THIS MOVIE…sorry left the caps lock on from the quote.

This movie made me think about trying an acting career (that was short lived) but I thought about it. To see Dustin Hoffman transform himself in such a way was a sensation.  Casting against type is one thing, and like Alec Guinness before him, Hoffman proved there is no “type” for actors like them.

In “Tootsie,” Michael Dorsey is a struggling “method” actor that is having a hard time finding anyone willing to work with him, due to his need for “motivation” behind every character that he will have to portray.  He cannot get work in New York or Los Angeles and word has gotten around that he is impossible to work with, so much so that even parts for extras on stage are not available for the very talented artist.

After having a very real conversation with his agent, played by the amazing director Sydney Pollack, Michael realizes he has to change things; and man does he.

He finds that there are open casting calls for a soap opera that is filming locally and he goes, auditions, and gets cast.  First, he puts on his makeup, his wig, his high heels, and his skirt, and gets cast as Emily Kimberly, his/her stage name now is Dorothy Michaels.  So we have a very Shakespearianesque set of layers here.  Michael is a man, dressed as a woman (Dorothy Michaels), playing the part of Emily Kimberly on  the soap opera Southwest General; the play within the play if you will.  

Imagine the shenanigans that might ensue.

This movie had a lot of people that were fairly young in their careers and it made them stars.  To name a few: Teri Garr, Jessica Lange, Geena Davis, and Bill Murray (Murray already had a “career” having done SNL, “Meatballs,” “Caddyshack,” and “Stripes,” but he hadn’t done “Ghostbusters” yet so….).  We also see Dabney Coleman again as the sexist director of the soap.

Given his limited time on screen, Murray still manages to get one of the best lines in the movie, and Jessica Lange shines as the actress on set that Michael falls for while playing Dorothy Michaels playing Emily Kimberly on Southwest General.

I learned what situational comedy was when I watched this.  Living the life that Michael does as soon as he commits, not only changes his career, but how he will view the world.  Watching characters grow like that on screen is great, and getting to learn something along the way with them is always fun.

I think I love slapstick comedy because of this movie–and Abbott and Costello of course.

Given the set of circumstances that Michael finds himself in now leads the way for misunderstandings, revelations, outcries, and hearts to be broken.

Shakespeare, eat your heart out.

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This next movie was like “E. T.” and “Goonies” banged and their nerdy kid was reproduced.

It starred a very young Ethan Hawke in one of the most likeable roles ever written and an equally young (and slightly chubby) River Phoenix.

The camaraderie that you find amongst the teenagers in “Goonies” you’ll find in this film, but on a friendlier level.  There is also the family-fantasy element that is “E. T.”

Hawke plays Ben Crandall, one of the most enthusiastic and positive young teenagers that I can recall in a movie.  He gets bullied and beat up, but he doesn’t dwell on it and allow it to last longer than that moment.  “Onto the next now” is sort of the attitude of the character and it is inspiring, especially for an 8 year old.

One day he is rescued from the bully by a loner for no apparent reason.  Ben eventually tracks down Darren Woods in order to thank him.  Darren is resistant at first, but realizes that he did do it for a reason, he’s tired of being alone with nothing to do and would like some friendship.

Enter Ben’s best friend–the hefty/nerdy–Wolfgang Muller (Phoenix) and we have everything we need for another 80s coming of age adventure in the “Explorers.”  How can you go wrong with a character named Wolfgang?

Everything changes when the three young men learn that they have shared the exact same dream to the littlest detail.  They are given subtle clues in these dreams on how to develop a technology that….you know what, I feel that I have said too much already.

What you need to understand about this film is that I saw a River Phoenix that I was not used to, and he shines.  I’m trying to think of an actor with more talent at his age and the closest would have to be Leonardo DiCaprio.  Phoenix delivered comedy so well and was just as effective with drama too (“Stand By Me“).  His comedic timing in moments in this movie is what makes it a watchable film for the first hour of the picture.

The chemistry of the three young actors was great, and all three gentlemen knew their roles.

Hawke = optimist.

Darren = Gary Cooper–strong silent, effective.

River = believable as a child genius and comic relief; not deliberately, just circumstances.

This is another family film that I cannot wait to share with my son some day.  All three of the characters are good people and we cheer for them.  They are not motivated by self-indulgence or fame.  They are motivated by their dreams (literally in this case) and love the idea of being able to go see what can be seen.

There are a couple of twists that I found well crafted when all things are said and done and the movie ended up being something way more than I expected.

Plus, the laughs keep coming in unexpected, clever ways.

Adventure, high comedy, and coming of age.

Wasn’t that what the 80s were?

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There was something about Henry Thomas and tears.  When he had them, I always had them (“E. T.” “The Quest“) it didn’t matter.

When I was attempting to look up a quote for this movie, I ran across the “Jack Flack’s final bow scene” in the list of quotes and started feeling a little tickle in my throat.  It took me back and I could picture that entire scene all over again.  When Jack tells Davey that he was, “the best playmate I ever had,” I lost it every time.   I get so damn invested in these things, it’s ridiculous.  My dad was the same way.

Jack Flack is an imaginary friend that Davey hangs out with in “Cloak and Dagger.”  Davey is a boy whose mother has died, and he yearns to spend more time with his dad, played by the underrated Dabney Coleman.

My experience with Coleman in movies was always that of the antagonist, or at least characters of questionable integrity (“9 to 5,” “Tootsie” “The Muppets Take Manhattan,” “War Games,”).  He starts out appearing to be heading down that same path as the dad that is always annoyed with his bored son.

Enter Jack Flack, who looks exactly like Davey’s father, only he is dressed in tack gear and wears a black beret (I went and bought a damn beret after this movie and wore it all the time with my camo pants…shoot me in the face).

Davey is consumed by video games and ends up getting involved in real espionage when one of his video game cartridges contains secret government files that are going to be smuggled out of America.

Writing this feels as ridiculous as it sounds to you guys, but for a 7 year old kid like I was, this was a great movie.  Again, this is another 80s movie where kids are involved in adult spy missions and being semi-successful, but the family theme undertones are the connections that I made with this film.  Even at 7 I knew that Davey wanted to spend more time with his dad.  Imaginary friends can look however you want them to, and he chose his father.  Touching.

To see Dabney Coleman as Jack Flack supporting young Davey with encouragement throughout the film was enjoyable and made an impression on me with his depth.  I thought that he could only play smarmy and egocentric.  This gentle supportive performance proved to me and many others that he did have a good guy or two in him.

Don’t get me wrong, I love watching Coleman as a villain too.  He is a great actor, and is rarely over-the-top. His villains always have a gentle-venom to them that can be terrifying and seething.

This departure for him and the one in “Short Time” were enjoyable for me.  It makes you appreciate what actors can do.

Henry Thomas for me is the greatest child actor ever.  “E. T.” and this film had a lot to do with that.  I always feel good when actors are able to continue with their craft throughout their life.  It took Henry Thomas a while, but he persevered and has carved out a decent acting career as an adult.

At the end of the day, I enjoy a film where the thematic undertones come full circle. Davey learning that Jack Flack was and will always be there looking out for him was a pleasure to see.

Even if he wears wings instead of tack gear and a beret.

***

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“Goonies,” the adult version.

This next film has another set of young boys going on an adventure together–of sorts.

It starts off with “the writer” of this story as he reflects on a news story that he has just read.  It is narrated by Richard Dreyfuss (one of my favorite actors–check out his filmography; great resume) while he writes the tale of his youth about being with his friends.

It seems like a very simple premise.  Four friends decide to walk the train-tracks out of town in the hopes of finding a supposed dead body of one of their classmates that was struck by a train.  Being that the tale is narrated by one of the four boys, we get quite an insight from him regarding his take on his friends in a very short amount of screen time.  Basically there’s “the clown,” “the chub,” and “the best friend.” It takes more time to get to know the narrator as he doesn’t want to show all of his cards right away.  We take the journey with them and slowly gain a perspective of what “the writer’s” life has been, and how his friends impact his choices.

“Stand by Me” is one of the first movies in which I was exposed to boys using the infamous “f” word (“Lucas” was probably the first time I heard it on film).  I felt that it depicted a true outlook on what boys are like when they are comfortable with their friends and away from their parents.  You speak how you want to, you show affection by slighting your friends with mild insults, and you tell a few dirty jokes along the way.

My dad had built us a very nice tree-house when we were children.  My cousins and I would play all around it during the day, and then sleep in it under the stars at night.  Thinking about this movie makes me think of how I engaged with my cousins.  It is very similar.  You start out having loads of fun together, then you start to pick at each other–usually out of boredom, then you start trying to be funny or hope that someone else starts being funny; and sometimes, shit happens along the way.

The young actors that Rob Reiner was able to direct, are what make this film believable.  The somber countenance of the Gordie character (“the writer” as a child) is played very subtle by Wil Wheaton. Equally important is the display of support and admiration that Chris–played by River Phoenix–displays for Gordie (and Teddy and Vern for that matter) in order to help all of them survive the trip they take together.

The original title of the novella written by Stephen King is “The Body.”  I enjoy that title given the circumstances of the story, but the decision to change the title to “Stand by Me,” adds a clear thematic element that allows the opening scenes of “the writer’s” reflection to come full circle by the movies very stirring climax.

“Skin it.”

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