HOUSEGUEST (1995)

Directed By: Randall Miller
Written By: Michael J. Di Gaetano & Lawrence Gay
Cinematography By: Jerry Zielinski
Editor: Eric Sears

Cast: Sinbad, Phil Hartman, Kim Griest, Jeffrey Jones, Chauncy Leopardi, Kim Murphy, Stan Shaw, Paul Ben-Victor, Tony Longo, Ron Glass
Kevin Franklin is a con man whose mouth is bigger than him, but it doesn't help him much when he's in with the mob for $50,000. Trying to avoid a gambling addict boss, and his two stupid henchmen, Kevin poses as a childhood friend to Gary Young, a workaholic father whose own life is in turmoil in an affluent Pennsylvania suburb.

John Candy was apparently considered to be the top choice to play the character Kevin Franklin but died before filming began.

This film plays more like a Disney pilot for a new television show. Which maybe it should have been. As it is now it is more of a nice simple timewaster and oddly enough a commercial endorsement for McDonalds. Just as Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory film was at the time only made as an advertisement for a new candy bar this film seems like it was only made to advertise the greatness of McDonalds if only they were putting a new item on the menu.

The film plays like a lighter version of Richard Pryor’s THE TOY by having Comedian Sinbad play a man toy though he is huge, but huge like a teddy bear as he basically plays babysitter and solves the family he is staying with under a false identity problems. Though he is physical in his comedy it plays well off the more cerebral comedy of Phil Hartman.

Even in this brain dead family comedy. The film is filled with Sitcomish situations and characters. Rapid editing, cuts constant fast forwarding camera. Most scenes feel like a assemblage of clips that somehow fit together

Phil Hartman who is a funny guy, but never got that proper project to shine in as a lead, but was always a consummate professional and even though he played villains well. He always gave off the sense of being a nice guy or a father figure more like the fun uncle though yet in all the films he was in never played his roles as outrageous or attention seeking ridiculousness. He always played it straight sometimes underplaying his role, but never ceasing to get a laugh. Probably because he gave his characters a little dignity and though may say outrageous things but always made his characters unaware of whatever problem they may have

This is a fine film for kids though you might find the film a little tired if not.

GRADE: C