THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, December 20, 1994 TAG: 9412200075
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E7 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Movie Review
SOURCE: BY MAL VINCENT, MOVIE CRITIC
LENGTH: Medium: 99 lines
AS IF THERE weren't enough political shenanigans in the past year, along comes ``Speechless,'' just to prove, apparently, that the folks behind the candidates are just as silly as those on the ticket. The Old Dominion has already had its share of political jokes this year.
The idea behind this new romantic-comedy is, however, replete with promise. A romance between two speech writers from opposite political camps, in the midst of a hot campaign, has all kinds of chances for smart, sophisticated, satirical dialogue. What we had a right to hope for is a revival of the Spencer Tracy-Kate Hepburn kind of witty one-upmanship - a battle of the sexes in a laughably sophisticated setting. Instead, what we get is more in the line of a silly Rock Hudson-Doris Day comedy.
Michael Keaton, whose natural cynicism would seem perfect for the part, is a former TV situation comedy writer who is hired to bring ``humanity'' and ``humor'' to the Republican candidate for senator from New Mexico. Geena Davis, who is still trying to find a screen identity, is cast as the idealistic speech writer for the Democratic candidate. She still thinks politics can ``make a difference.''
Director Ron Underwood, who hit it lucky with ``City Slickers'' and apparently plans to keep his comedy broad, has asked his actors to do little other than bump into the furniture and prove that love can, indeed, be blind.
The film has nothing to do with the laughable real-life romance and marriage of Clinton campaigner James Carville and Mary Matalin, a speech writer for President Bush. That duo added much-needed humor to the last presidential race. This script was written five years ago.
The ``perfect couple'' who are supposed to be ``total opposites'' meet in the middle of the night as they fight over the last bottle of sleeping pills left in a local shop. They take one look at each other and start acting foolishly. Only the premise that love makes us all giddy could excuse the movie's more ``cute'' episodes. They splash about in a public fountain. His car runs out of gas. They grope in the front seat of his sports car, only to nudge the brake and have the car roll perilously down hill. Most of this takes place before they learn the occupation of the other.
Mercifully, the two fall in love in record time - even if the cuteness of it all is a little nauseating.
The best the writers could come up with for the revelation scene is a tasteless name-calling bout in front of schoolchildren - a display that no responsible campaigner would consider.
The two then have to sneak meetings in the middle of the night to prevent their employers from learning of their friendship. Possibilities for sabotage of the two campaigns are evident.
The film seems determined not to be political, but its best moments are when it wanders into that territory. The candidates, for example, can't get on local TV news because a bear has fallen in a well and the lead story every day concerns efforts to rescue the bear.
There also is a humorous bit about how the candidates mispronounce and misinterpret speeches that have been brilliantly written.
A good deal of suspense could have been built up about which candidate would win, but this, as well as just about everything relating to politics, is ignored.
Keaton has a gift for comedy when he's allowed to play it. Davis seems intent on trying to imitate Lucille Ball. One of her more embarrassing assignments is to snort on cue. This supposedly is meant to be one of her ``cute'' perks. She does, however, look terrific and has ample close-ups. She is, after all, the producer along with husband Renny Harlan.
The best performance, surprisingly, is delivered by Christopher Reeve, the former ``Superman,'' as her former fiance. He's a TV announcer who makes much of the fact that he once covered Operation Desert Storm. He wears vests with bullet holes and bills himself as ``Baghdad Bob.'' One of the funniest running gags is his tongue-twisting exercises just before going on the air. He's the ``other guy'' but never quite becomes a villain.
``Speechless'' is an opportunity missed. When we think of the possibilities this situation provides, it is sad that the moviemakers took the low road. Still, with so little competition in the romantic-comedy field this holiday season, it will probably have to serve as the resident ``date flick.'' It could have, and should have, been much more. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by DAVID JAMES
Geena Davis and Michael Keaton are speech writers for opposing
candidates in ``Speechless.''
Graphic
MOVIE REVIEW
``Speechless''
Cast: Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, Christopher Reeve, Bonnie
Bedelia, Ernie Hudson, Charles Martin Smith
Director: Ron Underwood
Screenplay: Robert King
Music: Marc Shaiman
MPAA rating: PG-13 (language, sexual situation, mild)
Mal's rating: 2 and 1/2
Locations: Movies 10 in Chesapeake; Circle 4 and Main Gate in
Norfolk; Columbus 12, Kemps River, Lynnhaven Mall and
Surf-N-Sand in Virginia Beach
by CNB