685. TOOTSIE (1982)

Running Time: 119 minutes
Directed By: Sydney Pollack
Written By: Larry Gelbart, Don McGuire, Murray Schisgal
Main Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Charles Durning
Click here to view the trailer

A DOUBLE SHOT OF POLLACK: 1 of 2

We've done the final tribute week (Levinson), the final "Hat Trick" (Hou) and now we come to the final "Double Shot" of the season - a two film salute to the late Sydney Pollack. We kick it off with "Tootsie", a film starring one of my favorite actors, one who I boasted about in my "Rain Man" review - Dustin Hoffman.

Hoffman is Michael Dorsey, an unemployed actor who, for the life of him, cannot land a role. Every time he auditions he is told that he simply isn't right for the part and is ushered off stage. Michael shares an apartment with Jeff (Bill Murray), the writer of a play that Michael plans to produce and star in. However, until he can come up with the dough, he's left to attend audition after audition. When an actress friend of his, Sandy (Garr) asks Michael to accompany her to a reading, he happily abides, even giving her some much needed tips on how to perfect the part she's reading for - Emily Kimberly, the independent and sassy hospital administrator on daytime soap opera "Southwest General". Sandy is promptly released from her reading, but Michael sees an opportunity and immediately runs home to change. Michael Dorsey returns to the audition as Dorothy Michaels, a glasses wearing, redhead who oozes sass and lands the role. Now, Michael will have to keep up his charade, all the while dealing with his agent (Sydney Pollack), Sandy, who won't be happy to know that he played a woman better than her and Julie (Lange), his co-star who he's falling madly in love with.

"I was a better man with you, as a woman... than I ever was with a woman, as a man."

In one of our old, family photo albums, somewhere there's a picture of me and on the television behind me you can see Hoffman donning his Dorothy Michaels gear. The point is, is that I've seen "Tootsie" quite a few times in my life and I've always had a really good time with it and last night was no different. However, last night's viewing left me asking myself, just a little bit, why I've always liked it so much. Last night's viewing just didn't rub off on me the way it has in the past and honestly it came off as silly. Was this film really worthy of a Best Picture nomination? If you released this film today, it wouldn't get half the attention that it got in 1982 and it certainly wouldn't get nominated for an Academy Award. Hell, just look at the facts: "Mrs. Doubtfire", "Big Momma's House", "White Chicks" and probably a slew of other "man dressed as woman" films have been released since 1982, all trying to replicate the success of "Tootsie" and all failing. The score to "Tootsie" reminded me of an 80s television show theme song and was too generic to really make any sort of an impact. It was fun, jazzy and upbeat, but it was just too generic. Everything about "Tootsie" just didn't seem genuine or serious and even an attempt to tie a love story into the mix only came off as more of a screwball farce. The whole thing just felt ordinary and had Hoffman & Pollack not been involved, "Tootsie" probably would've been a straight to video release.

I don't want to bash the film though. I really loved watching Dustin Hoffman dressed in drag and as usual, he did a standout job. The rest of the cast was kind of touch & go, as I didn't care too much for Jessica Lange, but enjoyed the presence of both Bill Murray and Teri Garr. The film was all kinds of fun and kept me entertained for the duration and really, that's all you can ask for in a movie.

RATING: 7/10  Do I really have to keep noting that I'm keeping these short & sweet? No, but I just feel unaccomplished when I don't write as much. Fun movie that has, at least, a small shot of landing something, somewhere on the list.

MOVIES WATCHED: 590
MOVIES LEFT TO WATCH: 411

November 27, 2012  10:58am