The whole cast really shines in this movie. I love the bit where, regaurding a postal worker, Tom Selleck says, "Don't make HIM mad!" At the time, there was a string of incidents where postal workers were going on shooting rampages. This movie was, after all, made when people understood the healing power of humor. Tom Selleck is indeed a great comic actor. One of his funniest movies is called Folks, where his elderly parents ask him to murder them because insurance doesn't pay on suicides, but death by accident pays double indemnity. It's dark comedy, yes, but it's very funny with a happy but unpredictable and believable ending.
This is a great film. Gene & Roger were on the money. Kline is simply one of the great American comic actors, Cusack has her best role, and yes, Selleck is a revelation. All three deserved Oscar nominations (only Cusack got one). Sad to watch this, though, as Gene was not well here. He died less than a year and half later.
If I remember, Tom credited both In & Out and his recurring role on Friends (which he was advised against doing) with revitalizing his career after a period of flops.
Funny, I never thought Selleck was fundamentally a comic actor before, but he totally is. Magnum PI had a lot of comedy and would never have worked if his character had been played completely straight. (No pun intended ;)
i liked this film, the scene with kevin kline trying to "learn" how to be a "man" was hilarious. who would hav thought fozzie bear would hav directed a movie like this. i think the ending is the weakest it seems to kinda peter out but was still good. tom seleck just really weird in this movie, he should never ever shave.
Why Tom Selleck didn't have a bigger movie career is a puzzle. I know a lot depends on luck and timing, but really he had a lot of qualities you need to be a star and it just didn't work out for him.
I think a lot of it had to do with him turning down the role of Indiana Jones. Granted that was out of his control because of his commitment to Magnum PI but Spielberg and Lucas both cast him and then he had to drop out because of the TV show. I think had he been able to accept it his movie career could have possibly flourished a bit more.
@@Abr022575 I definitely agree sir. Ford was the best and only choice for Indy. It's only if Selleck had been able to take the role it would have done wonders for his movie career. But there is no debate about Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones... Period!
She directed many good movies including What About Bob? one of my top five favorites and of course Little Shop of Horrors and the very underrated Indian in the Cupboard. So yes I agree she can do no wrong.
lol love that scene where he couldn't say homosexual. So true, fools fearing gays being in the school system! Time to start a TH-cam ethics debate!! :D
Energetic and well acted. But the script is just filled with stereotypes. Worse, it portrayed a Catholic priest as someone who diabolically a) encouraged fornication b) accepted proxy confessions c) stereotyped men who can't have sex as gay which attacks the spirituality of celibacy, a vow among priests and the religious, and to those who are committed to serving God as single men and women. I love a good joke but not to the extent of total misrepresentation. If they did this to a Muslim imam, they wouldn't have been able to handle the consequences.
I wonder if Siskel & Ebert themselves had to deal with gay rumors, since they were both nice, smart, funny, and well-dressed? Plus, they devoted their lives to art, so that has to make a guy gay. NOT that there's anything wrong with that!
I remember going to see this at my local multiplex when it first hit cinemas, and while at the time I didn't love the movie, I didn't hate it either. I thought it was ok. However, after rewatching it several years ago I found that it hasn't aged all that well. It relies too much on stereotypical tropes in regard to homosexuality as an attempt for cheap laughs which don't sit well with me. I think it would have worked better as a satirical comedy on the preconceptions people have had about homosexuality had they portrayed Howard as an average masculine male, who likes manly things but happens to be gay. So when he is outed as being gay, the reactions from the local townsfolk to how effeminate he is and how he doesn't conform to their prejudices of how a gay man behaves, force them to confront their own ignorance. And it puzzles me that both Gene and Roger failed to see that the movie, although ultimately well-meaning proved to be more regressive than progressive.
@@squamish4244 Who knows? The whole idea came from when Tom Hanks won his first Oscar for playing a gay and thanked his gay drama teacher so they thought, "What if people didn't like that?" Well, guess what? Who's gonna give a shit about a teacher being gay?
The whole cast really shines in this movie. I love the bit where, regaurding a postal worker, Tom Selleck says, "Don't make HIM mad!" At the time, there was a string of incidents where postal workers were going on shooting rampages. This movie was, after all, made when people understood the healing power of humor.
Tom Selleck is indeed a great comic actor. One of his funniest movies is called Folks, where his elderly parents ask him to murder them because insurance doesn't pay on suicides, but death by accident pays double indemnity. It's dark comedy, yes, but it's very funny with a happy but unpredictable and believable ending.
Joan Cusack stole this film. She was brilliant in every scene she was on.
This is a great film. Gene & Roger were on the money. Kline is simply one of the great American comic actors, Cusack has her best role, and yes, Selleck is a revelation. All three deserved Oscar nominations (only Cusack got one). Sad to watch this, though, as Gene was not well here. He died less than a year and half later.
And Tom Selleck kisses Kevin Kline in this movie, pretty daring for a very macho, action-oriented, conservative actor. Gotta give him credit for that.
If I remember, Tom credited both In & Out and his recurring role on Friends (which he was advised against doing) with revitalizing his career after a period of flops.
Boy, I miss these guys!
Oh, man, Bob Newhart can make any SENTENCE funny. He's perfect in that role.
Ho ho ho home room teacher 🤣
Hilarious!, and even for Straight Audiences. Maybe we need more Films like this?
This film is great. It's high time that I watched it again. Kevin Kline and Tom Selleck are hilarious in the film.
Think its a good short to pick out Selleck's performance. I think he was really good in it too. This is pretty underrated IMO.
Tom Selleck played his part really classy and funny
Debbie Reynolds manages to steal nearly every scene she's in. She's relentless. 😂
I love how in the literal last ten seconds Gene Siskel starts spitting out prophetic facts at 4:05
That slippery slope got hella slippery in the past 10-15 years.
Literal?
He’s talking about homophobia, buddy. The “serious core” is homophobia.
I miss Ebert & Siskel
Funny, I never thought Selleck was fundamentally a comic actor before, but he totally is. Magnum PI had a lot of comedy and would never have worked if his character had been played completely straight. (No pun intended ;)
Plus, his turn on Friends was one of the highlights of the show’s 10 year run.
Who's here because of Moviebob's "Rogue" review?
In retrospect, I'm reminded of Seinfeld's infamous "Outing" episode. Farce isn't easy.
Didn't recognize Tom Selleck with no moustache?
i liked this film, the scene with kevin kline trying to "learn" how to be a "man" was hilarious. who would hav thought fozzie bear would hav directed a movie like this. i think the ending is the weakest it seems to kinda peter out but was still good. tom seleck just really weird in this movie, he should never ever shave.
Why Tom Selleck didn't have a bigger movie career is a puzzle. I know a lot depends on luck and timing, but really he had a lot of qualities you need to be a star and it just didn't work out for him.
I think a lot of it had to do with him turning down the role of Indiana Jones. Granted that was out of his control because of his commitment to Magnum PI but Spielberg and Lucas both cast him and then he had to drop out because of the TV show. I think had he been able to accept it his movie career could have possibly flourished a bit more.
@@spencer10182 he's no Harrison Ford.
@@Abr022575 I definitely agree sir. Ford was the best and only choice for Indy. It's only if Selleck had been able to take the role it would have done wonders for his movie career. But there is no debate about Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones... Period!
Miss Piggy directs a good movie. She can do no wrong, can she?
She directed many good movies including What About Bob? one of my top five favorites and of course Little Shop of Horrors and the very underrated Indian in the Cupboard. So yes I agree she can do no wrong.
lol love that scene where he couldn't say homosexual. So true, fools fearing gays being in the school system! Time to start a TH-cam ethics debate!! :D
Where can I watch this ? Does anybody know ?
Currently, its on PlutoTV. Get the ap and watch it free. I just watched this for the first time in almost 20 years. Even more fun than I remember!
It's available on DVD
I hope their reviewing movies in Heaven
* *They're.* (It's a contraction of "they are.")
Siskels last statement hasn't aged well lol
Energetic and well acted. But the script is just filled with stereotypes. Worse, it portrayed a Catholic priest as someone who diabolically a) encouraged fornication b) accepted proxy confessions c) stereotyped men who can't have sex as gay which attacks the spirituality of celibacy, a vow among priests and the religious, and to those who are committed to serving God as single men and women. I love a good joke but not to the extent of total misrepresentation. If they did this to a Muslim imam, they wouldn't have been able to handle the consequences.
I don't usually comment on old comments, but you are a major downer. This is a comedy.
I wonder if Siskel & Ebert themselves had to deal with gay rumors, since they were both nice, smart, funny, and well-dressed? Plus, they devoted their lives to art, so that has to make a guy gay. NOT that there's anything wrong with that!
I remember going to see this at my local multiplex when it first hit cinemas, and while at the time I didn't love the movie, I didn't hate it either. I thought it was ok. However, after rewatching it several years ago I found that it hasn't aged all that well. It relies too much on stereotypical tropes in regard to homosexuality as an attempt for cheap laughs which don't sit well with me. I think it would have worked better as a satirical comedy on the preconceptions people have had about homosexuality had they portrayed Howard as an average masculine male, who likes manly things but happens to be gay. So when he is outed as being gay, the reactions from the local townsfolk to how effeminate he is and how he doesn't conform to their prejudices of how a gay man behaves, force them to confront their own ignorance. And it puzzles me that both Gene and Roger failed to see that the movie, although ultimately well-meaning proved to be more regressive than progressive.
I thought this movie was horrible and so many cliche gay jokes... it just wasn't funny.
Exactly. Who gives a shit about a gay teacher?
That's...the point. Why do we care so much?
@@squamish4244 Who knows? The whole idea came from when Tom Hanks won his first Oscar for playing a gay and thanked his gay drama teacher so they thought, "What if people didn't like that?" Well, guess what? Who's gonna give a shit about a teacher being gay?
@@sha11235 "Who's gonna give a shit about a teacher being gay?"
You clearly haven't spent much time in the Bible Belt.
@@sha11235 welcome to 2023, when we are rapidly taking away LGBT rights and attacking school teachers.
True. Does the title refer to ugly Ebert's body parts?
No, yours.
Film would never have been made in 2020 as woke people would be upset that a straight actor plays gay character that is in the closet.
The film would never be made today because the Christian right would protest the acceptance of LGBT, as the movie teaches.