Obnoxious Mistakes

Rating: Null/10 (19 February 2003)

Spoilers herein.
Amazing how often films preach one thing and then perform the very same sins they warn against. The `moral' is to be particularly self-aware in how you present yourself: the `yourself' in the story is woman creating a little drama of love. The film itself started out with one heavy strength: the always reliable notion of actors playing characters who are actors. Everyone is scamming everyone else. Rich stuff, that.
But it also has a heavy burden, the untalented, plain Goldie Junior. Her mom has built a career on a giggle, but at least late in life, she has learned enough of the ordinary tricks of the trade to not embarrass. This film, by Sandra Bullock's creator of promotional vehicles, has the double burden of pleasing us and her managers.
You can see where the original film wasn't bad: especially some of the various episodes where the humor is in our discomfort. But you can also see where the test audiences forced a completely reshot ending: the original ending was at the basketball game with the forgotten necklace, something set up with great elaboration. The reshot ending fell back on the most rigid rules of the formula: a public fight which must involve microphones followed by a chase through city streets.
Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 4: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.