie might have worked if somebody else had played the leads. If you can stand Shelley Long, and I've tried and I can't, you might like the movie. Not that Long is on vacation or isn't trying. She tries as hard as she can, and has moments, but any difference between her and the character she played on "Cheers" is not discernible. Well, I take that back. They never put Diane Chambers in a fat suit and had her stuffing herself with half gallons of supermarket ice cream. Ryan O'Neal manages to look a lot like Ron Howard here; perhaps Howard is his idea of a director. And Drew Barrymore, bless her heart, is too goody-goody to be real.
If they could have gotten, say, Meg Ryan and Tom Cruise to play the leads, they might have had a smash. As it is, it's a frustrating movie.
(Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get it at Amazon!)
Success immediately goes to his head and O'Neal trades Long in for a younger model (Sharon Stone, in her debut, looking slightly Latino and very cheap, but already in possession of that unique Sharon Stone quality of evil). Long is devastated at being replaced and loses all her self- esteem and unravels. Without his wife, however, O'Neal's scripts are not so good; and of course Stone is only using him to further her own ambitions. His solo film flops and he goes broke, but Long bounces back and writes a revenge best seller...
Drew Barrymore plays the nine-year-old daughter who, finally disgusted with their vanities and being neglected, hires a lawyer and "divorces" her parents for her nanny (the "clever" premise of the film).
The script shows a lot of workmanship, and lectures Hollywood from the pulpit nicely, but starts too slow and is a little too predictable in places. The movie might have worked if somebody else had played the leads. If you can stand Shelley Long, and I've tried and I can't, you might like the movie. Not that Long is on vacation or isn't trying. She tries as hard as she can, and has moments, but any difference between her and the character she played on "Cheers" is not discernible. Well, I take that back. They never put Diane Chambers in a fat suit and had her stuffing herself with half gallons of supermarket ice cream. Ryan O'Neal manages to look a lot like Ron Howard here; perhaps Howard is his idea of a director. And Drew Barrymore, bless her heart, is too goody-goody to be real.
If they could have gotten, say, Meg Ryan and Tom Cruise to play the leads, they might have had a smash. As it is, it's a frustrating movie.
(Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get it at Amazon!)