Melvin Dummar (Paul Le Mat) finds a stranger in distress on the side of a desert road. The man claims to be eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes (Jason Robards). Melvin dismisses it. He drives the man to Vegas and gives him his last quarter. After yet another repo men visit, his wife Lynda (Mary Steenburgen) leaves him. She ends up as a stripper.
Melvin is not the most competent character and Howard is only in it for fifteen minutes. The standout is Lynda played amazingly by Steenburgen in an Oscar winning performance. It's over an hour before the will comes into play. Melvin has one compelling comment at the end of the movie. Before that, he's a whiney slacker with no smarts and nothing compelling (except for his wife). I wish that one comment becomes the central through-line for the movie. The story should start with Howard singing the song. His dream should be as a singer and songwriter. His tragedy should be his failure to achieve his dream. His dream should not be buying a freaking car. He's an infuriating character. Maybe that's the real Melvin. Maybe this is a movie about an infuriating character. I'm willing buy that. This could have been a movie about the validity of the will. Instead, we get a character study.
Melvin is not the most competent character and Howard is only in it for fifteen minutes. The standout is Lynda played amazingly by Steenburgen in an Oscar winning performance. It's over an hour before the will comes into play. Melvin has one compelling comment at the end of the movie. Before that, he's a whiney slacker with no smarts and nothing compelling (except for his wife). I wish that one comment becomes the central through-line for the movie. The story should start with Howard singing the song. His dream should be as a singer and songwriter. His tragedy should be his failure to achieve his dream. His dream should not be buying a freaking car. He's an infuriating character. Maybe that's the real Melvin. Maybe this is a movie about an infuriating character. I'm willing buy that. This could have been a movie about the validity of the will. Instead, we get a character study.