I didn't expect to like this film, but I have to admit that it was a better than average comedy, and I laughed several times even though I knew exactly what was about to happen. So on it's own terms, this is a good enough movie. However, I have a problem. The problem is that this American remake of "La Chevre" pales in comparison. There was just something about the pairing of Pierre Richard and Gerard Depardieu that easily outshined the American tandem of Martin Short and Danny Glover. Only watch this inferior version if you really hate subtitles, but instead of watching a great movie, you'll only be watching a good one.
57 Reviews
Funny, funny movie
likeminded25 June 2004
This is a very funny movie that deserves to rated much higher than it is! I have seen it several times and always laugh hard. It was witty and cleverly written, and I think Short and Glover play very well off of each other (contrary to what many reviewers have said.) The scene in the mission is among the funniest things ever put to film. I don't need to write a book about this...you just need to rent it for yourself and you'll understand. It is a true comedy classic despite being a lesser-known film (like some of the other "bests" I might add.)
While there is not a lot of "substance" to this movie, for pure comedy, it is amongst the best!
While there is not a lot of "substance" to this movie, for pure comedy, it is amongst the best!
Unlucky
jotix10013 September 2004
Hollywood should shy away from the inane types of remakes it tries to make out of some French films. This one in particular was based on "Le Chevre" by Francis Veber. French humor is not well understood once it's translated. The original film wasn't that great, to begin with. It's a mystery why Nadia Tass undertook to direct this film, at all. The screen play by Herbert Weingrod must have looked a lot funnier than what we see on the screen.
Martin Short, as a comedian, is very funny. He has not fared well in the movies. It could be his choices that have limited him, or just that he is completely hysterical in one medium and with the wrong guidance, he will be not as funny in films like this. The jokes in this movie are too tired.
Danny Glover, on the other hand, playing the straight man, to Mr. Short's funny one, fares better. The pairing of these two men sometimes work, but much of the time, even an experienced and talented actor of Mr. Glover's stature, falls flat.
Watch it at your own risk.
Martin Short, as a comedian, is very funny. He has not fared well in the movies. It could be his choices that have limited him, or just that he is completely hysterical in one medium and with the wrong guidance, he will be not as funny in films like this. The jokes in this movie are too tired.
Danny Glover, on the other hand, playing the straight man, to Mr. Short's funny one, fares better. The pairing of these two men sometimes work, but much of the time, even an experienced and talented actor of Mr. Glover's stature, falls flat.
Watch it at your own risk.
It's "pure luck" this movie is bashed so unfairly!
MovieAddict201623 August 2003
Why does Martin Short always get the fuzzy end of the lollipop? And even more so, why does he get the fuzzy end unrightfully? "Pure Luck" is a funny movie with some very funny moments of genuine comedy. It relies more on subtlety than on loud antics; more on characters than on pure gags. It's pure luck this movie is bashed so unfairly.
Short plays Proctor, a bumbling man who doesn't find bad luck - bad luck finds him. He would be the one the automatic sliding door doesn't open for; he would be the one that chooses a chair with a broken leg; he is the one who would be capable of finding an equally unlucky woman lost in Mexico, whose father is Proctor's boss.
Proctor's boss figures that singe he's such a bad luck charm, his daughter - who is just like Proctor - would be found much quicker if they used another luck-impaired civilian to find her. Of course, Proctor thinks he has been chosen for being a great mystery solver. During the entire film he walks around thinking that he was chosen for the job because he is good. But alas, that is not the case.
Danny Glover is the head honcho looking over Proctor to lead him along - but Proctor thinks he himself is in charge, and that Glover is his co-detective. Some funny scenes come out of this.
A movie like "Pure Luck" is fun not because it is wildly outrageous (i.e. not Jim Carrey humor), not because it has great direction, but simply because it has a more subtle humor reminiscent of an older type of film; its actors are terrific (whatever happened to Danny Glover and, even more so, Martin Short?); the script is funny.
Is it just me or is Martin Short a funny guy? He's got the comedic timing all down-pat, he has comical facial expressions, comical guestures - what can I say, he's a comical guy. People seem to forget his roles in "The Three Amigos" (alongside Steve Martin and Chevy Chase), "The Father of the Bride" (also with Steve Martin), and so on. But I think he's talented.
And Danny Glover ("Lethal Weapon") is a great character actor who hasn't appeared in many films over the past few years. Maybe "Predator 2" put him out of the game for a while. But he was in "The Royal Tennenbaums," so . ..?
This is a funny movie more character-driven than anything; it has an element of subtle humor that adds a charm to it. I really don't care if people don't like this movie - it's one of those that everyone I talk to loves, yet the general public seems to have a different opinion. Odd - is it just me, or is this funny stuff?
3.5/5 stars -
John Ulmer
Short plays Proctor, a bumbling man who doesn't find bad luck - bad luck finds him. He would be the one the automatic sliding door doesn't open for; he would be the one that chooses a chair with a broken leg; he is the one who would be capable of finding an equally unlucky woman lost in Mexico, whose father is Proctor's boss.
Proctor's boss figures that singe he's such a bad luck charm, his daughter - who is just like Proctor - would be found much quicker if they used another luck-impaired civilian to find her. Of course, Proctor thinks he has been chosen for being a great mystery solver. During the entire film he walks around thinking that he was chosen for the job because he is good. But alas, that is not the case.
Danny Glover is the head honcho looking over Proctor to lead him along - but Proctor thinks he himself is in charge, and that Glover is his co-detective. Some funny scenes come out of this.
A movie like "Pure Luck" is fun not because it is wildly outrageous (i.e. not Jim Carrey humor), not because it has great direction, but simply because it has a more subtle humor reminiscent of an older type of film; its actors are terrific (whatever happened to Danny Glover and, even more so, Martin Short?); the script is funny.
Is it just me or is Martin Short a funny guy? He's got the comedic timing all down-pat, he has comical facial expressions, comical guestures - what can I say, he's a comical guy. People seem to forget his roles in "The Three Amigos" (alongside Steve Martin and Chevy Chase), "The Father of the Bride" (also with Steve Martin), and so on. But I think he's talented.
And Danny Glover ("Lethal Weapon") is a great character actor who hasn't appeared in many films over the past few years. Maybe "Predator 2" put him out of the game for a while. But he was in "The Royal Tennenbaums," so . ..?
This is a funny movie more character-driven than anything; it has an element of subtle humor that adds a charm to it. I really don't care if people don't like this movie - it's one of those that everyone I talk to loves, yet the general public seems to have a different opinion. Odd - is it just me, or is this funny stuff?
3.5/5 stars -
John Ulmer
A lot of fun but not as good as the original
haquenin6 November 2008
Warning: Spoilers
There was something very special in the chemistry between French actors Gerard Depardieu and Pierre Richard that was lacking in the Martin Short, Danny Glover comedy team. In fact, the trio of comedy films that Depardieu and Richard did together was quite funny: Les Comperes, Les Fugitifs, and La Chevre. Each of those films was re-made by Hollywood (Father's Day, Three Fugitives, and Pure Luck) but each unfortunately fell short of the hilarious originals. The original Depardieu character in La Chevre was an impatient take-charge man who always had to exercise self-control in the presence of the guy with bad luck, knowing all the while that he was really the professional private eye and the competent one and forced to play along with the Richard character's self-delusions about his own investigative prowess. Depardieu was the rational Cartesian man who didn't believe in good or bad luck and you had the constant feeling he was about to boil over as the Pierre Richard character continually proved him wrong. I felt there was a more dramatic turnaround in this character's eventual dumbstruck realization that good and bad luck existed in the original comedy. His wide-eyed disbelief at the end when they found the missing girl was an emotional high-point in the original, whereas the American version wasn't nearly as moving. I didn't feel the mounting sense of frustration and aggravation from the Danny Glove character, who played it a little too coolly, in my opinion. Also, Pierre Richard's character in the original approached every incident of bad luck with the same comic serene self-confidence as though it were something completely normal. I didn't get this sense of Barney Fife nerdish swagger as the man who thought he was in charge of the mission from the Martin Short character. Above all, I didn't see the same degree of conflict between the two characters that ended in true affection in the re-make as I saw in the original. They were too nice to each other throughout the film. In the original, the Pierre Richard character tries to physically attack the Depardieu character in the end, but only succeeds in badly hurting himself. The American version doesn't involve this conflict at the end. The characters in the American version didn't seem to have as firm a grasp on who they were. Nonetheless, the idea of the film is very original (a man with total bad luck is the last resort for finding a missing girl who has identical uniform bad luck) and Pure Luck is a film that is a lot of fun to watch. Even though Danny Glover and Martin Short didn't seem to "get" what the characters in the original film were all about, which made it a true comedy classic, they still pulled off funny performances which made for good if not outstanding comedy.
Martin Short is pure magic in this role.
Aaron137510 December 2009
Martin Short is a guy who made a couple of comedies that I thought were pretty good. Though looks like once again I like a comedy that a lot of people do not. Granted I did not think it was super great or anything, but I did find this movie about a detective trying to find a girl who had been kidnapped by using a guy with as bad of luck as the girl kidnapped to somehow stumble upon her rather funny. It was Short's character though that carried this one, as Danny Glover was not bad, but he at times was a bit too serious in this one. That is okay, most of the comedy does around Short and he does a good job in his scenes as he has physical comedy scenes and with most other comedy as well. Danny Glover's character spends most of the film trying to prove that Short's character does not have luck and that luck has nothing to do with anything which seems silly to continue thinking shortly after he and Short's character meet. Some good scenes involve Short finding quicksand in a place that has no quicksand, a very bad bee sting and a very bad decision by Glover to get Short to proposition a lady. Short ended up pretty much disappearing from movies for the most part, but I thought he was a good actor in comedies.
Disappointing.
var-14 July 2002
Somehow the teaming of Glover and Short didn't mix. There was not the special chemistry that is required to make this work. The premise was a great idea but it seemed so forced most of the time. The silly grin that Short kept though out the film, really made his charactor even dumber than it was suppose to be. Maybe I just was looking for something clever and witty. This wasn't it.
A decent comedy.
Hey_Sweden24 November 2013
This Americanized remake of the French film "Le Chevre" is essentially a mild, one joke comedy. That said, that one joke is reasonably amusing and leads to some effective slapstick, all performed with bravado by the talented Martin Short. He and the other cast members make this pleasant, if not hilarious, to watch. Certainly there's gorgeous Mexican scenery to enjoy as well. Eventually the movie does get a little tiresome but it *does* continue with the gags right up to the end credits.
Sheila Kelley co-stars as Valerie Highsmith, the daughter of a business magnate played by Sam Wanamaker. Her character is terminally accident prone, and when she disappears, a psychiatrist in Wanamakers' employ (Harry Shearer) has a brainstorm: use Eugene Proctor (Short), the unluckiest man in the company, to try to track her down. Hopefully these two hapless souls will be just unlucky enough to be drawn to each other somehow. Naturally, dedicated private detective Raymond Campanella (Danny Glover) thinks this is a stupid idea, and he starts to grow weary of Proctors' endless pratfalls, but starts to become a believer as he and Proctor get some leads.
If it weren't for Short, this wouldn't work as well as it does. He just throws himself right into the part. And Glover, just as he did in the "Lethal Weapon" franchise, proves to be the consummate straight man. Shearer doesn't really get a chance to be funny, but Wanamaker is good, and the sexy Ms. Kelley is an appealing klutz. Also providing fine support are Scott Wilson as small time crook Frank Grimes - who comes to deeply regret his association with Valerie, Jorge Russek as helpful Mexican police inspector Segura, Jorge Luke as an amiable pilot, and Sergio Calderon as a sleazy bartender.
The best gag revolves around a bee sting, with fun makeup effects by the ever reliable KNB effects group.
All in all, it's watchable enough, and good for some modest chuckles.
Six out of 10.
Sheila Kelley co-stars as Valerie Highsmith, the daughter of a business magnate played by Sam Wanamaker. Her character is terminally accident prone, and when she disappears, a psychiatrist in Wanamakers' employ (Harry Shearer) has a brainstorm: use Eugene Proctor (Short), the unluckiest man in the company, to try to track her down. Hopefully these two hapless souls will be just unlucky enough to be drawn to each other somehow. Naturally, dedicated private detective Raymond Campanella (Danny Glover) thinks this is a stupid idea, and he starts to grow weary of Proctors' endless pratfalls, but starts to become a believer as he and Proctor get some leads.
If it weren't for Short, this wouldn't work as well as it does. He just throws himself right into the part. And Glover, just as he did in the "Lethal Weapon" franchise, proves to be the consummate straight man. Shearer doesn't really get a chance to be funny, but Wanamaker is good, and the sexy Ms. Kelley is an appealing klutz. Also providing fine support are Scott Wilson as small time crook Frank Grimes - who comes to deeply regret his association with Valerie, Jorge Russek as helpful Mexican police inspector Segura, Jorge Luke as an amiable pilot, and Sergio Calderon as a sleazy bartender.
The best gag revolves around a bee sting, with fun makeup effects by the ever reliable KNB effects group.
All in all, it's watchable enough, and good for some modest chuckles.
Six out of 10.
Not even close to the original
Tommy-208 September 2000
For somebody who has seen the French original with Pierre Richard and Gerard Depardieu, this is the worst remake of a movie for all times. Martin Short might be a good comedian and Danny Glover is a good actor, but as a team they are not even close to be as funny as the original team. I don't know, why American filmmakers always try to make remakes of French movies and fail on the attempt.
A comfy and funny movie!
markovd1114 January 2024
When I first stumbled upon this movie, I didn't watch the French original "La Chèvre" and to this day I haven't rectified that mistake, so I cannot judge how it compares to the original. What I can judge is if this movie is good comedy or a bad comedy movie and I'm happy to say that the answer is the first option. Glover's performance in this movie is so legendary that I can't watch him in any other movie and take him seriously. There are some scenes in this movie that can make you laugh hysterically because of how funny they are. Sure, not every joke hits the mark and some of the gags are too over the top, but at the end of the day, "Pure Luck" is an entertaining movie with lovable characters and good atmosphere that can always provide a comforting way to spend an afternoon. I give it a 7/10! I recommend it to everyone! :)
A mediocre remake
standardbearer30 November 2007
Though this movie is still watchable, it doesn't even come near the brilliance of the original. For starters: 1981 was a defining year in french popular-cinema. That was the year when "Le Professionnel" and "La Chévre" was released. "Pure Luck" is an American remake of the second one, made ten years later. I sometimes really hate way American film-making works: when they got so tired of their own clichés, they do a remake of a foreign film, which has foreign clichés. That was the element that made these two french movies great. European clichés. When they made those movies, they were totally aware, that they are only using the old recipes, which already worked well. The french humor in La Chévre is hilarious, and goofy. The scenery gives you a nostalgic feel, and the actors are just plain brilliant. Never over-acting, just plain funny. The strong, and aggressive Depardieu, and the always unlucky Richard made an unforgettable duo. NOW this movie... It doesn't have ANY of the elements listed above. Danny Glover and Martin Short are raging idiots, screaming through cities and jungles, acting so bad, it makes even your average stand up comedy actor look pretty sharp. The story is the same, almost word-by-word, yet the jokes don't work. Okay, I am a bit too hard on this one, but the original La Chévre was a generational masterpiece. And this is not. Just an average American early nineties comedy, with not too many things to remember for. Not that bad, but hey, if you take time to dig up this one, search for the original instead!!!
This Film Must Come to DVD!!!
thesingingvoice3 April 2004
I don't know what all the negative comments are about. This film is absolutely superb fun. It has been my family's favorite comedy for years. We've got more funny lines from this film than any other.
This is Martin Short at his best. He plays the part to perfection. His facial expressions, body movements, and vocal intonations are exactly what this character needed. I'd like to see all these negative people do better!
Danny Glover is excellent as well. The perfect complement to Short. I can't wait to add Pure Luck to my DVD collection. If anyone knows of an on-line petition for getting this movie to DVD, please let me know!! I'm there.
This is Martin Short at his best. He plays the part to perfection. His facial expressions, body movements, and vocal intonations are exactly what this character needed. I'd like to see all these negative people do better!
Danny Glover is excellent as well. The perfect complement to Short. I can't wait to add Pure Luck to my DVD collection. If anyone knows of an on-line petition for getting this movie to DVD, please let me know!! I'm there.
Great Movie
paigesalinas18 February 2003
This is a very funny funny movie...It kept me laughing through the whole show. I kept wondering what would happen next and couldn't believe the silly things that were taking place...There are some really goofy characters and I look forward to watching it again soon.
Holy mackeral!
xredgarnetx19 April 2008
Martin Short and Danny Glover star in PURE LUCK, and the title plus Short should be a tipoff as to the quality of this obvious tax writeoff. Investigator Glover is assigned to find a missing heiress in Mexico and Short is sent along as someone who shares the heiress' constant state of bad luck (running into doors, falling down, etc.). Somehow this is supposed to mean Short will be able to find the lady, who has been kidnapped. I can't imagine anyone sitting through this inept, unfunny flick in a theater. I couldn't finish it on TV. Short has fallen a long, long way from his INNERSPACE days, and Glover simply looks embarrassed. He also mumbles most of his dialog. PURE LUCK makes THE MAN, with Eugene Levy and Sam Jackson playing similar roles, look like CITIZEN KANE. It is fair to say Short's auburn-dyed, permed hairdo in PURE LUCK outperforms Short at every turn. Avoid at all costs.
It can cheer up your day
0llin17 October 2004
Is a great funny film that can cheer up any day of your life and keep you thinking on some of the scenes after it's been finished.
The combination between Danny Glover and Martin Short even when is a bit strange it really works out in a funny way and how the story been such a simple plot can take you from the desert to end up in the waterfalls in the beautiful Mexico.
There is a certain American humor that i can enjoy a lot, this film belongs to that type, because even when is about bad luck and how funny that could be, is never over the top and you are just waiting what would be the next thing to happen.
I didn't stop laughing.
The combination between Danny Glover and Martin Short even when is a bit strange it really works out in a funny way and how the story been such a simple plot can take you from the desert to end up in the waterfalls in the beautiful Mexico.
There is a certain American humor that i can enjoy a lot, this film belongs to that type, because even when is about bad luck and how funny that could be, is never over the top and you are just waiting what would be the next thing to happen.
I didn't stop laughing.
Have low expectations going in, and you'll probably enjoy it.
supijt22 October 2006
Okay, not the greatest movie ever made. But a 4! A 3! It wasn't that bad ... You should know going in that, seeing as how it's starring Martin Short, there's a good possibility it won't be great. So keep those expectations low and you'll enjoy a half-decent (if you're in to slapstick) comedy. Uhm ... Minimum of ten lines, really? There just isn't that much to say about this movie. Danny Glover plays a cop, so that must have been a real stretch for him. Martin Short plays a hapless idiot. Bit of typecasting going on, I guess. I'd include a plot summary but I'm lazy, and someone else has already done it anyway. Wow, I never would have gotten into this 'comment' thing in the first place if I'd noticed there was a 10 line minimum. Doo dee doo, bloop de bloo. Anyone finding my comments interesting? Helpful? Probably not, eh? Ooh, that did it. Ten lines! Yeah! See ya.
PURE LUCK (DIDIER BECU)
Didier-Becu18 August 2003
Why they did it was totally a dark artea for me but one of the most popular things in Hollywood were making Americanised versions from French comedies. The basic problem is that the original ones were mediocre comedies you will give two stars and a half, so you can imagine the American result... "Pure luck" is the "adaption" of "Le chèvre", a French comedy starring Pierre Richard and Gerard Depardieu. For the "new" version they found Martin Short and Danny Glover who will always be linked with his Lethal Weapon-roles. Everything starts when Valerie (Sheila Kelley), a daughter from a rich industrial, decides to go on holiday herself and as she is the typical dumb blonde who is born for bad luck, she soon get kidnapped. The kidnappers don't know what to do with her as she doesn't even remember her own name (it'd be better they'd dump her immediately so this movie wasn't made). After several searches tons of detectives haven't found a trace till some psychologist comes up with the idea to hire Eugene (Martin Short), a man who is born for bad luck as well as the theory says that through this way they will find Valerie, but as Eugene is dumb as dumb can be he got the help of a real professional Raymond (Danny Glover). Well the biggest problem is that the goal of this film is Martin Short doing slapstickgags and after 5 minutes you know when you see a staircase he will fell or when a door is closed he will bump into it. And it goes on and on, till the moment it really is embarrassing (see the moment when he is stick by a bee and his body swells...). Funny, no it isn't....and there is no magic between Glover and Short, and for some reasons it was a bit too much like Three Amigos which was a least tenthousand times more funnier!
Geeky Randy's summary
Geeky Randy25 January 2015
When beautiful clumsy heiress Kelley goes missing and all attempts to find her have failed, psychologist Shearer convinces the wealthy father (Wanamaker) to hire an equally klutzy accountant Short to go down to the Mexican Riviera to find her. Glover, an experienced detective, accompanies and guides Short through the search, slowly losing his patience waiting for Shearer's theory of two cases of bad luck making a case good luck to come true. Lots of laughs, and Short and Glover make quite the humorous pair. Has such a great amount of charm, excitement and reply value, that suspending disbelief is very easy. The bee-sting scene is timeless.
*** (out of four)
*** (out of four)
The original is much better
Evgueni22 October 1998
Tough one for me to rate
vincentlynch-moonoi17 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
In his younger phase, I never cared for Martin Short. The one exception was 1986's "Three Amigos". So I paid little attention to him. Then, in more recent years I found him to be the most interesting late night guest on television, and a true wit. In that setting, he's one of the few comedians who makes me laugh out loud. I've watched the video of his and Steve Martin's two-man show on Netflix four times...so far. So when I stumbled across this 1991 film, I thought I'd watch. Short here does the one thing in slapstick (which is what this film is) that you rarely see -- he underplays it, and it works perfectly. That's the good news.
On the other hand, I have never cared for Danny Glover, I don't think he's a very good actor, and I didn't like him here. And, to make matters worse, I didn't feel that Short and Glover had good screen chemistry.
Nevertheless, the film works because of its goofy premise and because of Short carrying the film.
On the other hand, I have never cared for Danny Glover, I don't think he's a very good actor, and I didn't like him here. And, to make matters worse, I didn't feel that Short and Glover had good screen chemistry.
Nevertheless, the film works because of its goofy premise and because of Short carrying the film.
Made for the brain dead.
celts-2911912 September 2019
A true classic
brock-5529 October 2006
This sit-down, family film is definitely something to have among your classics. Ten years after my first viewing of the movie, my family, friends and I occasionally bring up a "What was that movie where..." line. We refer back to pure luck and think how funny it was. The movie is very creative. It is the best portrayal of bad luck I have ever seen. If you have not yet seen this movie, and are looking for something hilarious, fun, imaginative, creative, and that will leave a positive impression on you and your family, than this movie is definitely for you. While reading through the ratings, I encountered some negative ratings. This film is definitely better than those people made it out to be.
Pure stupidity......
FlashCallahan9 February 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The daughter of a wealthy businessman has disappeared in Mexico, and all the efforts to find her have been unsuccessful.
A psychologist, knowing that the girl has bad luck, persuades her father to send to Mexico one of his employees, an accountant with matching bad luck, to find her.
Perhaps he will be lucky, and his bad luck could help to find the lucky girl...
During the early nineties, Hollywood had a thing about releasing averagely high concept comedies featuring b-list actors who have appeared in very successful films a few years prior to this, hoping that fans of the more successful films would think 'oooo, I liked him in that film with the more successful actor, let's give this a go'
Rarely were the films successful. They made a moderate box office in the states, but here in the UK, Universal video released them under a 'video Premiere' moniker. Which basically meant 'it's good, but it's not good enough to be shown at the cinema'.
Other titles like this included The Super, Captain Ron, Clean Slate, and any film with Sinbad in a starring role.
These films are in a league of their own, made at a time when studios would give five picture contracts to stars, because they had supporting roles in really successful films, followed by taking the lead role in a surprise sleeper hit.
An obscure example is Joe Pesci. He's a fantastic actor, but after the double whammy of Home Alone and My Cousin Vinny, he starred in films that were very out of character for him.
Remember the aforementioned The Super, Jimmy Hollywood, With Honors, and Gone Fishin'? Thought not, but the video shop always had a copy of them ready to rent.
Pure Luck is nothing more than Short falling over, hurting himself, and thinking he's in charge, whilst Glover plays the straight man and rolling his eyes every now and again.
In a luxurious setting. All the 'funny' parts were in the trailer, see Short in a fat suit, see Short fall down some stairs, see Glover stand there and look up to the sky, because his straight man levels out the comedy between them......
It's not a terrible film, it's highly watchable.
But just a little lazy.
A psychologist, knowing that the girl has bad luck, persuades her father to send to Mexico one of his employees, an accountant with matching bad luck, to find her.
Perhaps he will be lucky, and his bad luck could help to find the lucky girl...
During the early nineties, Hollywood had a thing about releasing averagely high concept comedies featuring b-list actors who have appeared in very successful films a few years prior to this, hoping that fans of the more successful films would think 'oooo, I liked him in that film with the more successful actor, let's give this a go'
Rarely were the films successful. They made a moderate box office in the states, but here in the UK, Universal video released them under a 'video Premiere' moniker. Which basically meant 'it's good, but it's not good enough to be shown at the cinema'.
Other titles like this included The Super, Captain Ron, Clean Slate, and any film with Sinbad in a starring role.
These films are in a league of their own, made at a time when studios would give five picture contracts to stars, because they had supporting roles in really successful films, followed by taking the lead role in a surprise sleeper hit.
An obscure example is Joe Pesci. He's a fantastic actor, but after the double whammy of Home Alone and My Cousin Vinny, he starred in films that were very out of character for him.
Remember the aforementioned The Super, Jimmy Hollywood, With Honors, and Gone Fishin'? Thought not, but the video shop always had a copy of them ready to rent.
Pure Luck is nothing more than Short falling over, hurting himself, and thinking he's in charge, whilst Glover plays the straight man and rolling his eyes every now and again.
In a luxurious setting. All the 'funny' parts were in the trailer, see Short in a fat suit, see Short fall down some stairs, see Glover stand there and look up to the sky, because his straight man levels out the comedy between them......
It's not a terrible film, it's highly watchable.
But just a little lazy.
very broad with limited success
SnoopyStyle21 February 2016
Valerie Highsmith (Sheila Kelley) is the bumbling daughter of a wealthy businessman on vacation in Mexico. Purse snatchers leave her on the streets with amnesia. Small time con man Frank Grimes comes along and takes her hostage. Her father sends investigator Raymond Campanella (Danny Glover) but he has no luck. Because of her bad luck, her father is convinced to send the equally bad luck accountant Eugene Proctor (Martin Short) to follow Valerie and partnered with Campanella.
This is adapted from a French movie and I have yet to laugh at a French comedy. Some of that is the language difference but I also think the French aren't that funny. This should work better with Short as the wacky funny man and Glover as the straight man. Short has his moments and Glover's best comedic partner remains Mel Gibson. The comedy is very broad and very limited. It's pretty stupid but not stupidly funny. Worst of all, the investigation isn't that compelling. Seeing Valerie doing similarly stupid things could make the concept work better. It may also work better if Eugene is an idiot but he's not really written as such. He could also be resigned to the bad luck. I'm not sure if Eugene is calibrated correctly.
This is adapted from a French movie and I have yet to laugh at a French comedy. Some of that is the language difference but I also think the French aren't that funny. This should work better with Short as the wacky funny man and Glover as the straight man. Short has his moments and Glover's best comedic partner remains Mel Gibson. The comedy is very broad and very limited. It's pretty stupid but not stupidly funny. Worst of all, the investigation isn't that compelling. Seeing Valerie doing similarly stupid things could make the concept work better. It may also work better if Eugene is an idiot but he's not really written as such. He could also be resigned to the bad luck. I'm not sure if Eugene is calibrated correctly.
See also
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