A formulaic disappointment

Rating: 4/10 (7 December 1998)

This opening 45 minutes of this movie are very entertaining. They remind you of what an incredibly ugly and embarrassing decade the 1980s was, especially with regard to haircuts and pastel-coloured jackets, and contain a great cameo from Steve Buscemi. However the moment the plot kicks in you realise you are watching just another substandard "romantic comedy" with the usual predictable plot devices based around misunderstandings which are not believable. The last hour of this movie ceases to be funny and the ending is laughable (rather than funny). The film makers should have stayed with the funny observations and steered clear of the sub-John Hughes plotline.