Reviews

I started watching this show quite accidentally after I retired and at first was somewhat put off by the rather "over perfect" characters. However, I gradually found it a refreshing change from the sordid unappetising "reality" with which so many shows and films seem to be obsessed nowadays. Entertainment should be entertaining not depressing.

Overall it was not a bad show but it could have been so much better. The plot lines were not at all bad and there was very little story repetition. The scripting must have been pretty good because although the adult performers might have enhanced the dialogue with a degree of "ad-libbing", I assume that the children wouldn't have been experienced enough to do this. The cast developed their characters quite well. The Olsen twins (Michelle) easily did the best in this regard and carried their their personas through the ages excellently. Sweetin (Stephanie) also did well. Cameron (DJ) couldn't do much with her character because she got very few good lines and a very bland role. Barber (Kimmy) was a standout. Stamos (Jesse) and Saget (Danny) were good if sometimes a little overdone. Coulier's character (Joey) was superfluous and only funny when he was performing as a stand-up comedian. Lori Loughlin (Rebecca) developed her character excellently but was grossly underused. The makers of the show seem to have regarded her as just a "pretty face" (and there are none prettier) but her work in films prove that she can be a much better actress than anyone else in that cast.

The worst fault was the appallingly sloppy direction in the middle and later years. Background cast in many scenes were left floundering. In one scene the entire family stood in a semicircle with their arms folded and Lori Loughlin must have spent 40 percent of her air time clutching herself in this manner.

With all its faults it was a worthwhile effort and worthy of its 8 year run and the current repeats.

In my opinion this is one of the most beautiful movies made. It is well acted and well put together. Hume Cronyn is always worth watching but the biggest surprise for me was how Sherilyn Fenn has matured - a first rate performance. However, the main thing is that this is a lovely story with a charming, and quite unexpected twist near the end. I wish they would make more movies like this instead of the unending stream of "over the top" or "ugly" rubbish which seems to be so popular these days.

I have to disagree with some of the other comments on this film. In my opinion it is one of the cleverest satires that I have seen but you have to concentrate on it and not expect it to be obviously realistic. It is very well written, acted and directed with an extremely clever ending. Reminiscent of the ability of Noel Coward or Oscar Wilde to depict human frailty in a comical light (but missing the blistering dialogue of the latter). The word "wry" comes to mind and its only faults are some slowness in building up to the ending and, while most of the characters are deliberately portrayed as rather childish and naive, some are a little overdone. In particular, Colm's definition of when an action is "a gesture" is absolutely superb satire. This film is wit, not comedy in the rather obvious sense which so often prevails these days. I would give it a "much better than average" rating for a discerning viewer who wants something better than what is mostly on offer.

I'm not very interested in whether this film correctly portrays life as it actually was or is among the LA hopefuls or in whether the clothes or music are authentic. These issues seem to me to be superficial. As a story it is very, very good and is superbly acted by all the main characters. It is quirky in an interesting way. Anna Friel turns in a great performance as do several of the others. It should have had a wider release - I would give it a much higher rating than many of the banal films which become "hits" these days.