Review of All of Me (1984) by Timothy S — 10 Aug 2014

Gender bending and body switching comedies were all the rage in the 1980's, but few were written at the level of "All of Me". None of them had the good fortune of having Steve Martin in the lead role, either, a master of physical comedy and impeccable timing.

Martin is at his genial best here, and with Lily Tomlin as his co-star, the picture has a certain old Hollywood charm to it that was so desperately missing in so many other comedies of the era. With Carl Reiner as director and the nostalgic soundtrack, the film really is something special, and Martin himself has rarely been better.

The story, as with all of these movies, is completely preposterous, but the screenplay finds laughs in how the transference would affect everyday, ordinary situations like walking or going to the bathroom. Those are two of the best scenes here. The script is so much better than that, however, getting a lot of big laughs through a number of clever one-liners. Although Tomlin doesn't get as much screen time, she's a delight as well.

The story gets a little bogged down in the end, as the duo race to get the heiress' soul into the right body and the laughs dry up a bit. Until then, however, "All of Me" is a splendid throwback to the screwball comedies of the '30's and '40's with a decidedly modern twist. The leads make a terrific pair, but it really is Martin's turn to shine in this outrageous, unrestrained performance that calls to mind the best of the silent movie era. In fact, the entire movie has a definite wistful feel about it.