I can't believe I've not blogged about this yet. I adore this film, it's one of my favourites from the 80s. Last night I watched it again and I still love it! Michael J Fox looks about 14 in it but he's so good. He's a great actor, I am thoroughly enjoying him in The Good Wife at the moment.
Brantley comes to New York from Kansas determined to make a success of himself. Cue big scary city montages. He has a job lined up but the company goes under before he can begin so he asks his uncle for a job who puts him in the mailroom. This is the days before emails so much of the mail is internal memos. The depiction of corporate life is totally hilarious and not always intentionally. Anyway, our hero reads a memo or two, manages to work out a genius plan, pretends to be a hot young executive - Carlton Whitfield - and leads a double life. This requires him to change into suits in the elevator and run around the building a lot.
It's wafer thin but it's charming because of MJF and Margaret Whitton who plays Vera, his aunt. She is perfect. She should have had a great career because she steals the show in this.
The weakness is Helen Slater, aka the woman who cannot act at all. She gives Andie MacDowall a run for her money. She is terrible and it is no surprise that she did not have a wonderful career. In fact, a quick search tells me she was in The Young and the Restless.
I love the New York setting, the evilness of his uncle, Howard and the pure 80sness of it all. It's marvellous and well worth 90 minutes of your time if you've not seen it.
