My review was written in May 1988 after a Cannes Film Festival Market screening.
"Mad About you" is a misguided effort to reinvent 1930s style romantic comedy, only without the wit and originality typical of the Golden Age studio films. It's destined fro undemanding audiences, perhaps in tv syndication.
Claudia Christian plays Casey Haris, the beautiful but thoroughly unlikable L. A. rich girl who has to choose between boyfriends: a dull preppy (James Daughton), handsome jock (Wolf Larson) and an engaging waiter who wants to become a rock singer (Joseph Gian). Corny antics play like a teen comedy in need of Geritol, with plenty of well-done musical interludes (Gian does his own soundtrack singing) to pad out the running time.
Lorenzo Doumani's direction is adequate, but his script lacks the snappy repartee necessary for this lightweight genre. Christina has the classic movie star features of a Linda Darnell but her acting comes off as smug and severely limited. Adam West is fun as her square daddy; luscious Shari Shattuck steals the spotlight as her sexy best pal. Gian is engaging as the hero, but David Gee as his roommate overdoes the hokey impressions of Jack Nicholson, Bruce Springsteen, etc. Lola Falana pops up pointlessly in a minor role as a secretary.
"Mad About you" is a misguided effort to reinvent 1930s style romantic comedy, only without the wit and originality typical of the Golden Age studio films. It's destined fro undemanding audiences, perhaps in tv syndication.
Claudia Christian plays Casey Haris, the beautiful but thoroughly unlikable L. A. rich girl who has to choose between boyfriends: a dull preppy (James Daughton), handsome jock (Wolf Larson) and an engaging waiter who wants to become a rock singer (Joseph Gian). Corny antics play like a teen comedy in need of Geritol, with plenty of well-done musical interludes (Gian does his own soundtrack singing) to pad out the running time.
Lorenzo Doumani's direction is adequate, but his script lacks the snappy repartee necessary for this lightweight genre. Christina has the classic movie star features of a Linda Darnell but her acting comes off as smug and severely limited. Adam West is fun as her square daddy; luscious Shari Shattuck steals the spotlight as her sexy best pal. Gian is engaging as the hero, but David Gee as his roommate overdoes the hokey impressions of Jack Nicholson, Bruce Springsteen, etc. Lola Falana pops up pointlessly in a minor role as a secretary.