Indecent Proposal-Pitching This Script Was Indecent
Some films you have to love because the pitch is just so easy. “Mr. Movie Executive, thank you for your time. My uncle says hello. I would like to make a film about a guy being offered a million dollars to let a rich guy have sex with his wife. I will also need about $30-$40 million dollars for the project. What do you think?” That is pretty much the concept.
The cynic inside me, who is very large and calls most of the shots at this point, says that the film was successful due to the fantasy aspect. More specifically, guys wanted to fantasize about a rich guy giving them a million dollars to have sex with their fat, used up wives that were size 4 or 6 just years earlier and how need moo-moo's. Stop what your thinking, this did not happen to me. But I have seen it...I know horror. Then, there is the flip side, of all the women who hope that a rich guy would looks like Robert Redford, who plays the sick, twisted pervert in the film, would find them soooo irresistible that they would pay a million bucks to see them naked. Of course, there is an additional factor to why this film was such a hit (over $250 million worldwide), namely that guys were hoping to see Demi Moore naked, as this was 1993 mind you. Thus, we have a thought provoking film that sets up the question, “honey, would you let another man have sex with me for a million dollars?” Which was answered several million times with, “Of course not, no.” Which really means, yes, yes I would.
Director Adrian Lyne, like almost all directors, is British, there was a law passed mandating that most directors must be British you know, but Adrian does a good job with what he was given. In fact Lyne was the director of a fine film, Jacob's Ladder, but has done very little since Indecent Proposal, which is a shame.
Bottom line, Indecent Proposal is good for a laugh, but did not turn out to be the film anyone involved thought they were making-or at least I suspect. Few films have been satirized to the extent of Indecent Proposal, and with good reason as it is a silly, unrealistic film and most people picked up on this fact. Having, John Gage the millionaire, be played by a unattractive or even repulsive character would have added a realism and level of believability, if that is possible, that the film is lacking. It is this lack of credibility that is ultimately Indecent Proposal's undoing. What I want, however, is a sequel, in which John Gage returns and this time, wants the husband. That is entertainment!
Story D+
Acting B
Visuals B
Originality/Innovation D
Enjoyability Grade C+ (The campy nature of the film bring up its enjoyability grade.)
Home Theater/HD Factor B
Overall Grade C ( What I find most entertaining about Indecent Proposal is the fact that people will be watching this film, say fifty years from now, when $1,000,000 isn't all that much money.)
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