Review of Speechless

Introduction

The last time I saw Geena Davis and Michael Keaton together, he was playing Beetlejuice and she was having problems with a horrible family that had moved into her house after she died. Happily in this movie both she and Michael Keaton are alive and well, or at least as well as one can be working in politics.

"Speechless" is a genuinely enjoyable romantic comedy of the kind older members of the family keep saying "they don`t make `em like that anymore."

Kevin and Julia are speechwriters for opposing candidates who fall in love - until they discover they are working for opposing candidates. Then they find they can`t let a little thing like politics get between them.

Supported by Christopher Reeve, Ernie Hudson and Bonnie Bedelia, this picture harks back to movies like "His Girl Friday", combining a good, old-fashioned romance with the behind-the-scenes comedy of a political campaign. Michael Keaton`s character Kevin could be a smart-aleck motormouth in the hands of another actor, but Keaton imbues him with charm and amiable sympathy. Geena Davis is always a delight, and "Speechless" is one of her best performances.

The movie shares a director - Ron Underwood - with the cult classic "Tremors", the Billy Crystal vehicle "City Slickers" and the more recent box office bust "Pluto Nash". Happily, this movie succeeds on all counts even when it gets silly.

Video

Presented in anamorphic 1.85:1, the image is sharp, clear and colourful. There is little if any wear and tear, although the end titles seem a little unfocused, but that may be they have not been edge-enhanced as is common with titles on DVD transfers.

Audio

The soundtrack is in Dolby Digital 5.1 but there is little opportunity for any demonstration of the dynamics of the format, as this is a dialogue-centric movie.

Features

Pleasingly, the movie is fully subtitled for the hard of hearing as well as in a number of other languages. The only other extra is the theatrical trailer which is presented in anamorphic 1.85:1 and is as sharp as the main feature.

Conclusion

Geena Davis and Michael Keaton make an appealing couple and you`ll root for them all the way in this pleasant romantic comedy of the old school. This is an excellent movie for a couples` night in or for the hopeless romantics among us.