This is some sort of cult classic from the 1980s. After all, the title itself has been parodied in countless TV shows (THE SIMPSONS, AMERICAN DAD, WILL AND GRACE, THE GOLDBERGS), it's probably the most famous of the three movies Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner did together (and they even referenced it in their TV show THE KOMINSKY METHOD) and has been aired lots of times. I finally saw it some months ago and, while I liked it, I found it good but nothing more.
Gavin (Danny De Vito) is a lawyer that has a case of a man (Dan Castellaneta) determined to divorce. Seeing his desperation, Gavin tells the story of two of his previous clients: Oliver and Barbara Rose (Douglas and Turner). Oliver and Barbara met when he was a student in law and she was a ginnast: they fall in love instantly, marry and have kids. At first they love and their life is perfect. After a while they start to have some issues; Barbara can't stand Oliver's behaviour anymore and when he ends in hospital for a hiatal hernia (that was mistaken for a stroke) but is soon released she didn't come to the hospital because her idea of the husband dead made her happy. From now on, it starts a war between them when they kill their pets, crash dinners, smash services until their death.
As I previously said, it certainly isn't a classic but there were some funny moments (such as when Oliver is drunk and ruins the dinner of Barbara's colleagues, or when Barbara prepares a stew and makes Oliver think that she did it with their dog's meat) and nice performances by Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. Danny de Vito directs nicely, and the movie seems to say the message 'If you are not ready for marriage, don't marry'.
Overall, one of those movies seen mostly for its reputation but it has also a deeper meaning than given credit for.
Gavin (Danny De Vito) is a lawyer that has a case of a man (Dan Castellaneta) determined to divorce. Seeing his desperation, Gavin tells the story of two of his previous clients: Oliver and Barbara Rose (Douglas and Turner). Oliver and Barbara met when he was a student in law and she was a ginnast: they fall in love instantly, marry and have kids. At first they love and their life is perfect. After a while they start to have some issues; Barbara can't stand Oliver's behaviour anymore and when he ends in hospital for a hiatal hernia (that was mistaken for a stroke) but is soon released she didn't come to the hospital because her idea of the husband dead made her happy. From now on, it starts a war between them when they kill their pets, crash dinners, smash services until their death.
As I previously said, it certainly isn't a classic but there were some funny moments (such as when Oliver is drunk and ruins the dinner of Barbara's colleagues, or when Barbara prepares a stew and makes Oliver think that she did it with their dog's meat) and nice performances by Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. Danny de Vito directs nicely, and the movie seems to say the message 'If you are not ready for marriage, don't marry'.
Overall, one of those movies seen mostly for its reputation but it has also a deeper meaning than given credit for.