Overboard remake adds some new elements to the 1987 original

Movie Title:     Overboard

Grade:   B

Rating: PG-13, 110 minutes

In a Nutshell:   It has been many years since I saw the original Gary Marshall movie  Overboard starring Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, but I remember thinking it was a charming Rom-com.  

The good news is that there is some charm to this remake, but the bad news is that it's not a great movie.

There is a funny running gag about Mexican soap operas.  Now that I think of it, the movie kind of feels like a goofy 1980’s Mexican soap opera.

                                                     

Tips for parents: 

• Eugenio Derbez pulls part of his shorts down to reveal a tattoo on his butt cheek.
• There is a LOT of Spanish spoken, so there are a LOT of subtitles.  If you speak Spanish, you’ll hear some profanity.
• The plot of the movie is that the protagonist and her children lie to a rich man to take advantage of his amnesia, as well as get a little revenge. Not exactly the kind of example we want to set for our kids.
• Girls in bikinis.
• Some profanity in English and Spanish.
• Alcohol.
• There is some discussion about what the word “pervert” means, so your young kids are probably going to ask you about it.
• You see an unmarried couple in bed together.

Uplifting theme: 

• Follow your dream
• Motherhood
• Poetic justice
• “Life’s short and you don’t want to live with regrets.” -  (Anna Faris)

                                   

Things I liked:

• Eugenio Derbez is always delightful.  I first saw him in How To Be A Latin Lover.  He’s super popular in Mexico.  I can see why.
• Anna Faris is probably best known for her roles in the Scary Movie franchise.  Unlike her ex-husband Chris Pratt, she tends to choose movie scripts that end up bombing at the box office.  She’s extremely likable and capable, although her plastic surgery is a bit distracting.  I’m not talking about her breast implants, but it looks like she had something done to her lips. I keep staring at her face to see if I could figure out what she had done.
• Fans of The Last Man on Earth: Season 1 will get a kick out of seeing Mel Rodriguez.
• Keep watching when the rolling credits run at the end of the movie.
• My twin sister teaches nursing students, so I thought it was cute that Anna Faris' character listened to nursing audio books in the car to help her prepare for her big test.  Every summer, my sister takes nursing students to various Third World countries to offer free health clinics.  The program is run through International Service Learning.  I got to go with her one year as a Spanish translator when she went to Colombia.  It was awesome and I highly recommend it to anyone in the health industry who is up for a meaningful adventure abroad! 
• There is a cute Jaws reference when you see the name tag “Brody” on a guy during a conversation about sharks.   Ha ha
• In a movie filled with wacky gags and slapstick humor, I thought it was insightful to include a short, yet deep scene where some men talked about how they felt like they were just a paycheck to their wives. 
• The youngest daughter, played by Payton Lepinski, is so adorable.  I’d like to see her in more films.
• It’s always good to see Eva Longoria.
• Director and writer Rob Greenberg was trying to bring something fresh to the remake by switching the gender roles and adding a Latino element to the story.

Things I didn’t like:

• The chemistry between Eugenio Derbez and Anna Faris             isn’t very convincing.  Of course, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell were an actual couple when they filmed the original Overboard, so their chemistry was undeniable.  
• Eugenio wears a lot of Seattle Seahawks t-shirts in the movie, but the location is supposedly somewhere along the Oregon coast.  I was just in Seattle last weekend, by the way.  It was my very first time there and I was so impressed!  My husband and I enjoyed perfect weather with blue skies and had so much fun going on tours, seeing the sites, and discovering cool restaurants.   I highly recommend the “Underground Tour”, “Free Walking Tours”, and Amazon headquarters tour!  What a cool city.

Interesting lines:

• “I don’t have time for fun.” – Kate (Anna Faris)

“Then you’re not doing it right.” – Theresa (Eva Longoria)

• “Land of the free, not land of the free lunch.” –  Bobby (Mel Rodriguez)
• “Mos of us only know the world we’re born into.”  - Colin (John Hannah) 
• “Act like a man!” – Godfather

                                          

                                             @trinaboice

McFarland USA will warm your heart and inspire your feet

Movie:  McFarland, USA

PG, 2 hours 9 minutes

Grade: A

In a Nutshell: While this underdog story isn’t unique, the newest Disney film has a lot of heart and shows how to do the proven formula for inspiring sports films right.  Like the sign says that the town’s kids hold up to cheer on the cross country team, “McFarland es mas macho.”  I especially love inspiring movies about true stories when, at the end, they show the real people the film was based on and where they are today.

Hollywood cranks out movies about football and baseball, but rarely do you see high school cross country featured. My two oldest sons ran cross country when they were in high school in San Diego.  I remember cheering them on and eagerly waiting for the judges to score the races and announce the winners.  It’s an admirable sport whose athletes impress me with their tenacity and calm endurance.  You’ll be even more in awe when you see what this coach and team were able to accomplish in real life.

Maybe I was in a sentimental mood, but I got teary-eyed several times in this movie.  If you don't feel anything during this movie, you need to run until you cry.

Uplifting Theme:

·       You’ll be introduced to the small town of McFarland, USA , “the fruit bowl of California” and you’ll look at the plentiful produce in your grocery store differently.  Hopefully, you’ll look at Mexican Americans, especially “pickers”, in a different way too.

·        Like all good sports movies, this one includes lessons on sportsmanship, dedication, humility, hard work, persistence, and vision.

Things I liked:

·         Kevin Costner seemed to disappear from the big screen for awhile, but now he’s starring in two movies currently playing in theaters: McFarland USA and Black or White.  He does a great job in both.

·         I always appreciate the details in movies.  This movie painted a broad brushstroke of Mexican American cliches, while also providing details like yard chickens, tortas,  quinceanera parades, and dusty car windows to give you more of a flavor of the culture and town.

·         The Star Spangled Banner montage reminded me that America is the home of the brave and how truly brave those who leave their own countries to work this land are.  

      The boys on the team are charismatic, which makes for a good story, but the fact that they are real people is awesome.

               

Things I didn’t like:

·         While I love Maria Bello’s biceps, she looks pretty beat up in this film.  Maybe that was intentional?

       The script doesn't address illegal migrant workers. 

Funny lines:

·         “Nobody can hold a grudge like a teenage girl.” – Cheryl White (Maria Bello)

·         “Nice shorts dude.” – cocky runner on a different team, making fun of the McFarland team outfit

“You play golf?” – Thomas Valles (Carlos Pratts)

“Yeah.” – cocky runner

“This ain’t golf.” – Thomas smirks as he runs ahead of the other player

·         “You go slow, right?” – Jim White (Kevin Costner) to Javi (Rigo Sanchez) who is driving his daughter in a Quinciniera parade

“”It’s the only way to we go…low and slow” - Javi

·         “We certainly don’t want a fire in this place.  It could cost tens of dollars in damage.” – McFarland High School janitor

·         “Where’s Danny?  He’s slower than 911 to a Mexican’s house.” – Jose Cardenas (Johnny Ortiz)

·         “You think I’m picking on you, Diaz?  Go faster and I’ll pick on someone else.” – Coach White

·         “Congrats, White. They’re treating you like a picker.” - Johnny Sameniego (Hector Duran)

Inspiring lines:

·         “We don’t practice to lose.” – David Diaz (Rafael Martinez)

·         “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight.  It’s the size of the fight in the dog.” – Johnny 

“It depends on the dog.” – Coach White

“Now we know what we didn’t  know.  Let’s hit it again.” - Coach White

Tips for Parents:  This movie can provide a great opportunity to talk to your kids about sports, determination, cultural differences, prejudices, expectations, bullying, and working hard.

Other inspiring Disney sports movies I think you'll enjoy!