Review of Mannequin (1987) by Ben L — 30 Nov 2013

There's no logical reason I should like this movie. It is sappy, it is cheesy, it does not contain great dialogue, it has over-the-top characters, and it is built on a ridiculous premise. Yet it is truly remarkable what nostalgia can do. I watched this movie a ton when I was growing up, and even now as an adult I find myself enjoying the experience of watching it. I do recognize that it is flawed because some of the jokes don't land, and at times I think we're just supposed to laugh simply because the madcap characters behave in utterly ridiculous ways. Yet when you grow up with something and return to it later in life, it's almost like a reunion with a family member, you don't dwell on all the faults because it's just nice to be back together again. One of the things that surprised me now is the amount of sexual innuendo they slipped in with jokes about Jonathan's "wood" and other stuff like that. These flew over my head when I was younger, so there was a few new chuckles to be found, which was nice. In fact it often annoys me that innuendo seems to be such a lost art nowadays, because it is a very clever way to say something in a way that will make the adults snicker and won't make it too crude for youngsters.

Andrew McCarthy is the perfect loveable loser. In the role of Jonathan Switcher he is able to master the art of looking like he's desperately grasping onto his last shred of sanity. Kim Cattrall is lovely, and takes on a very matter-of-fact tone that almost dares you to question the logic of the utterly insane events that fill this movie. Perhaps the most humorous moment to me was seeing James Spader (who I've been watching recently on The Blacklist) in such a startlingly different role. He really is an acting chameleon. There is a ton of other actors that are, let's be honest, B-list at best. Yet I find them all to add a lot of laughter as they fill the roles of comic relief while Jonathan and Emmy could have made the movie one big sappy romance. Perhaps my biggest disappointment with the film is Carole Davis who plays Roxie, Jonathan's on-again-off-again girlfriend. She just doesn't sell me on the fact that she even likes him very much, so her jealous rage in the climax feels unwarranted.

In all honesty, Mannequin is not a movie I would recommend to your average movie buff. I totally recognize that it is not a super high quality film. It just drips with 80s cheesiness, and if you go into it with a critical eye you could rip it to shreds. Yet I am willing to forgive all its shortcomings, thanks to the magic of memories. One thing that really makes it work, however, is that the movie is very self-aware. They don't set it up like we're about to watch some high drama based in a real world. I mean even the opening scene in ancient Egypt is loaded with anachronistic jokes. So if the movie makers are willing to make light of the film, suddenly I feel freed to laugh at it right along with them. They don't present it like they're trying to remake Romeo & Juliet. No, they put Meshach Taylor in drag and ask you to come along for a silly ride for an hour and a half. True, Mannequin is never going to crack into my Top 10 films of all time list, but I'll still enjoy it any time someone wants to watch.