Needs More Gopher

Rating: Null/10 (9 September 2019)

Mildly amusing outdoor comedy. Given the talent involved, the results are rather disappointing. I get the feeling much of the narrative was improvised as they went along-- the storyline stumbling around in choppy fashion between golf course antics, nude sex, and O'Keefe's effort at raising college money. It's almost like a series of skits minus coherent connecting threads to build on. Nonetheless, there are some generally amusing elements-- the mischievous gopher, with his impish little face and clever effects. I'm just sorry he wasn't given more pranks since the comedic possibilities are a bucket-load. Instead, we get Ted Knight mugging it up in Ted Baxter style, along with a curled-lip Bill Murray doing something or other. Otherwise, it's a boisterous Rodney Dangerfield injecting real energy, while Chevy Chase plays his mystical club member in fairly straight style.
All in all, I expected better given the splash the movie made on first release. Perhaps a sequel with a different director and writers could better tap the rich potential that's clearly there. That is, if our naughty gopher is still in residence.