Any film that starts with Gloria Estefan’s “Bad Boy” as the title track is completely unafraid of seeming cheesy, but in actual fact after the intro sequence and the first few minutes are over, it’s not terribly cheesy. Not compared to a lot of eighties movies, anyway… It’s an enjoyable, if unexceptional, sort of alternative “coming of age”
We start off with a tour of the apartment built by Architect Peter Mitchell (Tom Selleck), decorated by Cartoon Artist Michael Kellam (Steve Guttenberg), and… um… lived in by Actor Jack Holden (Ted Dansen). Peter has an semi-serious relationship with Rebecca, but isn’t entirely sure he likes the “we both see other people” arrangement; Michael starts out trying to start a relationship with a woman and ends up being her big brother, probably helping her get back together with her former boyfriend; Jack, on the other hand, has a different woman every single night (or so it seems). The three of them live happily enough, until one of Jack’s women unexpectedly leaves the fruitage of their passion on his doorstep. The problem for Peter and Michael is, Jack’s away shooting a TV series at the time…
Complicating things for the three of them when Jack comes back is that the fact that they’ve managed to become involved with some crooks, and the Narcotics Department are taking an interest in them. However none of the problems they face are as challenging as looking after the baby – apart from the prospect of letting her go.
Three Men And A Baby is a pretty good comedy, with three fine comic actors in the form of Selleck, Guttenberg, and Danson taking centre stage. Though Dansen is excellent (both as a serious and comic actor), I did feel he was somewhat miscast in this film. The comedy is at its best when the men initially try to overcome their lack of knowledge about the subject and their bachelor lifestyles to look after the baby. Once the other main part of the plot starts to intrude more on the film, it becomes somewhat less funny and the tension never really builds up to compensate for it. The female cast members are a bit disappointing; they don’t really have much to do, but what they do is mundane stuff. Nancy Travis and Margaret Colin are the only actresses with significant screen time, and neither impressed. Philip Bosco was quite funny as the detective on the trail of heroin smugglers, and there were a few good sight gags and bits of dialogue. but overall the movie never really makes the transition from pleasantly amusing to actually funny.
So, all in all, Three Men and a Baby is a nice enough film and quite funny in places, but it never really struck me as being much above average. In fact the funniest parts were probably unintentional – while complaining about having to clean a baby’s bottom, the bottom in question is absolutely spotless (despite a “doody” just having been delivered). The soundtrack is typical eighties fare, quite fun and certainly energetic but pretty uninspiring.
Recommended if you like the main actors and want something light-hearted, but not if you want anything hilarious or substantial in any way.
Other Information
Runtime: 102 minutes
Rating: PG
Directed by Mr Spock himself! (Leonard Nimoy)
Strange but true (apparently, according to IMDB…): The highest-grossing remake of a French film ($167,780,960) in North American box office history.
Best quote of the film:
Rebecca: Jack has a baby?
Peter Mitchell: I realize such a concept tends to negate our belief in a benevolent God, but yes.
Take three of Hollywood s hottest stars (Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, Ted Danson) and one adorable baby girl, and the result is the funniest blockbu...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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