This picture has me at a loss. I simply don't know what to think about it. It was fairly entertaining, it didn't bog down, I like all of the actors involved, and I really want to like the movie. But after watching it, I just really don't. Or more like I'm indifferent.
The movie takes place in the middle of the Cold War on an island off of Massachusetts (actually filmed north of San Francisco). Almost immediately a dumbass Soviet sub captain runs his boat aground trying to get a better look at America. A landing party led by Alan Arkin hopes to find a boat to tow their vessel back to sea before anyone notices them, but they run afoul of a vacationing family, from whom they steal a car. Before you know it the entire island is in mass panic with the police trying to maintain order and find the Russian sailors with mixed results.
This movie is enjoyable and had some funny parts and lines, mostly thanks to Reiner, Arkin, and Jonathan Winters. But it never really registered any out-loud belly laughs from me. I was more amused than amazed. I probably got the most enjoyment out of watching Alan Arkin and his comrades talk back and forth in their pidgin-Russian gibberish (if it's really Russian then I'm gonna look like an idiot). I just think the problem is the movie feels dated and there is too much of a generation gap for me to really appreciate it.
I'm sure in the midst of the Cold War, with fear and tensions running high, this was some really on-the-edge stuff. And from all the message boards I looked at, it seemed like Boomers absolutely love this movie. However, I just can't relate; I'm not in the right decade to really dig the humor. And it's interesting to see the film make the point that both sides are acting like idiots and should stop hating each other for imaginary reasons when they should really be getting along and working together (even though this point is a little heavy-handed at times). I don't know what do you guys think?
A few quick points:
- the movie was nominated for 4 Oscars (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing) even though it won none.
- could they have picked a brattier kid to play Carl Reiner's son? And as someone who is only really familiar with Reiner from the Ocean's 11 movies, it was staggering to see him this young.
- what was up with the drunk chasing the horse in the field? I probably could have done without that whole sub-plot.
- I thought the airplane mechanic guy looked familiar and when I looked him up --tada!-- he is the Ghost of Christmas Past cabbie from "Scrooged"!
- I love that for an island community of 200 souls, they have a gun store. And from the looks of it they do good business; what the fuck do these people need with all these guns!
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