"David Basner is a successful advertising executive who has it all: Money, happiness, and women who want him. Then one day his world falls apart when his mother leaves his father. Now, he must balance his life between his mother, who is happy with her newfound independence, and his father, a recently laid off salesman who is hard-headed, stubborn, and hides a lot from David. Now David must cope with the downfall of his family and his life." (IMDb)
Watched this very good comedy-drama film directed by Garry Marshall. Everyone knows mid 80s Tom Hanks. He´s once again on fire here and plays a charming and witty character. I loved the opening scene when he comes to his new office the airline commercial presentation was also very funny.
The rest of the cast rocks too. Jackie Gleason was good as the dad just like Eva Marie Saint as the mother. Hector Elizondo plays David´s boss and his toupée problems was one of the on-going jokes. Always reliable Barry Corbin is the hard to please airline company owner and beautiful Sela Ward his daughter Cheryl. Bess Armstrong plays Davis´s, girl next door type, old flame Donna.
This was probably the first film which forces Hanks to use his drama skills which were still deep, deep undercover Gleason had already retired but Marshall wanted him and insisted that if he didn't do this film that the last film he would be remembered for was "Smokey and the Bandit Part 3". Gleason immediately accepted and this was to be his last movie, he died in 1987.
I love the soundtrack and listened the lp before watching the movie. I´ve done it this way couple of times and it gives quite an impact when you hear a familiar tune in the film. Patrck Leonard composed the score and also co-wrote few songs. He did lots of stuff with Madonna back in the day. I also remember him because i love his late 70s band Trillion and 90s projects Toy Matinee (with Kevin Gilbert) and 3rd Matinee (with Richard Page).
I especially like the a-side with tunes from Thompson Twins, Richard Marx, Carly Simon and Christopher Cross.
Overall, Nothing in Common is a good movie with great cast, some heartbreaking moments and lots of fun scenes. Check it out!
Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
Fun movie Atomik and I love the hilarious scene where Hector Elizondo jumps in the pool and his toupee comes off!
The US Blu Ray I own is bare bones with not even a trailer but the picture transfer and audio are decent,pity the Thompson Twins music video wasn't added as an extra.
Much prefer the pics that they used on your VHS and lp to my Blu Ray above!
[ 10. November 2016, 11:02: Message edited by: the young warrior ]
Posted by Nostalgic for the '80's (Member # 37454) on :
I actually remember seeing "Nothing in Common" in the theater back in '86, as a teen. I wasn't a huge Tom Hanks fan at the time, but was a Jackie Gleason fan - prior to seeing NIC I had seen "The Honeymooners" in re-runs.
I found NIC quite depressing. It wasn't a bad film, just not sure I'd want to see it again. That being said, I may relate to this more now...
Posted by Riptide (Member # 457) on :
I have to see this one again. It's been too long. Remember the Thompson Twins song. I'm sure I had the soundtrack on cassette.
Posted by Crash (Member # 7484) on :
While Nothing in Common is not a masterpiece, it is a very well done, slice-of-life piece by Garry Marshall, which works up some realistic emotions about the sometimes strained/dysfunctional bond between a parent and a child. As aTomiK notes, the cast is excellent, with vastly underrated folks like Sela Ward, Bess Armstrong, and Barry Corbin in addition to the class acts of Tom Hanks, Eva Marie Saint, and Jackie Gleason. And of course Hector Elizondo, Marshall's good-luck charm, is his usual droll, funny self--with bad toupee. And then there's the fine soundtrack with a very moody track from the Thompson Twins. It all adds up to one of Marshall's better films.
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