Three Men and a Baby (1987)
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Three Men and a Baby Movie Review
Three Men and a Baby is a 1987 comedy film directed by Leonard Nimoy and starring Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg and Ted Danson. It’s a clichéd, but charming movie.
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“Hush little baby, don’t you cry.
When Peter gets home, I’m gonna punch him in the eye“
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Jack Holden and his friends, Peter and Michael, spend most of their time having flings with several women in their apartment. Their life changes when a mysterious baby appears at their doorstep. This was a huge box-office hit and the highest-grossing film of 1987. As such, you’d think it would be better-known, but among all the biggest hits throughout the years, this one is somewhat less remembered for some reason.
Maybe that reason is the extremely old-fashioned and simplistic nature to its storytelling. It harkens back to the classic comedy flicks of yesteryear where the humor stemmed from situations and the themes were non-existent. The situational humor here is obviously dated – we all know that men can be great parents, so these bumbling idiots seem too ridiculous and unrealistic when dealing with a baby – but this humor was still endearing in its traditional ways and it did produce some very amusing sequences, the diaper changing one being the funniest.
When it comes to its performers, there is one star here who rose above the others so evidently and forcefully, and that is Tom Selleck himself. His performance as this initially inept, but ultimately capable and loving father was so effortlessly cool, suave and likable. He is just very charming in this movie. All of his scenes were the winners in my book.
The problem here is that the other two are infinitely inferior. Steve Guttenberg and Ted Danson both gave solid acting performances, but their characters were forgettable and uninteresting. The film’s first act is weaker while the third act is your obvious happy ending that was too predictable and uninspired.
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Three Men and a Baby is at its best in that second act where the best humor and the most playful, endearing tone emerged. Some of the situations that the men get themselves in are quite funny while the soundtrack is also wildly enjoyable and screaming eighties mostly for the good. It’s a typically populist movie from this big era for blockbusters, but when watching it in the right frame of mind, you can get pleasant results from it.
