THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 28, 1995 TAG: 9512280852
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MAL VINCENT, MOVIE CRITIC
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
WHEN THE ``Odd Couple'' became the ``Old Couple'' in 1993, the result was ``Grumpy Old Men,'' a surprise hit that grossed $140 million and proved that Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon still have plenty of ticket-selling oomph.
They are teamed for the eighth time in ``Grumpier Old Men,'' the sequel that, unfortunately, isn't grumpy enough.
The drawing power of the first film was the hilarious one-upmanship of neighbors Max and John. The old codgers were rival fishermen, but their competitiveness spilled over to pursuit of super-dish Ann-Margret when she moved in across the street.
Young audiences liked the risque give-and-take of the old guys. Hearing mature people talk dirty gets a laugh every time.
But the inevitable sequel is aimed directly at people who liked TV's ``Golden Girls'' and the films ``On Golden Pond'' and ``Driving Miss Daisy.'' Folks who slap their thighs and howl at George Burns will love it.
It's worth the price of admission to get a look at Sophia Loren. Otherwise, ``Grumpier Old Men'' falls short. One reason is there's too much plot and not enough characterization. The other is there isn't enough of Lemmon.
Something was a little scary, and untoward, about Lemmon marrying Ann-Margret at the end of the first movie. This one, though, presents the almost-kinky idea of the still-stunning Loren falling for droopy-jowled Matthau. Whatever could she see in him?
Loren, at age 60, defies time - and lets new audiences know what they missed. She plays Maria Ragetti, who, with her feisty mother, plans to turn the town's legendary bait store into an Italian restaurant. Traumatized, John and Max plan to sabotage the restaurant.
While that isn't much of a plot, it's enough to interrupt the badgering between the two guys. Lemmon, now happily married, is largely out of the picture. So is Ann-Margret, whose role is little more than a cameo.
This leaves the scary Matthau-Loren romance. She calls him ``Ox.'' The slow pacing picks up when Loren decides to vamp the basset-hound face off Matthau. Ideas, though, are dropped once they're introduced. A boring subplot returns Daryl Hannah and Kevin Pollak, who now plan to wed, but argue first.
Burgess Meredith is back as Lemmon's 95-year-old father, still chasing women and talking dirty. He woos Loren's mother, shamelessly stealing scenes along the way.
There is a funny touch when the two fishermen almost miss the climactic wedding as they stop to have another try at the huge catfish that has eluded them for years.
There isn't enough, though, of the small town (Wabasha, Minn.) Americana that so sparked the first film. MEMO: MOVIE REVIEW
``Grumpier Old Men''
Cast: Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Ann-Margret, Sophia Loren, Daryl
Hannah
Director: Howard Deutch
MPAA rating: PG-13 (language, sexual innuendos)
Mal's rating: one and one half stars
Locations: Cinemark, Greenbrier 13 in Chesapeake; Circle 4, Main
Gate in Norfolk; Columbus, Lynnhaven Mall, Surf-n-Sand in Virginia
Beach
by CNB