For Love or Money Review
by Scott Renshaw (AS DOT IDC AT forsythe DOT stanford DOT edu)October 6th, 1993
FOR LOVE OR MONEY
A film review by Scott Renshaw
Copyright 1993 Scott Renshaw
Starring: Michael J. Fox, Gabrielle Anwar, Anthony Higgins. Screenplay: Mark Rosenthal and Lawrence Konner.
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.
Michael J. Fox is in a *deep* rut. While he's made the occasional stab at drama (LIGHT OF DAY, CASUALTIES OF WAR), Fox has basically seemed content to play the character he perfected on "Family Ties:" The Cocky Young Go-Getter Who Learns a Lesson about What Really Matters. It's a type that has worked for him, thanks to his charm and comic timing, but it puts him in danger of carrying questionable projects which seem comfortable. As a perfect example, witness FOR LOVE OR MONEY, a cliche-filled would-be romantic comedy that's neither particularly romantic nor particularly funny.
This time around, Fox's Cocky Young Go-Getter is named Doug Ireland, concierge at the posh Manhattan hotel The Bradbury. His specialty is doing that little something extra for the guests--walking their dogs, acquiring hard-to-get theater tickets--and raking in huge tips for his efforts. These tips have gone into a deposit on Doug's dream, his own luxury hotel, but making that dream a reality will require another $5 million. Enter financier Christian Hanover (Anthony Higgins), who's willing to exchange helping Doug with his hotel with Doug helping him carry on an affair. The catch: Hanover's mistress is Andy (Gabrielle Anwar), an aspiring singer who works at the Bradbury's perfume counter and for whom Doug is carrying a torch. As the two spend more time together, a mutual attraction develops, forcing Doug to decide whether he's willing to sacrifice Hanover's money for Andy's love.
If you have to guess which choice Doug will make, you haven't seen very many romantic comedies. The point is never whether they'll end up together, but simply how entertaining getting there will be. Unfortunately, the answer in FOR LOVE OR MONEY is, not very. It starts promisingly enough, with a focus on Doug's wheeling and dealing, but once the romantic plot kicks in there's just no energy. There's a lengthy sequence at a party involving mistaken identities and Doug trying to hold everything together which was frantic but never really clicked; after that, the film doesn't even seem to try. The situations are simply tedious. I can't begin to describe how tired I am of that stock "we both care about each other but neither one of us will admit it so instead we'll yell at each other" scene in romantic comedies. There are plenty of ways to establish conflict that actually occur in human life (or perhaps I and everyone I know have just been lucky so far). FOR LOVE OR MONEY uses up most of its best jokes and all of its originality in about ten minutes.
I also had many problems with the performances. Fox has spent so much time as the Cocky Young Go-Getter that he doesn't seem to know how to vary it. He's too likable too soon; FOR LOVE OR MONEY would have worked much better if a man who had seen more than his share of kept women had initially been more cynical and antagonistic towards Andy. He also never conveys when the mild flirtation established early in their interaction becomes real romantic interest, but perhaps a better question than "when" is "why." Gabrielle Anwar wanders through the film gorgeous but thoroughly uninteresting, emoting and pouting in ways that would make a high school drama teacher cringe. Of the supporting players, only Michael Tucker as a nebbishy hotel guest is not a complete stereotype. Particularly embarrassing are fascistic German hotel manager and a swishy fashion designer, but they are just the most glaring examples of a script that makes all the easy choices, and all the wrong ones.
Director Barry Sonnenfeld was a marvelous cinematographer (MILLER'S CROSSING), but so far only a barely serviceable director. Like THE ADDAMS FAMILY, FOR LOVE OR MONEY is too ham-fisted, and Sonnenfeld's few stylistic flourishes are lost in slow pacing and mishandled actors. FOR LOVE OR MONEY turns out to be ALEX KEATON - THE CONCIERGE YEARS, an overlong mid-grade sitcom.
On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 big tips: 3.
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Scott Renshaw
Stanford University
Office of the General Counsel
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