Search - Soapdish on DVD

Pete L. (PeteL) from MELBOURNE, FL
Reviewed on 12/8/2010...

This movie is definitely funny and has better writing than the original soap "Days of Our Lives." Why can't the "Days" writers get some pointers? Even I have a better imagination than that? The movie has a great cast, hilarious movie storylines, and some real life cameos. It is worth taking a look at; overall, very funny. Pete

2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

Very funny

Dennis Littrell | SoCal | 05/05/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a romantic comedy with the emphasis on comedy for a change. As usual the lovers--Sally Field as almost-over-the-hill soap opera queen, Celeste Talbert; and Kevin Kline as marginally employed and marginally talented actor, Jeffrey Anderson--are working at cross purposes, seemingly unaware that they are madly in love, etc. Owing a little to Bette Davis's Margo Channing in All About Eve (1950) and a whole lot to the slapstick theatrical tradition, Sally Field goes over the top towards hilarity as she malaprops her way to love and happiness. Kevin Kline, one of the more underrated leading men of recent years, is also very good and very winning as he manages to be handsome, vulnerable, egotistical and lovable all at the same time.

The misadventures center around Celeste's fear of losing her audience as she has entered her forties, and reach the crisis point with the arrival of her niece, aspiring actress Cori Craven (Elisabeth Shue) who turns out NOT to be her niece, with ensuing plot complications. Cori manages to get a small part in the soap opera as a homeless deaf mute before discovering her true relationship to Celeste (and to Jeffrey Anderson as well)--but never mind.

As a romantic counterpoint or foil to the leads are Robert Downey Jr. (soap opera director, David Barnes) and Cathy Moriarty (Montana and Nurse Nan). David Barnes is oh so hot for her, but she cares only about one thing: getting rid of Celeste so that she might shine more brightly on the set. To this end she gets Barnes to do all sorts of things to wreck Celeste's career, but through happenstance and/or a perverse logic, all his attempts go awry, much to the delight of the viewer.

Whoopie Goldberg plays Rose Schwartz, the show's chief writer and Celeste's alter-ego and confidant while Carrie Fisher has a modest part as the hard-as-nails producer of the show.

I thought this was funnier than the only other spoof of the soap opera world that I have seen (Young Doctors in Love 1982 which burlesqued TV's General Hospital and was pretty good). Soapdish is funnier with a daffy script and plenty of laugh-out-loud one-liners and terrific performances by Field, Kline and Downy, Jr. But see this for Sally Field who is outstanding."

Laugh, Laugh Laugh

R. Spell | Memphis, TN USA | 12/12/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Why can't funny movies like this be appreciated instead of downgraded? This is a soap opera set in a soap opera, and better than any soap opera written. Obviously it's a spoof of soap operas and is well written and acted. Sure the acting is over the top but it's a spoof. Sally Fields is great as a Susan Lucci character. Kevin Kline is really over the top. Look closely as Teri Hatcher plays one of her first roles as a bit nurse in the soap opera with one great line directed at Kevin Kline.It reminds you of another great soap opera spoof, Tootsie which is also one of my favorites. That was more of a love story where this is written for pure laughs and is very successful."

Kophgeschlagen!

Dennis Littrell | 06/12/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

""the last stages of brain fever - she could BLOW at any moment!" I have 2 dreams regarding this movie. 1. To produce it as a stage play 2. DVD. DVD. DVD. This movie was WAY underrated. It's brilliant. Sally Field and Kevin Kline could not be better. Too many quotes to choose from. Watch it. If you don't love it, watch it again. Sooner than you know, you'll be quoting it non-stop! I wish i could watch it on DVD now!"