This could be best classified as a romantic comedy, although it's fairly serious and could just as well fall into the category of straight romance.
The premise is rather unique. A single mother in her 30's moves into a small town. She has some lively dialogue with a man appearing to be at the butt end of middle age (looks to be on the wrong side of 50) and they eventually become friends.
Over time, he's shown to be masculine but gentle, a good worker around the house, and very well-spoken. At some point he's contrasted with the woman's ex-husband, who's also in his 30's but still can't hold down a job and has a lot of other annoying and irresponsible habits, despite living an exciting lifestyle and being a good lover.
Most romance movies rush through the romance bit. It's usually about the woman falling in love on first conversation or on first sight, then meandering about unable to really make up her mind until the end. Or, indeed, she hates the man for the most of the movie and then falls in love at the end.
Murphy here is resourceful, wise, and has good chemistry with the Sally Field character from the beginning. Although it's not a traditional relationship, it's well-developed and you can come to see how it could come to boil into a relationship.
The ending and ending credit songs were nicely emotional and appropriate. It's a rather predictable movie, but it's also warm and romantic. There also aren't many movies (that I'm aware of) like it, so it's also unique in cinema. I think it would be hard to be dissatisfied with it.
Honourable Mentions: Absence of Malice (1982) - The only other 80's movie I know Sally Gardner from. The performance was memorable although the movie as a whole was dull. I also learned she was the wife in Mrs. Doubtfire. Didn't even notice it. She must have aged a lot by the 90's.
The premise is rather unique. A single mother in her 30's moves into a small town. She has some lively dialogue with a man appearing to be at the butt end of middle age (looks to be on the wrong side of 50) and they eventually become friends.
Over time, he's shown to be masculine but gentle, a good worker around the house, and very well-spoken. At some point he's contrasted with the woman's ex-husband, who's also in his 30's but still can't hold down a job and has a lot of other annoying and irresponsible habits, despite living an exciting lifestyle and being a good lover.
Most romance movies rush through the romance bit. It's usually about the woman falling in love on first conversation or on first sight, then meandering about unable to really make up her mind until the end. Or, indeed, she hates the man for the most of the movie and then falls in love at the end.
Murphy here is resourceful, wise, and has good chemistry with the Sally Field character from the beginning. Although it's not a traditional relationship, it's well-developed and you can come to see how it could come to boil into a relationship.
The ending and ending credit songs were nicely emotional and appropriate. It's a rather predictable movie, but it's also warm and romantic. There also aren't many movies (that I'm aware of) like it, so it's also unique in cinema. I think it would be hard to be dissatisfied with it.
Honourable Mentions: Absence of Malice (1982) - The only other 80's movie I know Sally Gardner from. The performance was memorable although the movie as a whole was dull. I also learned she was the wife in Mrs. Doubtfire. Didn't even notice it. She must have aged a lot by the 90's.