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Blast From The Past

Another romantic-comedy that goes down easy, but doesn’t fill you up.

• Structure/Plot

Though I usually don’t like to compare movies (except sequels), this one reminds me of The Wedding Singer (TWS) and that helps pinpoint a few things that are nagging me.

In TWS Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore spend a lot of screen time together, starting in the first ten minutes. In BFTP Brendan Fraser and Alicia Silverstone don’t meet until thirty minutes in and do not have many other scenes together. Adam and Drew clearly enjoy each other’s company (though many romcoms go the other way with the leads disliking each other at first). Until the second half of Act 2, Alicia has no feelings for Brendan (she only falls for him once he’s out of her sight). He even asks her for help to find a wife so at that moment and for a short while after it doesn’t seem that he feels for her.

Drew asks Adam to help her with her wedding plans. This is the vehicle for the two characters to be together even though she’s engaged to someone else. Brendan hires Alicia to help him buy supplies and she agrees even though she’s not interested in him personally. The problem here is that it takes BFTP an hour to reach this Plot Point, much longer than TWS.

So the flaws become obvious in comparison. The lovebirds must be together more often and the chemistry must start perculating early on (even when the characters dislike each other). Yes, there are cute moments from the story at large of the family being underground for thirty-five years, but at its core the movie is a romantic-comedy and, as such, must develop that angle.

The more I think about it, the more I feel the hook should be Brendan entering the real world. The whole set-up of the bunker, the Cold-War and being underground for thirty-five years could be done in ten to fifteen minutes. We do not need all the details because they don’t serve the main story, so much of that could be in broad strokes and a montage. Brendan’s home-schooling could be done in one montage: His father teaching him in the classroom, boxing with him and him dancing with his mother. There, the three main elements of his character that are needed in the movie done in thirty seconds.

Now, with Brendan facing the world for the first time, the movie could have fun with this fish-out-of-water scenario for another ten to fifteen minutes. He could meet Alicia within this time. Then, at around thirty minutes in, the Plot Point of him hiring Alicia. Isn’t that better?

• The end, Character

In TWS, when the two have a falling out and the relationship seems lost, Sandler makes a grand play to win back Drew. It’s a funny, sweet-corny and feel-good scene that works wonders. In BFTP, when the relationship seems lost, Alicia tracks down Brendan and runs into his arms. See the differences? One, Brendan should be looking for her since he’s the main character. He has to be the mover and shaker in the movie, not the recepient of the moves and shakes. Two, there’s no big moment. No fun. No “Awwwwww” from the audience.

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