Friday, January 29, 2016

685. Tootsie

Tootsie
1982
Directed by Sydney Pollack









I really do not find men dressed in drag to be that funny, even if it wasn't politically incorrect.  It's just not a very smart joke in itself.  Still, I laughed during the a few bits in the film despite myself.

Michael Dorsey is out of work actor, who can't find a job because of his notorious perfectionism.  On a whim, he dresses as Dorothy Michaels and auditions for a role in a soap opera and gets it.  Hilarity ensues.  I mean, if you find it easier to get work as a woman than as a white man, you must really suck at being a person.  Which I suppose he does.

Overall, it is a very silly film and one that I can't really defend against criticism.  The romantic subplots are a bit upsetting, to say the least.  I suppose we can look at this as a male gaining female perspective, but something tells me this character's selfishness wasn't resolved at the end of the movie.  Still, Dustin Hoffman getting a taxi will always make me laugh.

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

Dustin Hoffman reportedly got help from Meryl Streep to give his voice right for the part.

Dorothy Michaels' breasts cost $175 each.


6 comments:

  1. £175 each? They sell them separately?

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    1. Haha I guess? I feel like I should know this since I watch Real Housewives so often.

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  2. .. so you could have three if you wanted? Stop. I'm having pictures I don't want to have.

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  3. But to the film ... This could have been an opportunity to (to quote you).. "see this as a male gaining female perspective", but no, they went for the guy in a frock laughs instead, with most of the predictable situations. Sadly I felt it had nothing to say about male / female images or socially inflicted roles in life.

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    1. The only time I felt like the film was kind of getting to that point was when Dorothy is almost assaulted by that guy at the end. But yeah maybe that was just supposed to be funny that he was attracting men at all.

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  4. Hated it. I really dislike movies where men dress like women. Don't like Dustin Hoffman. That's all.

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