Isn't it funny how this film, whilst massively dismissed as rubbish by critics when it was first released, has attracted a very loyal following of people who hold it very dear to their hearts - isn't that basically the definition of a cult film? Why? The special effects are terrible, it's basically a "breaking into the USA market" vehicle for Rick Mayall, and Marsha Mason looks exactly the same in the "21 years ago" flashbacks as she does in the current time-line.
This film is special because it has that certain endearing uniqueness to it that makes it very personal. Those who love it have watched it many, many times. I've never seen anything like it before or since. It's a Hollywood-style comedy about a mid-20's dippy girl that is re-visited by her childhood imaginary friend when her life starts falling apart... or, it's an increasingly dark study of a girl descending into madness, only to choose reality over fantasy in the end.
Phobe Cates is fantastic in this film. She reacts to Mayall's familiar but still funny "Rick" routine in the sweetest and cutest way. The comic timing of both is excellent. Check out her expression when she asks her mother to "sit down" after Mayall has just delivered his "Cobwebs" line... Adorable.
A curiosity is after Fred's first encounter with Elizabeth's mother. After having his head squashed flat by a fridge door ("Oh no my head, the Megabitch squashed my head! The Bitch! She squashed my head! The evil one reigns supreme!"), the following references by Fred during the rest of the film refer to her as the "Megabeast". Perhaps half way through filming the producers, thinking this would be a lovely summer kiddie film thought it was a tad too "adult" to appeal to a young audience and told the makers to tone it down a bit.. The opening scene, where Marsha Mason reads a bedtime story to her 4 year old daughter only to be told "What a pile of S**t" pretty much sets the scene. Hilarious! There are so many genuinely funny and heart-warming scenes in this film. When Fred makes a "real" mud pie with the 4 year old Elizabeth, the little girl seems to be genuinely enjoying herself ("it's so fun!"). You can't help but smile. And whilst the final goodbye between Elizabeth and Fred is pretty formulaic Hollywood, it still tugs at the old heart strings.
Some people perhaps read too much into the film when they see it as a study of schizophrenia etc, but then again you can't help think that underneath the zany comedy, the writers are subtly giving the film a deeper edge. The scene that really hinges Elizabeth's descent into madness is when she finally despairs of her cheating husband's hopeless ways ("I'm scared to be alone") by Fred, who beckons "come with me" with a very creepy invitation to succumb to insanity.
To me, this film succeeds because it naughtily mixes Hollywood's cliché-ridden nicey-nice "family" comedies with the anarchic British alternative comedy of the 90's. You'll either "get it" or think it's crap. The choice is yours. To those that love it, perhaps it just sparks that missed childhood innocence that runs throughout, as well as our desire to be more rebellious and independent than we are now as adults. The ending is lovely too... Fred carries on helping kids in his own way.
P.S. Carrie Fisher will always be remembered and associated with Star Wars, but she is a superb comedy actress. "But didn't Elvis kill himself?", "Yes, but before that he was really interesting!"... Superb!
This film is special because it has that certain endearing uniqueness to it that makes it very personal. Those who love it have watched it many, many times. I've never seen anything like it before or since. It's a Hollywood-style comedy about a mid-20's dippy girl that is re-visited by her childhood imaginary friend when her life starts falling apart... or, it's an increasingly dark study of a girl descending into madness, only to choose reality over fantasy in the end.
Phobe Cates is fantastic in this film. She reacts to Mayall's familiar but still funny "Rick" routine in the sweetest and cutest way. The comic timing of both is excellent. Check out her expression when she asks her mother to "sit down" after Mayall has just delivered his "Cobwebs" line... Adorable.
A curiosity is after Fred's first encounter with Elizabeth's mother. After having his head squashed flat by a fridge door ("Oh no my head, the Megabitch squashed my head! The Bitch! She squashed my head! The evil one reigns supreme!"), the following references by Fred during the rest of the film refer to her as the "Megabeast". Perhaps half way through filming the producers, thinking this would be a lovely summer kiddie film thought it was a tad too "adult" to appeal to a young audience and told the makers to tone it down a bit.. The opening scene, where Marsha Mason reads a bedtime story to her 4 year old daughter only to be told "What a pile of S**t" pretty much sets the scene. Hilarious! There are so many genuinely funny and heart-warming scenes in this film. When Fred makes a "real" mud pie with the 4 year old Elizabeth, the little girl seems to be genuinely enjoying herself ("it's so fun!"). You can't help but smile. And whilst the final goodbye between Elizabeth and Fred is pretty formulaic Hollywood, it still tugs at the old heart strings.
Some people perhaps read too much into the film when they see it as a study of schizophrenia etc, but then again you can't help think that underneath the zany comedy, the writers are subtly giving the film a deeper edge. The scene that really hinges Elizabeth's descent into madness is when she finally despairs of her cheating husband's hopeless ways ("I'm scared to be alone") by Fred, who beckons "come with me" with a very creepy invitation to succumb to insanity.
To me, this film succeeds because it naughtily mixes Hollywood's cliché-ridden nicey-nice "family" comedies with the anarchic British alternative comedy of the 90's. You'll either "get it" or think it's crap. The choice is yours. To those that love it, perhaps it just sparks that missed childhood innocence that runs throughout, as well as our desire to be more rebellious and independent than we are now as adults. The ending is lovely too... Fred carries on helping kids in his own way.
P.S. Carrie Fisher will always be remembered and associated with Star Wars, but she is a superb comedy actress. "But didn't Elvis kill himself?", "Yes, but before that he was really interesting!"... Superb!