Martin and Hawn Passed Their Prime

by Jason R. Hewlett

I 've never been a huge fan of Steve Martin or Goldie Hawn but to their credit they did have a big impact on the world of cinema comedy. Both starred in a number of hits including "Roxanne" and "Private Benjamin" respectively but the two stars look to have run out of steam with their newest offering "The Out-of-Towners."

The film details the misadventures of a married couple who, after their youngest son moves to Europe to attend school, find themselves alone for the first time in 26 years. As if coping with that isn't bad enough the two jet off to New York in order for Martin to attend a job interview for a major advertising firm. That's about it for the story. The bulk of the film is made up of the comic adventures the two experience both en-ruote to the Big Apple and the hassles they have getting settled in and, naturally, getting to the interview in time.

Unfortunately the screenplay by Marc Lawrence, who also penned the recent and very similar "Forces of Nature," is basically one cliched situation after another and Sam Weisman's direction just seems to lack the spark and energy that every good comedy has. The pacing is slow and sluggish and the jokes just sort of fall off the screen instead of fly at us.

The film does have a few good gags in it. The two best are Hawn and Martin sitting in on a sex therapy group just so they can get at the free food and the couple getting caught in a passionate embrace in front of the mayor and a large gathering of onlookers. Otherwise not even the great John Cleese can generate more than a few chuckles.

Maybe Hawn and Martin do still have it but this isn't the vehicle to show it. Maybe next time, maybe not.

4 out of 10!