Welcome to Mooseport Review
by Robin Clifford (robin AT reelingreviews DOT com)February 21st, 2004
"Welcome to Mooseport"
Ex-President Monroe "Eagle" Cole (Gene Hackman) had the highest popularity rating since JFK. He is also the first president to get divorced while in office and, after his ex took him to the cleaners, is heading to his summer home in Maine to make a new life for himself. When the town fathers convince him to run for mayor his only competition is local hardware store owner Handy Harrison (Ray Romano). But, the former leader of the free world soon learns that local politics aren't all that easy in "Welcome to Mooseport."
Former President Cole, following his two very successful terms of office, is looking forward to his retirement in the peaceful town of Mooseport, Maine. Lucrative speaking engagements, a multi-million dollar book deal and offers from Fortune 500 companies look to make a bright retreat for the "Eagle." When he is approached by the town leaders to run, unopposed, for the recently vacated mayoral seat (the former holder upped and died), Cole sees it as a lark of an opportunity and good PR. But, unknown to almost everyone in the town, local plumber and hardware store owner Harold "Handy" Harrison also throws his hat into the ring.
Handy, who entered his name without knowledge of the president's plans, is having commitment problems with his long-time girlfriend, veterinarian Sally Mannis (Maura Tierney). He is more excited about the prospect of buying a new truck than he is about Sally, or so it seems. Fed up, she accepts a dinner date with the new guy in town, Monroe, and a rivalry, both politically and personally, forms between the candidates as they jockey for office and the affection of the pretty vet. This sums up the story for "Welcome to Mooseport."
Director Donald Petrie works with the adapted screenplay by Tom Schulman (from a story by Doug Richardson) and comes up with a predictable tale that is part feud, part David and Goliath story and part small town Americana. The result, mainly due to the stellar cast (which includes two Oscar winners - Hackman and Marcia Gay Harden) and solid supporting characters, is an amiable political comedy that has some laughs and few, if any, surprises.
"Welcome to Mooseport" is a well-crafted comedy whose budget and star power make it better than it should be. Gene Hackman is a great American actor but doesn't put much in the way of dimension into his ex-prez Cole character. Ray Romano, not surprisingly, gives a variation of his "Everyone Loves Raymond" TV persona without much by way of embellishment or change. Maura Tierney, as the smart, attractive, strong love interest shows, again, her on screen charm but is, too held back by the material.
The supporting cast is strongly staffed but is also hampered by the cliched screenplay. Marcia Gay Harden is solid as Monroe Cole's chief staff person who has harbored a crush on the president for years. The actress provides depth to the two-dimensional character, Grace Sutherland, and gives far more than she gets from the film. Christine Baranski puts a caustic and amusing edge on her Charlotte Cole character, making the most of her near non-existent role. Fred Savage has the dubious job of being Cole's lackey and does not get to rise above the lame material that has Cole repeatedly telling his assistant to "get out of my sight." Not very funny. Rip Torn, as Burt Langdon, has little to do as Monroe's former campaign manager who return's to his old boss's side to run the mayoral race.
Most of the humor in "Welcome to Mooseport" comes from the mouths of the rest of the mostly unknown supporting cast of characters. The humor tends to the sophomoric, such as when Handy finds his assistant watching as the plumber's dog has his way with the president's pooch - "Hey, I don't have cable!" is his excuse. There are some chuckles interspersed throughout the film, though few of them are delivered by the stars.
Techs are of good quality, as one would expect, with attention paid to the look and feel of the tiny Maine hamlet of Mooseport. From the resident moose to the homey campaign placards and antler hats developed by the locals for Handy's mayoral run, the film shows small town America at its most pristine. Quality lensing by Victor Hammer helps lend efficacy to the proceeds.
The script, unfortunately, telegraphs the film's outcome all too readily. When Handy misses the point of Sally's frustration with him - when he says "I'm ready!" she thinks he is finally talking marriage when he is really talking about a new truck - you know it will turn out all right in the end. The unrequited love Grace displays for Monroe early on wraps up routinely and without surprise. The race for office ends in exactly the way I expected.
"Welcome to Mooseport" is a well worn story about the rich and powerful versus the average Joe, with a love interest tossed in, and does nothing new. The laughs are more like chuckles and none of the main players are the suppliers of this mirth. Its heart is in the right place even if its aim isn't. I give it a C.
For more Reeling reviews visit www.reelingreviews.com
robin@reelingreviews.com
laura@reelingreviews.com
More on 'Welcome to Mooseport'...
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
