What a flashback to the Hollywood days of old. Where sexual harassment is accepted, homophobia sometimes okay and miracles with almost zero explanation can be dismissed in seconds.
It's hard to criticize a movie like Mannequin. Sure, it's crazy, goof- ball and would never happen back then or now, but it was a light- hearted, fantasy of love across the ages? At least it wasn't as dark as other mannequin stories like I Know Who Killed Me and 2012's Maniac.
Basically, the ALWAYS lovely Kim Cattrall wishes for something more in Ancient Egypt and the gods fast forward her a few times over the millennia to finally land with Andrew "Jonathan" McCarthy. Only, she's trapped in a mannequin's form so no one but Jonathan can see her. Oh, and he falls in love with her and because others see her as a stiff, pure antics ensue.
It's cute, it's harmless – well, except for said un-PC themes mentioned above and best of all, it gave the world one of the best movie songs of all time: 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now' by Starship.
Sorry, lest I forget, it also provided the outrageously fabulous Hollywood character in which Jonathan was the straight man of the duo. Um, no pun ?
Definitely worth a watch if you loved it back then or for the first time today. It still holds up, if you just remember one simple rule: this was made in and is 100% pure 80s.
***
Final thoughts: I mentioned homophobia above, and some of the characters are, though one might be closeted, himself. But, it was refreshing to see how Jonathan and Meshach "Hollywood" Taylor took to each other very nicely. Plus, Jonathan, who barely knew Hollywood early on and most certainly not as good friends with him until later, completely defends gays while making a statement against bigots. That was nice to see a stand in a 80s movie that could've very well taken the stance: "Well, that's just the world we live in."
Additionally, I wonder if True Blood's Nelsan Ellis got even a little bit of inspiration for his Lafayette Reynolds character from Hollywood. Hmmm
It's hard to criticize a movie like Mannequin. Sure, it's crazy, goof- ball and would never happen back then or now, but it was a light- hearted, fantasy of love across the ages? At least it wasn't as dark as other mannequin stories like I Know Who Killed Me and 2012's Maniac.
Basically, the ALWAYS lovely Kim Cattrall wishes for something more in Ancient Egypt and the gods fast forward her a few times over the millennia to finally land with Andrew "Jonathan" McCarthy. Only, she's trapped in a mannequin's form so no one but Jonathan can see her. Oh, and he falls in love with her and because others see her as a stiff, pure antics ensue.
It's cute, it's harmless – well, except for said un-PC themes mentioned above and best of all, it gave the world one of the best movie songs of all time: 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now' by Starship.
Sorry, lest I forget, it also provided the outrageously fabulous Hollywood character in which Jonathan was the straight man of the duo. Um, no pun ?
Definitely worth a watch if you loved it back then or for the first time today. It still holds up, if you just remember one simple rule: this was made in and is 100% pure 80s.
***
Final thoughts: I mentioned homophobia above, and some of the characters are, though one might be closeted, himself. But, it was refreshing to see how Jonathan and Meshach "Hollywood" Taylor took to each other very nicely. Plus, Jonathan, who barely knew Hollywood early on and most certainly not as good friends with him until later, completely defends gays while making a statement against bigots. That was nice to see a stand in a 80s movie that could've very well taken the stance: "Well, that's just the world we live in."
Additionally, I wonder if True Blood's Nelsan Ellis got even a little bit of inspiration for his Lafayette Reynolds character from Hollywood. Hmmm