Outrageous Fortune (DVD)

...to see it.
Outrageous Fortune is one of those silly comedies that could be a good thriller as well, if the script was written well enough, and different actors were playing the parts. Even though the thriller part of this film would’ve been good, it wouldn’t have been as good as the comedy!
Outrageous Fortune is the sort of film you can watch over and over and never get sick of! I’ve watched it at least five times, ...
...little as a disadvantage, but Outrageous Fortune is so entertaining that I can’t fault it at all!
Not only is this a comedy, but also it does have a big twist in the middle. At parts it’s like an Agatha Christie novel because you can see why some things happened! Thankfully though, Poirot’s not there investigating!

If you don’t like Bette Midler, you probably won’t like Outrageous Fortune, but there ... more

It’s about a year now since I firs saw this comedy. I love both Bette Midler and Shelley Long, so I was really looking forward to see it.
Outrageous Fortune is one of those silly comedies that could be a good thriller as well, if the script was written well enough, and different actors were playing the parts. Even though the thriller part of this film would’ve been good, it wouldn’t have been as good as the comedy!
Outrageous Fortune is the sort of film you can watch over and over and never get sick of! I’ve watched it at least five times, and not once have I got bored of it!

♠♠ The Plot ♠♠

Lauren (Shelly Long) is desperate to be an actress. Her dream is to play Hamlet, even though she’s a woman! She’s the best at ballet, she’s the best at fencing, she’s the best at everything, but somehow she can’t get an acting job. When Lauren sees that her idol Korzenawski is teaching students, she jumps at the chance to take part thinking this might be her lucky break. Whilst waiting to audition, common trashy Sandy (Bette Midler) walks in to audition as well…

Sandy is no good at acting, she doesn’t even know who Hamlet is, so she couldn’t be picked could she? Well, she was, and Lauren is mortified, but glad she was also picked. But can’t believe such a person like Sandy was picked.
Lauren single woman, meets a man, Michael, and falls in love. She’s known him for three weeks, but they’re so in love. When Michael stops to buy some roses for Lauren to celebrate their three-week anniversary, the shop he walks into explodes and he dies. Later at the morgue, Lauren is mourning over Michael when Sandy walks in. It seems that Michael was seeing BOTH Lauren and Sandy. After arguing they go in to see the body. Burnt to a crisp Michael’s face is unrecognisable, but when the two women look at his tackle they realise the body on the table is not Michael’s...

The two women decide to find the man of their lives to make him decide who he wants – Sandy or Lauren? But, will he even want to see them, when they do track him down?

♠♠ Performances ♠♠

Long and Midler are extremely talented, and it shines through in this film. About 90% of the film, the two are together, and mostly alone, therefore they had to have a very funny on-screen bond.
Long’s character Lauren is a bit of a snob, and if you have watched the film, you will know that the casting in this film is the best. It seems Midler nor Long were picked because they were Hollywood names, but because they fitted the characters.

For certain, in my eyes, this is Long’s best performance yet. Not only is she funny, but also she’s entertaining with it, and she manages to make us laugh! She makes you laugh and hate her at times, but even when you do hate her, you still love her! Even though Milder is brilliant, and she gave of her best, she’s been better in other movies. She’s still playing the trashy, glamorous New Yorker, and she’s definitely good at playing this, but she’s been better in other movies (Beaches and Big Business, for instance).

Rather than loving each other, they hated each other in the movie, and I think that worked better.
Some of Long and Midler’s arguments were absolutely classic, and the two had so may good comebacks that they didn’t only manage to make you laugh, but roll on the floor with laughter!
Luckily as well, the two’s performances weren’t let down by a bad script. The script was funny and entertaining, and it had a funny storyline to add to the good one-liners.

The two main stars were at their best, and I believe without them, even though the script was funny itself, it wouldn’t have worked. The on-screen chemistry between the two was brilliant, and comedy brilliance!

♠♠ My Thoughts ♠♠

I can’t find one fault in this film, and that’s something. Usually I can find something ever so little as a disadvantage, but Outrageous Fortune is so entertaining that I can’t fault it at all!
Not only is this a comedy, but also it does have a big twist in the middle. At parts it’s like an Agatha Christie novel because you can see why some things happened! Thankfully though, Poirot’s not there investigating!

If you don’t like Bette Midler, you probably won’t like Outrageous Fortune, but there is chance it might appeal. The reason being, because the two main characters hate each other you like one and hate the other; or vice-versa! Outrageous Fortune is a pretty glamorous film. The two main stars are wearing glamorous things throughout, and the movie is very eighties. Fashion is certainly a big thing in the film.

The script is one of the strongest I’ve seen in a comedy for years. It’s got twists and turns, but not in a boring way. The two stars add to the anticipation, and entertainment of the film, and the film won’t let you down. If you want to see the film, I advise you watch it with a few people. I say that because it’s so good you want to talk to people about it, and ask them something in case you don’t understand. Each time I watch I realise why someone did something, and it’s a very clever comedy. A clever comedy that EVERYONE will enjoy. Outrageously Funny!

© Matt Roberts 2003.

 

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