Saturday, November 10, 2012

#81: "For Richer or Poorer"

Stats: 1997. Starring Tim Allen & Kirstie Alley. PG-13.

Background: I first saw For Richer or Poorer at my cousins’ house when we were in high school. I thought it was one of the funniest movies I’d ever seen in my life. I think I saw it one or two other times, all soon after that first time.

I recently found it in a 4-pack with Ghost Dad, Pure Luck, and King Ralph in the Walmart $5 bin (where else?). I hadn't seen any of the other films, but I figured that $5 for one of the funniest movies from my teen years was well worth it, even if the others were duds.

Plot: After 10 years of marriage, millionaires Brad & Caroline Sexton (Allen and Alley) are ready to call it quits. But just when they decide to file for divorce, they’re framed by their accountant, who has been falsifying their tax returns for years. With two IRS agents on their tails, they flee New York and end up undercover in an Amish community. As they try to blend in, they also rediscover the love they once shared.

Reactions: I’m pretty sure the writers of this film didn't know the meaning of the word Ordnung. Every single time it was used in the movie, it grated on me. Why? Because the writers used it to mean “Amish community” rather than “a set of rules followed by the Amish.” On top of that, I didn’t think the film was very funny. Perhaps it just caters to more slapstick sensibilities … I don’t know why I didn’t enjoy it, but I really, really didn’t. 

Verdict: Keep (with reservations—Ghost Dad is on the same disk, so if I like that one, I’ll be keeping it.)

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