OVERBOARD

(director: Garry Marshall; screenwriter: Leslie Dixon; cinematographer: John Alonzo; editors: Dov Hoenig/Sonny Baskin; music: Alan Silvestri; cast: Goldie Hawn (Joanna Stayton/Annie Profit), Kurt Russell (Dean Proffitt), Edward Herrmann (Grant Stayton), Katherine Helmond (Edith Mintz), Roddy Mcdowell (Andrew), Jamie Wild (Greg), Brian Price (Travis), Mike Hagerty (Billy), Jeff Wiseman (Joey), Jared Rushton (Charlie), .Frank Campanella (Captain Karl), Harvey Alan Miller (Dr. Norman Korman); Runtime: 112; MPAA Rating: PG; producers: Alexandra Rose/Anthea Sylbert; MGM; 1987)

“A modest romantic comedy, filled with large plot holes, pointless life lessons and silly dialogue.“

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

A modest romantic comedy, filled with large plot holes, pointless life lessons and silly dialogue. It’s directed by Garry Marshall (“The Flamingo Kid”/”Beaches”) in a workmanlike way to be an old-fashioned screwball comedy and is written by Leslie Dixon as if trolling for bottom feeder viewers. The story is predictable, the acting is stiff and the result is a forgettable film.

The rude, snooty and pampered idle rich heiress Joanna Stayton (Goldie Hawn) stiffs the hunky Oregon carpenter, Dean Proffitt (Kurt Russell, the real-life hubby of Goldie) who failed to rebuilt the closet on her docked yacht to her satisfaction. That night she falls overboard trying to retrieve her wedding ring from the deck and when rescued has lost her memory. The single parent carpenter, newly residing in Elk Cove, is told by the authorities he will lose his 4 unruly kids because they are not properly supervised. To remedy that threat and get revenge for being humiliated,

Dean claims the mystery woman he sees on the news as his wife Annie, while she’s treated at the local hospital’s psychiatric ward. Without much of a check, she’s turned over to him and he puts her in charge of the kids. His rough treatment of her works and she becomes the perfect wife, as the film turns to mush.

REVIEWED ON 9/15/2017 GRADE: C+   https://dennisschwartzreviews.com/