I have not as been familiar with the 80s comedy, Overboard, which starred Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, before I have seen it not too long ago. It is a wacky set-up with a personal of high status falling overboard and a person of low status takes advantage of the person and becomes somebody else or becomes somebody better. I did like it because of Russell's and Hawn's chemistry but the set-up almost prevented me from liking it because it is a bit creepy. People consider it as a comedy classic, I don't, I consider it as a "fun time" on a rainy day or any other day because of their lovely chemistry and heck, they are still a couple to this day. Now, we have a remake that nobody wanted and after watching the lackluster trailer, I had very low expectations. After watching it, the movie was a lot better than I thought even though, I think that both Anna Faris and Eugenio Derbez give two very good individual performances but they do not work as a couple with their different comedic antics.
Kate Sullivan (Anna Faris) is a mother of three studying for her exam on her way to her job as a pizza delivery person. Her three daughters - Emily (Hannah Nordberg), Olivia (Alyvia Alyn Lind) and Molly (Peyton Lepinski) - are picked up from school and are embarrassed to be in a pizza car with Kate. Meanwhile, Leonardo Montenegro (Eugenio Derbez), a rich playboy, is enjoying life on a yacht as his sisters, Magdalena and Sofia (Cecilia Suarez and Mariana Trevino) are tending to their father (Fernando Lujan). Mr. Montenegro thinks Leo should be the successor of his company, which Magda heavily objects.
Kate has a second job as a cleaner and her next client is Leonardo and after making some rude remarks, Kate has had enough and without notice, Leonardo pushes Kate off the boat and her equipment into the water, costing Kate her job and owing money for the damaged equipment. After getting into an argument with Magda, Leo flings with a woman and while looking for condoms, he slips off and falls into the ocean. Leo ends up in a hospital with amnesia, having no recollection of what happened or who he is. After hearing the news about his amnesia, as part revenge and part help, Kate and her friend/boss, Teresa (Eva Longoria), hatch a plan to pretend that she and Leo are married and to help her out with her three daughters.
Obviously, the film's twist is that the movie reverses genders and it does not make much of a difference except to update it with the times. I actually laughed at most of the movie, mostly with Eva Longoria's character and Eugenio Derbez's jokes, which this time his comedy works. But, the main problem, its attempts at drama and romance fell flat as they did not bring up spark nor tension. The lie is basically a drag to keep up with the sentimental charm with the three girls in the movie and I thought that was manipulative. I did not like the way how director Rob Greenberg handled them as they are titled as sentimental charms for Derbez's character to be accustomed to and to feel better about himself.
Anna Faris channels the Goldie Hawn character quite effectively and she is fine in her role but does not do as much as Derbez or Longoria as they get most of the best parts and dialogue. I have been a fan of Derbez' comedic style in Mexico and I understand why they are selling this movie because I think it will play well with the Mexican audiences. He still has some way to go because I was not a fan of Instructions Not Included and the terrible How to Be a Latin Lover, but if he creates a fleshed-out character, he may have something. But, for now, it seems that the writers were contradicting his character of what he might be because he becomes a working slave for Anna Faris' character. Think about that.
There are laughs and there are some sweet moments (mostly manipulative) but the romantic element is not there to make me care about them being together. I do not think it is earned and I do not think the sub-plot regarding Leo taking over the company was executed properly. It went too quickly. There was no sense of consistent pacing. I'd rent the 1987 movie to stream and even though I cannot recommend this remake, it is not a bag of excrement on fire. I was a bit surprised so I'd say wait and rent it and see if you like this more (I'll be surprised) or on even terms with the original. It's the same premise, a gender swap, different time, an ok result.
**1/2
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