A Fine Mess (November 25/05)

A Fine Mess was trounced both critically and financially upon its original theatrical release back in '86, and it's not terribly difficult to see why. Given that writer/director Blake Edwards purportedly based his screenplay upon a Laurel and Hardy short, it comes as no surprise that the film is heavy on broad instances of physical comedy. And while some of this stuff is admittedly pretty funny, the majority of it is not - although there's no denying that the movie remains entertaining throughout. Stripped of expectations - Edwards had just come off Micki + Maude, which remains one of his most successful films - A Fine Mess comes off as a thoroughly ludicrous but strangely enjoyable piece of work.

Ted Danson and Howie Mandel star as Spence and Dennis, a pair of scheming friends who are always on the lookout for a quick buck. Spence thinks he's found a goldmine after eavesdropping on a plot to inject a racehorse with a drug that'll increase its speed exponentially, and convinces Dennis to bet his life's savings on the equine's upcoming race. Problems emerge when the two men responsible for the fix - the bickering, bumbling duo of Turnip (Richard Mulligan) and Binky (Stuart Margolin) - learn of Spence and Dennis' intentions, and are told to eliminate them by their boss (a hammy Paul Sorvino).

The remainder of the film is essentially one long chase sequence, punctuated by the occasional burst of inexplicable hijinks (ie Spence and Dennis inadvertentluy purchase an antique player piano at a fancy auction house). The exceedingly over-the-top performances effectively mirror the film's absurd tone, and it's certainly worth noting that the actors rarely cross the line into out-and-out flamboyance (Mandel, not surprisingly, comes awfully close a few times). The rampant silliness - as off-putting as it initially is - eventually becomes hypnotic, in an I-want-to-look-away-but-I-just-can't sort of way.

Edwards imbues A Fine Mess with an expectedly frantic pace, ensuring that - at the very least - it's never boring (although it does peter out somewhat towards the end, as it becomes more and more obvious just how hard Edwards is working to maintain the frenetic vibe). And though it's generally not laugh-out-loud funny, there's one sequence that almost justifies the film's entire existence: Dennis, having consumed some spicy Indian food, lets loose with a bout of comedically high-pitched screaming in the middle of a crowded restaurant.