Review of The Brady Bunch Movie (1995) by Stuart K — 05 Aug 2013

Directed by Betty Thomas (Private Parts (1997) and Doctor Dolittle (1998)), this is an adaptation of Sherwood Schwartz's sitcom that ran on ABC from 1969 to 1974. But it takes a twist from other tv show to film adaptations, quite a post-modern one.

It mixes old fashioned humour with the cynical greedy values of the 1990's. It manages to be respectful to the original show, while also managing to make it work as a feature film as well. Real estate agent Larry Dittmeyer (Michael McKean) has been buying properties in one part of LA to make way for a new shopping mall, but one family refuse to sell.

The Brady's, who seem to be stuck in a 1970's time warp. They include parents Mike (Gary Cole) and Carol (Shelley Long), and their children Jan (Jennifer Elise Cox), Marcia (Christine Taylor); Cindy (Olivia Hack) and Greg (Christopher Daniel Barnes), Peter (Paul Sutera) and Bobby (Jesse Lee).

When the Brady's hear that they owe the IRS $20,000 in back taxes, they have to come up with a way to raise the money fast, or they'll lose the house to Dittmeyer, and they don't want to lose their home, as it's a part of them.

It has a sweet and innocent feel to it, but not all of the humour works, but maybe that's the point. Inside the Brady household, it feels so much like a sitcom, the only thing missing is canned laughter, but it does contrast the 1970's with the 1990's well, and it does question the ethics of the latter era.