I thought this was a rather good effort at making the worst romantic comedy ever. Even being used to films treating me like an idiot, I was mildly surprised by The Money Pit ('Spielberg Presents').
The 'film' presents a beautifully symmetric structure. It is framed by a ludicrous prelude and a preposterous postlude. At the centre stands one- long gag, repeated over and over. Lacking any kind of plot or character development this lovely mindless RomCom is brutally brought to a brutally lovely end by the most painful of narrative clichés.
--- NO MUCH TO SPOIL SPOILER ---
So, here are a little more details if you are curious about Hanks's worst film but have wisely decided not to watch it. If it's surreal fun what you're after, you might be better off going back to Lynch.
The central part of the film is one long gag about a house literally - oh yes so very delightfully literally - falling apart. Hanks's character keeps injuring his spinal cord and getting electrocuted but, alas, he does not die. Eheh, that's funny.
Then, 20 minutes to the end, when I was almost getting used to the total lack of narrative drive, and was learning how to sink deep into my sofa to enjoy the film as mere abstract visual pleasure, something started to happen. It was like - the film-makers suddenly realising that this was meant to be a romantic comedy. So yes, they come up with the twist: She has dinner with her ex-husband and wakes up in her bed! Ah! Her husband tells her they had sex! Ah! She does not remember but believes him! Ah! OBSTACLE to the ROMANCE! Just now that Hanks had learnt how not to get electrocuted. Oh dear. Hanks is hurt, the two split up. But then, 5 minutes to the end... oh well I am not going to spoil this for you... but you're up for a big surprise!
The 'film' presents a beautifully symmetric structure. It is framed by a ludicrous prelude and a preposterous postlude. At the centre stands one- long gag, repeated over and over. Lacking any kind of plot or character development this lovely mindless RomCom is brutally brought to a brutally lovely end by the most painful of narrative clichés.
--- NO MUCH TO SPOIL SPOILER ---
So, here are a little more details if you are curious about Hanks's worst film but have wisely decided not to watch it. If it's surreal fun what you're after, you might be better off going back to Lynch.
The central part of the film is one long gag about a house literally - oh yes so very delightfully literally - falling apart. Hanks's character keeps injuring his spinal cord and getting electrocuted but, alas, he does not die. Eheh, that's funny.
Then, 20 minutes to the end, when I was almost getting used to the total lack of narrative drive, and was learning how to sink deep into my sofa to enjoy the film as mere abstract visual pleasure, something started to happen. It was like - the film-makers suddenly realising that this was meant to be a romantic comedy. So yes, they come up with the twist: She has dinner with her ex-husband and wakes up in her bed! Ah! Her husband tells her they had sex! Ah! She does not remember but believes him! Ah! OBSTACLE to the ROMANCE! Just now that Hanks had learnt how not to get electrocuted. Oh dear. Hanks is hurt, the two split up. But then, 5 minutes to the end... oh well I am not going to spoil this for you... but you're up for a big surprise!