Flirting with Disaster (1996)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

David O. Russell

Writer (WGA):

David O. Russell (written by)

Release Date:

22 March 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Have you flirted yet?

Plot:

A young man, his wife, and his incompetent case worker travel across country to find his birth parents.

Plot Keywords:

Adoption | Mistaken Identity | New Mexico | Satire | Drug Humor

Awards:

1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Ben Stiller	...	Mel Coplin
Patricia Arquette	...	Nancy Coplin
Téa Leoni	...	Tina Kalb
Alan Alda	...	Richard Schlichting
Mary Tyler Moore	...	Pearl Coplin
George Segal	...	Ed Coplin
Lily Tomlin	...	Mary Schlichting
Josh Brolin	...	Tony Kent
Richard Jenkins	...	Paul Harmon
Celia Weston	...	Valerie Swaney
Glenn Fitzgerald	...	Lonnie Schlichting
Beth Ostrosky	...	Jane
Cynthia Lamontagne	...	Sandra
David Patrick Kelly	...	Fritz Boudreau
John Ford Noonan	...	Mitch

MPAA:

Rated R for language, sexuality and a comic drug scene.

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:L | USA:R (certificate #34425) | Finland:S | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:18 | Australia:M | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Battle Creek, Michigan, USA

Company:

Miramax Films

Goofs:

Continuity: After Mel has crashed the truck and is at the police station, Paul and his partner leave the questioning room. When they re-enter the questioning room, Paul opens the door with his left hand. In the next shot, he is entering with a clipboard in his left hand.

Quotes:

Mr. Coplin: Why is everyone getting worked up all of the sudden? I thought we were gunna talk about getting new carpeting. Taking out this crap and putting in the wall-to-wall.

Movie Connections:

References "Roots" (1977)

One of the Funnier Movies Made in the 90's

I first saw this film at the Theatres in 1996. I didn't know much about Ben Stiller at the time but liked Patricia Arqette. I didn't know what I was in for. I laughed my arse off. I was rolling in the isles. Maybe no expectations is a good way to go into a film because being pleasantly surprised is one of my favorite emotions. Ben Stiller is hillarious here as well as everyone in the cast. Great writing and Direction, a full laugh out loud riot. If you like Ben Stiller playing that innocent guy in the wrong situation "his best part" you will like this one. I highly recomend.