2916. Overboard (1987)

Starring: Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, Edward Herrmann

Director: Garry Marshall

Running Time: 112 mins

Overboard is an American film about an arrogant heiress who, after falling overboard her yacht, awakes with amnesia, when a carpenter she previously insulted takes the opportunity and pretends that she’s his wife.

I had an absolute whale of a time with this film. A hilarious comedy from beginning to end, Overboard is full of energy throughout, telling an almost fable-esque story that just skirts the edges of something a little darker. And with greats Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn giving their all in the lead roles, the film is so much fun.

If you’re looking for a good laugh, then Overboard is a really great watch. It’s a fast-paced comedy with witty humour, entertaining characters and a fun premise. There are great jokes right the way through, and it’s an absolute joy to sit back and laugh along with the film.

On top of the humour, the lead performances are absolutely brilliant. Although Goldie Hawn’s stuck-up heiress seems a little cartoonish at first, her contrast with Kurt Russell’s salt-of-the-earth carpenter is absolutely brilliant.

The pair have fantastic chemistry from start to finish, whether they’re at each others’ throats or falling in love. And with a screenplay that gives them some great dialogue and genuinely engaging characters, they’re an utter delight from beginning to end.

What’s more is that the characters don’t just follow a predictable good vs. bad pattern. On the whole, Overboard is at times a little predictable, but it isn’t just a tale of Russell’s character taking revenge on Hawn’s for her treatment of him.

Instead, after he tricks her into thinking she’s his wife and living in squalour, the film shifts attitudes a little, and shows what happens when someone goes a little too far with giving another their comeuppance.

The premise of effectively kidnapping a woman with amnesia can seem a bit too mean-spirited to laugh at on occasions, but the film cleverly skirts that line with a story that doubles back on the early hero of the story. In that, it plays out almost like a fable, with an earnest and heartwarming (albeit a little predictable) message come the end.

Overall, I loved Overboard. It’s a hugely entertaining comedy that’s full of laughs and energy. What’s more, with two fantastic lead performances and brilliant characters, it’s an engaging watch all the way through. So that’s why I’m giving it an 8.1.