[yasr_overall_rating]
A spoiled, wealthy yacht owner is thrown overboard and becomes the target of revenge from his mistreated employee. A remake of the 1987 comedy.
Let me start by saying the original “Overboard” movie, circa 1987, starring Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, is my all-time favorite movie. As such, my opinions will be skewed harshly against the new version. Director Garry Marshall and writer Leslie Dixon already spun the perfect far-fetched tail and created characters you loved to hate. While Mr. Marshall did not return for the new spin on this classic, Leslie Dixon returned and teamed up with Bob Fisher and Rob Greenberg, but the movie was not quite up to the original.
Anna Faris steps up to the plate, leaning on her role in “Mom” to surpass her “Scary Movie” days and plays Kate, who makes a rich playboy on a yacht believe he is her husband. Eugenio Derbez plays the rich playboy, Leonardo, who falls into the ocean and wakes up on the beach with amnesia. Same plot as the original movie but with a switch. Instead of a remake, I would make a sequel thirty years later. This time it would be Goldie’s daughter (Kate Hudson) playing Joanna’s daughter. Mind you, Anna is no match for Goldie, but at least she was believable in her role. Eugenio is no competition for Kurt Russell, or pretty much any other male actor alive today.
Eugenio is the worse part of “Overboard.” I would give the movie four stars if his role had been properly cast. Who would be believable as a love interest for Anna Faris I’m not sure but it wasn’t this guy. The creator cast him as Leonardo because of his huge Hispanic following. Why he has such a large fan-base with his terrible actings skills and cartoonish looks is a mystery. All the side characters, from Eva Longoria to the construction workers Leo works with, to Kate’s three daughters, are solid and humorous in their roles. Although, I must admit, watching Leo get tortured for his ‘lady hands’ by his construction crew was more enjoyable because of how much I disliked him.
On to the plot. Rich by blood, playboy Leonardo lives without a care in the world until one day he makes the mistake of treating a carpet cleaner, Kate, like a regular servant. Suddenly, his days of sleeping with multiple women, partying, and cruising the ocean in his luxury yacht, are over. Kate is a hardworking widowed mother of three, working three jobs to pay the bills and put herself through nursing school until Leonardo throws her and her equipment into the ocean. Now Kate is broke and wants revenge. Her luck turns for the better when the rich snob wakes up with amnesia on the beach after an alcohol-induced fall. Theresa (Eva Longoria) helps best friend Kate come up with a plan to finish studying for nursing school without having to worry about the bills.
Leo suddenly had a full-time construction job, a wife, three kids, and bills. Kate can stay home all day and study as Leo learns to cook, clean, and be a civil human being instead of a spoiled jerk. Before long, Leo finds himself enjoying life as a father and husband as sparks fly between him and his fake wife. Meanwhile, Leo’s sister fakes his death to keep control of the family business with their father on his deathbed. When the family receives a text message with a recent photo of Leo, they go to collect him. With his memories returned upon seeing his family, Leo is shocked by the lies he has been living, courtesy of Kate. But can Leo, Kate, and the girls live without each other now that they love each other despite the lies and the unconventional life they created?
Some parts of the original “Overboard” were verbatim, adding an element of charm for fans. Because Leonardo is Hispanic, much of the movie is in Spanish (subtitled in English) which also adds a certain charm; this aspect helps to solidify the different worlds the two main characters live in. At times, the new “Overboard” is overwhelmingly humorous and other areas flop completely – namely Leonardo. Not only did Leo flop because of Eugenio but because his role is disgusting. He ends up in the water with amnesia because he ran out of condoms in his condom drawers, multiple. The writers flopped, this storyline could have been handled so much better than a nasty guy screwing everything that walked on to his yacht.
A few other elements failed as well. The personal relationships that worked in the first edition did not quite translate into the new version. Either way, this film is not without charm or laughter. Definitely worth watching but should have been a stand-alone movie instead of a remake. Sure, people would notice the similarities and said it was “Overboard” remade, but there would have been more room to enjoy the differences between the two. Nothing could create chemistry between Anna Faris and Eugenio Derbez where there was none, and nothing could fix Eugenio’s cartoonish personality and acting. How Anna kept a straight face working with this guy is a mystery. I would have demanded a recast.
Available on Blu-ray & DVD July 31st
