It starts off like the delivery of a bad joke: An anal lawyer and an eccentric writer set off together to find a runaway boy ...
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Father's Day
3 stars |
Crystal plays Jack Lawrence, a successful Los Angeles lawyer with a good job and a beautiful wife (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).
Out of the blue, he is paid a visit by Colette (Nastassja Kinski), the beautiful woman he once dated but hasn't seen for 17 years. Though Colette is married now, she explains that not only might her 16-year-old son, Scott (Charlie Hofheimer) be Jack's child, but that Scott has recently run away, and she needs Jack's help in finding him.
Jack is skeptical, so Colette calls Dale Putley (Williams) in San Francisco with the same confession, as the two had also shared a romantic fling 17 years ago.
Soon, both Jack and Dale are chasing the boy all over the West Coast, but not after discovering that either one of them could be Scott's father. With its two stars in hot pursuit and constantly getting on each other's nerves, "Father's Day" develops into a hilarious romp with a sappy twist.
Crystal and Williams, two of the biggest names in comedy, finally combine talents in a film after wanting to do so for more than 10 years. With Crystal as a lawyer with a severe lack of patience and Williams as a kooky writer who is prone to weeping, the two contrasting characters work as a dynamic duo.
The funniest scenes in the movie are carried by the chemistry of the two, from Jack trying to help Dale confront his fear of flying, to a hotel shower scene involving Jack, Dale and an unconscious boy.
Crystal plays the more controlling one, who almost acts as the keeper of Williams' character. He uses his sarcastic wit to create most of his laughs.
On the other hand, Williams explodes with loads of wacky physical comedy and character acting. He is in top "Mork and Mindy" form with his ludicrous antics and quirks.
Audiences will be in an hysterical uproar during the scene in which Dale tries to decide how to act when he introduces himself to Scott - should he be a hip-hopping gangsta or a Bob Marley-wannabe?
The movie gets syrupy near the end as the two men discover the paternal qualities within them. The way they advise the boy on his love troubles after tracking him down, and the way Colette's family reunites, are reminders that this movie is mostly intended as a family movie.
Director Ivan Reitman does a good job of working with the talents of the two stars while maintaining the overall quality of the film. The plot development is weak, but Reitman is successful in diverting the audience's attention with the stronger aspects of the film.
If anything, "Father's Day" was created solely to allow Crystal and Williams to showcase their gifts. The two possess immense quantities of talent and are unforgettable together, making "Father's Day" an extremely enjoyable movie for good, mindless fun.
Billy Crystal and Robin Williams, two of the funniest men in show business, are shown laughing hysterically at one of their own jokes.
05-14-97
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