Forget Paris

Starring:Marv Albert, Charles Barkley, Robert Costanzo, Sean Elliott, William Hickey, Kevin Johnson, Julie Kavner, Dan Majerle, Joe Mantegna, Richard Masur, Cathy Moriarty, David Robinson (IV), John Spencer, Cynthia Stevenson, Bill Walton, Paul Westphal, Johnny Williams, Debra Winger, Tom Wright
Studio: Turner Home Ent
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Billy Crystal plays Mickey, a basketball referee who has to accompany his estranged father's body to France, where the old man requested to be buried with the other members of his D-Day platoon. Unfortunately for Mickey, the airline loses his body. Fortunately for Mickey, this leads him to meet Ellen (Debra Winger), an airline executive who takes personal charge of the case and even joins him at the funeral. A whirlwind Paris romance leads to marriage, but that's when the complications begin... The story of Mickey and Ellen's marriage is recounted by their friends (played by Joe Mantegna, Cynthia Stevenson, Julie Kavner, Richard Masur, John Spencer, and Cathy Moriarty) as they wait for Mickey and Ellen to arrive at a dinner party. And of course these friends have their own stories, which are played out in witty shorthand as they bicker about who's going to tell the next part of the Mickey/Ellen saga. Forget Paris is uneven (unsurprisingly, Winger is stronger in the dramatic sections and Crystal in the comic parts, a schism that takes its toll on their chemistry), but its best parts hold up, even if the whole is shaky. Plus, the movie's theme (that romantic memories aren't what makes a marriage work, you have to live in the present) is explored with conviction and tenderness. --Bret Fetzer

Description

The romantic life of NBA referee Billy Crystal is on the rebound when he falls for airline employee Debra Winger. Crystal also directs this transatlantic comedy slam dunk with top-notch supporting cast of comedy pros, including Joe Mantegna, Cathy Moriarty and William Hickey.

Customer Reviews:

inspirational and encoraging for anyone struggling to keep a relationship.......2007-05-08

Over looked romantic film destined to become a classic with a grade A cast and intelligent imaginative script! Look for many director and plot misdirections to keep you interested, without being confused. GREAT date flick and a MUST WATCH for anyoneone struggling to keep the "till death do us part" FEASABLE.

An Unfortunate Lack of Chemistry Between an Ill-Used Winger and a Battery-Operated Crystal.......2006-09-12

I can see why Debra Winger went into a self-imposed exile after this tiresome 1995 studio product, as she looks ill-at-ease as a romantic comedy lead. Here is an accomplished actress who seizes roles with a palpable life force when she is in the right vehicle. However, Winger seems lost playing against the stand-up shenanigans of Billy Crystal, and consequently they never really connect in any believable way. Much of the blame has to be placed on Crystal, who not only starred but also directed and co-wrote the film with Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel. He seems intent on doing a retread of "When Harry Met Sally" but this time following a seemingly incompatible couple through marital discord.

Crystal plays Mickey Gordon, an NBA referee who tries to abide by his estranged father's wishes to be buried in France. The airline has unfortunately lost the casket, and their Paris-based customer relations executive Ellen Andrews tries to correct things for Mickey. Of course, they fall in love since it is Paris, and they get married almost immediately. Complications ensue with Mickey on the road and Ellen unable to conceive a baby. The central conceit of the film is its framing device, a dinner where a group of their friends congregate and share their remembrances of Mickey and Ellen's courtship and marital problems. How they are able to relay such intimate details is never really addressed since it's a plotting contrivance we are supposed to accept.

The other problem is that Crystal is not really acting here but performing his comedy routine as Mickey. Many of his lines sound overly familiar with many of the jokes having a forced feeling, and the role is virtually interchangeable with his Harry from the earlier film. Nevertheless, there are some truly funny bits, such as the running gag with Ellen's senile father (played by a befuddled William Hickey) repeating road signs in the car and the scene with the pigeon getting stuck to the side of Ellen's head. But it's not nearly enough. A solid supporting cast has been assembled as the friends - Joe Mantegna, Julie Kavner (particularly funny), Richard Masur, Cathy Moriarty, John Spencer, Cynthia Stevenson - though they act more like a chorus to the proceedings. The inevitable ending feels hollow since the relationship never felt that resonant. Despite some attempts at serious moments during the second half, this is the type of lightweight film that doesn't linger too long in one's memory. The 2000 DVD has no extras.

Romanticism has its own limits!.......2006-06-27

A romantic comedy, that deals with the end of the honeymoon and shows where the real marriage begins. Billy Cristal and Debra Winger add substance and spices to this classic comedy of mistakes around the figure of a Basket trainer who must leave as a modern gypsy.

To my mind one of the last original comedies in the nineties.

This is Kathy and Rich !!!.......2006-03-03

This is the best romantic comedy ever! My wife and I have watched this movie a hundred times and it never fails to make us laugh and fall in love all over again. We relate to how bad things are when we're apart and just how wonderful life is when we're together! I couldn't recommend a movie more highly. The best thing one could do is buy this movie now and share it with the one you love often.

Paging Meg Ryan..........2005-11-27

Mickey and Ellen (Billy Crystal and Debra Winger), both 40ish career people, fall in love during a dream-like week in Paris, then spend the next several years trying to make "happily ever after" work out in spite of career, family, and settled habits. There is much to enjoy here: a talented cast, a romantic soundtrack, and some nice observations on the difficulties of reconciling career and marraige. However, the chemistry between Crystal and Winger never quite works and the dialogue is laden with one-liners that are supposed to be zingers but generally fall flat. In the end, it just didn't come together for me. It is, however, much superior to "City Slickers II," also written by Crystal in partnership with Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel.

Average customer rating:

Forget Paris/Fathers' Day/My Giant
Starring: Warner Triple Feature
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Snakes on a Plane (Widescreen New Line Platinum Series)
The Prestige
My Super Ex-Girlfriend
Blood Diamond (Two-Disc Special Edition)
World Trade Center (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000HT389Y
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Description

Funnyman Billy Crystal leads the laugh parade in Forget Paris (Disc 1/Side A) plus two more comedies to remember. First, frazzled basketball referee Billy and airline employee Debra Winger fall head over croissants in love in Paris, become husband and wife, then wonder if love can survive marriage. In Fathers' Day (Disc 1/Side B), a comedy Dream Team - Crystal and Robin Williams - joins forces to hunt the missing teen each man thinks might be his son. And struggling talent agent Crystal finds the next BIG action star (7'7" basketball player Gheorghe Muresan) in My Giant (Disc 2). No doubt about it. This is comedy that's heads above the crowd.

Average customer rating:

Forget Paris/Mickey Blue Eyes
Starring: Warner 2 Pak
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Average customer rating:

Forget Paris/Mickey Blue Eyes
Starring: Gerry Becker , Helen Lloyd Breed , James Caan , Maddie Corman , and Tony Darrow
Director: Kelly Makin
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000094J9S
Release Date: 2004-11-02

Average customer rating:

Not sure about the other one, but Father's Day is decent

Father's Day/Forget Paris
Starring: Alan Berger , Craig Bullock , Dennis Burkley , Billy Crystal , and Patti D'Arbanville
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B0000DC15E
Release Date: 2003-11-18

Customer Reviews:

Not sure about the other one, but Father's Day is decent.......2005-05-23

Father's Day looked promising when I was in the video store because the two stars (Billy Christal and Robin Williams) are both hilarious but I got a little less than I expected.

Length: 90 minutes

SUMMARY: Billy Christal stars as a succesful lawyer, but leads a somewhat empty life because he has no children. Robin Williams stars as an emoitional artist. A desperate mother that wants to find her runaway son tells both of them that they are her sons father. Christal and Williams meet and join forces to find the kid.

MY RATING: There are some mild laughs in this movie, nothing histerical. If you got some time to kill, this is an alright movie to watch.

DVD:

DVD List

DVD

DVD

The Story of Top Gun

Gundam Wing - Vol. 4 : DVD

Malevolent [2002]

DVD: Double Jeopardy

Battlestar Galactica