Mannequin (1987)

Release Date:  February 13th, 1987

My Rating:  4.5/10 Swatches

"Just because Jonathan's fallen in love with a piece of wood, it doesn't make him a dummy!" 

Oh I beg to differ.

My love of Andrew McCarthy and the 80s led me to this movie and I couldn't be more... weirded out.

Overview in my Own Words: 
For those of you who don't know, this is a interesting and almost heartwarming tale about a man named Jonathan Switcher (Andrew McCarthy) who creates the perfect woman while working at his job at the mannequin factory because his dream is to be a sculptor. After going through a variety of jobs, he lands a position at Prince & Co. by a stroke of sheer luck and takes his mannequin with him. And then she comes to life. Emmy, played by Kim Cattrall, comes alive only for him and with her genius window displays allows him to not only keep his job but to move up into advertising and eventually vice president as he has revitalized the store. And naturally, (because everyone falls in love with time traveling mannequin women) they begin a relationship and fun throughout the store at night complete with a cheesy 80s dance montage sequence in a variety of outfits. And it's not all peaches and cream, either. There is a bit of a plot. One of the higher-ups, known only as Richards (James Spader) teams up with a policeman named Felix (G.W. Bailey) and his dog Rambo to take down the successful Jonathan Switcher. And as if that weren't enough, a jilted ex named Roxy (Carole Davis) and her comrade working for competing clothing store, Illustra, try to get him to work for them by using photos of him and the mannequin in compromising positions as blackmail. Throw in a fabulously flamboyant gay man named Hollywood and we've got ourselves a movie!

Veronica's Words in her own Dear Diary: 

Plot:  (3/10 Swatches) I would say "cliched" but that is not even close. The movie is just bizarre. You have Andrew McCarthy creating mannequins that he falls in love with and a stereotypical businessman trying to thwart it all. Plus a jealous ex ready to get rid of Emmy because she's actually jealous of a fake woman... And then there is the dance montage and of course she comes alive completely in the end after he saves her from certain death and they get married in the store window to yet another cliche song. I would say aww but...
But, it was cute. In a way, it was cute. It's also quite funny and laughable when you think about how ridiculous it is! Maybe it is because Andrew McCarthy is so darn adorable that you want him to succeed in his relationship. But on the other hand you think of him being obsessed with a mannequin...

Acting:  (4.5/10 Swatches)I'm not sure it's even possible to comment on the acting in a film like this. Does it require much effort to be a mannequin, Kim Cattrall? Does it? Andrew McCarthy continues to be his adorable self but that doesn't take much work for him. My dear James Spader is a bit forced, but I will say it fits the character. Meshach Taylor's portrayal of Hollywood stole the show. He was fun and it was committed to the part. Flamboyant 100%

Characters:  (5.5/10 Swatches)
- Jonathan Switcher: There is something sweet about him, I'll admit. His undying devotion to this woman that he created from his own hands and when you consider his other option is Roxy, you really root for him and Emmy to be together.
- Emmy: Emmy is not as likable. A bit too thin and a bit too naive, she doesn't hold the same likability as Jonathan.
- Richards: James Spader actually does a very nice job at portraying this stereotypical businessman. He is a stereotype, but it is laughable and done accurately to fit.
- Hollywood: Hollywood makes the movie in my opinion. He is hilarious and totally supportive of Andrew McCarthy making out with mannequins in the ladies room. Flamboyant, fabulous, and glamour right down to the blanket covering his hot pink car. And it doesn't hurt that I love all of his clothes, either.

Soundtrack:  (5/10 Swatches) The two stand outs of this soundtrack are Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now, an original song for the film
by Jefferson Starship and Do You Dream About Me (Alisha) Both are good songs but play at such cliched parts in the movie it decreases their value. However, I highly recommend listening to them in your personal time as recordings of the songs can be found on YouTube.

Movie Trivia:

• "Originally, the lead part was written to be an older, lonely storekeeper, with Dudley Moore in mind for the role, but when Andrew McCarthy came on board, the part was rewritten to be the part of a young artist." And thank god, because it was already bizarre enough. If it would have been some creepy old guy...

Top 5 Quotes:

• Jonathan: "A radio shrink? They're only good for people with problems that fit between the commercials."
• Jonathan: "Reality is very disappointing."
• Hollywood: "Don't let Felix get to you, he's just got a bad case of Miami Vice. 
• Hollywood: "Two things I love to do is fight and kiss boys!"
• Hollywood: "You know I would never interrupt you when you're getting a piece of wood."

Conclusion:
Was it funny? Yes. Was it cute? Maybe. Was it bizarre? Absolutely! Some of the characters were stand outs, the soundtrack was better on its own, and the plot could have been better. Some may say "underrated 80s classic" and maybe it is. I would buy it for its humorous bits and its charm; Andrew McCarthy and Hollywood. So try it out, go out and rent it or buy a VHS copy. Or if you've already seen it, let me know what you thought of it and comment below!

Reality can be disappointing. Especially when it comes to an 80s movie that could have been better,

Your modern-day Veronica. 

Citations:
*Trivia, Quotes, Taglines, and Release Date: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093493/?ref_=sr_1
* Mannequin Poster: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mannequin_(1987_film)
* Beach: http://oscarcompletist.blogspot.com/2012/03/097-mannequin.html
* Hollywood: http://www.snakkle.com/galleries/before-they-were-famous-stars-snakkle-finds-out-where-the-celebrity-actors-cast-of-movie-mannequin-25-year-anniversary-photos-are-then-and-now/meshach-taylor-mannequin-movie-1987-photo-gc/
*Wedding: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/mv-fTxzM/mannequin_1987_film_window_wedding/
*Everything else was strictly opinion.