Flirting with Disaster *** (1996, Ben Stiller, Patricia Arquette, Téa Leoni, George Segal, Mary Tyler Moore, Alan Alda, Lily Tomlin) – Classic Movie Review 1664

Writer-director David O Russell’s offbeat, engaging, highly energised 1996 comedy is his promising debut feature film, after two shorts. It centres on adopted Mel Coplin (Ben Stiller)’s disaster-strewn attempts to find his real parents on a trans-America journey with his wife Nancy (Patricia Arquette) and bungling caseworker Tina Kalb (Téa Leoni).

The movie is a wilful and wayward event, but it has more than its fair share of funny, appealing moments and big laughs among the flop gags. George Segal and Mary Tyler Moore, plus Alan Alda and Lily Tomlin have a ball as, respectively, troubled Jewish couple Ed and Pearl Coplin and an old hippy-hangover duo, Richard and Mary Schlichting.

Clichés and stereotypes galore plus one or two none too right-on ideas have it flirting with disaster, but it remains an entertaining offbeat hit. How could it not be interesting with adoption, New Mexico, mistaken identity, urination and topless female nudity on the menu? Richard Jenkins, Josh Brolin, Celia Weston and David Patrick Kelly are also in the strong, entertaining cast.

On 12 November 2016, Russell and Tomlin reunited at AFI Fest to reminisce for the film’s 20th anniversary.

Nominated for five Oscars, David O Russell is also known for Spanking the Monkey (1994), Three Kings (1999), I Heart Huckabees (2004), The Fighter (2010), Silver Linings Playbook (2012), American Hustle (2013) and Joy (2015).

David O Russell was born on 20 August 1958 in New York.

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© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1664

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