Housesitter (B or 3/4 stars)
Director Frank Oz's 1992 romantic comedy/fantasy, 'Housesitter', doesn't re-invent the wheel, but it is amiable, innocuous, and really quite funny for many stretches; thanks mainly to its two stars, Steve Martin & Goldie Hawn. Martin plays Newton Davis, a New England architect who has designed a fabulous yellow dream house in a lush field and, in the film's opening credits asks his childhood sweetheart, Becky (pretty Dana Delaney), if she will marry him & move into it -- spooked, her answer is a fairly blunt 'no'. Bereft & heartbroken, he blurts out his sorrows one alcohol-laden evening to a zany blonde waitress named Gwen (Hawn), whose last name - and most other facts about her - are in doubt throughout the film; she's a con-artist, of sorts.
During a comforting one-night stand with him, Gwen learns of Newt's empty dream house up north and, decides to travel to his quaint village, introduces herself in town as Newt's wife(!), invents a history with him, & furnishes the house on Newt's credit {haha}. By the time Newt discovers her loony deception, Gwen has succeeded in winning over Newt's dotty parents (Donald Moffat, Julie Harris), and his former love, Becky(!). The cleverness of the movie is that Newt actually becomes allured by the idea of extending Gwen's lies in order to get what he wants -- a promotion at his firm, and the love of Becky {who is NOW jealous of Newt & Gwen's seemingly perfect relationship}. To live there rent free, homeless Gwen agrees to help him nab the promotion AND Becky. They will play-up this phony marriage, then stage a phony divorce, & manipulate everyone to get what they want. Problem is: everyone in town adores this couple & wants them to reconcile. That stinks for Newt & Gwen. That is, unless what they really want is each other.
This movie fits into that category of romances about folks who don't realize they're falling in love with each other ... even if we, the audience, can plainly see it. They THINK they dislike each other, but we know better. Screenwriter Mark Stein avoids this familiar storytelling trap, however, by adding the component of: both these characters are deliberately lying most of the time, so the lies mask their real feelings. The charm of the film comes in the way Martin & Hawn play-off each other with endlessly inventive lie pile-ons & humorous dialogue spat-forth at breakneck pace. Martin's comedic chops are evidenced greatly in a wedding reception scene when he warbles an Irish tune to his father to impress him. I adored the performances from kindly Donald Moffat, endearing Julie Harris, Richard B. Shull & Laurel Cronin as a homeless couple who pretend to be Gwen's parents, and especially Dana Delaney as Becky, the former flame of Newt's whose rejuvenated interest in the man may have come too late. She is VERY appealing, here.
But Hawn's performance is the linchpin of this movie, and she is absolutely wonderful as Gwen, who almost never says anything that is the truth. Sure, Hawn exudes her typical kookie charm, but despite her deceits, we fall for her, anyway. The way Hawn modulates her feelings is subtle & effective, whether it is during a comedic note or in moments of emotional contemplation. I believe it is one of her best performances. 'Housesitter' is simply a sweet & funny movie ... period. It is not a comic masterpiece. It has flaws. But I think that the cynical edge that is given to the storytelling {and by the actors} makes it a cut above most other 'funny movies'. It is perceptive, sympathetic & warm-hearted to go along with laughs & the escalating scams.
During a comforting one-night stand with him, Gwen learns of Newt's empty dream house up north and, decides to travel to his quaint village, introduces herself in town as Newt's wife(!), invents a history with him, & furnishes the house on Newt's credit {haha}. By the time Newt discovers her loony deception, Gwen has succeeded in winning over Newt's dotty parents (Donald Moffat, Julie Harris), and his former love, Becky(!). The cleverness of the movie is that Newt actually becomes allured by the idea of extending Gwen's lies in order to get what he wants -- a promotion at his firm, and the love of Becky {who is NOW jealous of Newt & Gwen's seemingly perfect relationship}. To live there rent free, homeless Gwen agrees to help him nab the promotion AND Becky. They will play-up this phony marriage, then stage a phony divorce, & manipulate everyone to get what they want. Problem is: everyone in town adores this couple & wants them to reconcile. That stinks for Newt & Gwen. That is, unless what they really want is each other.
This movie fits into that category of romances about folks who don't realize they're falling in love with each other ... even if we, the audience, can plainly see it. They THINK they dislike each other, but we know better. Screenwriter Mark Stein avoids this familiar storytelling trap, however, by adding the component of: both these characters are deliberately lying most of the time, so the lies mask their real feelings. The charm of the film comes in the way Martin & Hawn play-off each other with endlessly inventive lie pile-ons & humorous dialogue spat-forth at breakneck pace. Martin's comedic chops are evidenced greatly in a wedding reception scene when he warbles an Irish tune to his father to impress him. I adored the performances from kindly Donald Moffat, endearing Julie Harris, Richard B. Shull & Laurel Cronin as a homeless couple who pretend to be Gwen's parents, and especially Dana Delaney as Becky, the former flame of Newt's whose rejuvenated interest in the man may have come too late. She is VERY appealing, here.
But Hawn's performance is the linchpin of this movie, and she is absolutely wonderful as Gwen, who almost never says anything that is the truth. Sure, Hawn exudes her typical kookie charm, but despite her deceits, we fall for her, anyway. The way Hawn modulates her feelings is subtle & effective, whether it is during a comedic note or in moments of emotional contemplation. I believe it is one of her best performances. 'Housesitter' is simply a sweet & funny movie ... period. It is not a comic masterpiece. It has flaws. But I think that the cynical edge that is given to the storytelling {and by the actors} makes it a cut above most other 'funny movies'. It is perceptive, sympathetic & warm-hearted to go along with laughs & the escalating scams.