Themes: Infidelity, Family Gatherings, Eccentric Families
Main Cast: Ted Danson, Isabella Rossellini, Sean Young, William L. Petersen, Lloyd Bridges
Release Year: 1989
Country: US
Run Time: 110 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
In this romantic comedy, two people brought together by marriage are brought even closer by their mates. Maria Hardy (Isabella Rossellini) and Larry Konzinski (Ted Danson) first meet at a wedding, where Maria's mother and Larry's uncle are tying the knot. However, the new cousins also have something else in common: Maria's husband Tom (William L. Petersen) is having an affair with Larry's wife, Tish (Sean Young). Maria and Larry get to talking at the wedding reception after their spouses go missing for a while, and they develop a rapport. A friendship grows between them, and they start seeing each other on a regular basis. When Maria confronts Tom about his infidelity, he responds by asking her if she's sleeping with Larry. As Maria and Larry become aware of what's happening between their not-so-better halves, they decide to get revenge by pretending to have an affair as well. However, the longer they pretend to be in love, the more they realize that they aren't pretending after all. Cousins was based on the popular French film Cousin Cousine. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
Since its two leads become "family" by marriage, a union between a mother and an uncle that occurs after everyone in question is over 35, Cousins hardly seems an appropriate title for this romantic comedy from director Joel Schumacher, a remake of the French hit Cousin, Cousine. Three Weddings, a Funeral and a Wife Swapping might get a little closer to its true nature. This isn't to say the buoyant spirit of the French original doesn't carry over, but the most interesting family relations on display are not those of "kissing cousins," but across generations within the same family. In fact, the best duo in the movie isn't Ted Danson's Larry Konzinski and Isabella Rossellini's Maria Hardy, but rather, a dyspeptic grandfather (Lloyd Bridges) and grandson (Keith Coogan), whose camaraderie steals the show. Danson and Rossellini do have some nice scenes together, despite not being blessed with very much chemistry. Both are likeable almost to a fault, making it more difficult to accept that they're married to such losers -- a skirt-chasing car salesman (William Petersen), as if that character could get any more stereotypical, and a train wreck of a floozy played by Sean Young. In a true attempt to make Larry and Maria seem like saints, they only dip their toes in the waters of infidelity long after their spouses have repeatedly made themselves into public nuisances. Extremes like these inform much of the proceedings, but Cousins does find its quieter moments, when it becomes a charming showcase for its two appealing stars. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
Norma Aleandro - Edie Costello; Keith Coogan - Mitch Kozinski; Gina de Angelis - Aunt Sofia; Gerry Bean - Kevin Costello; Babs Chula - Mrs. Davidow; George Coe - Phil Kozinski; Gordon Currie - Dean Kozinski; Michelle Goodger - Claudia; George Goodman - Jewish Father of Bride; Thomas Heaton - Farmer on Tractor; Bill Henderson - Valhalla Band; Saffron Henderson - Terri Costello; Monica Marko - Cosmetic Customer; Tom McBeath - Mr. Dionne; Katie Murray - Chloe Hardy; Margot Pinvidic - Natalie; Wes Tritter - Waiter; Denalda Williams - Olga; Stephen E. Miller - Stan; Gary Pembroke Allen - Oil Painting Teacher; Cathy Bayer - Cathy; Lorraine Butler - Mrs. Greenblatt; John Civitarese - Terri's Father; Kate Danson - Wedding Killer Listener; Dolores Drake - Mrs. Dionne; Mark Frank - Arnie Slevins; Lorena Gale - Cosmetic Demonstrator; Gloria Harris - Terri's Mother; John Hurwitz - Twin; Bernadette Leonard - Bernadette; Ann Leong - Chinese Fish Saleswoman; Harold MacDonald - Priest at Funeral; Andrea Mann - Rosanna; Michele Moyier - Magician's Assistant; Michael Naxos - Mr. Bregman; John Paterson - Magician; Sheila Paterson - Cottage Owner; David W. Rose - Maitre d'; Leroy Schultz - Cousin Harry; Sharon Wahl - Weddingland Hostess; Alex Bruhanski - Herbie; Antony Holland - Wedding Priest; David Hurwitz - Twin
Credit
Marci Liroff - Casting, Tish Monaghan - Costume Designer, Michael Kaplan - Costume Designer, Joel Schumacher - Director, Robert Brown - Editor, George Goodman - Executive Producer, Angelo Badalamenti - Composer (Music Score), Fern Buchner - Makeup, Warren Carr - Production Designer, Mark Freeborn - Production Designer, Ralf Bode - Cinematographer, Warren Carr - Production Manager, William Allyn - Producer, Linda Vipond - Set Designer, William H. Orr - Special Effects, Stephen Metcalfe - Screenwriter
Larry Kozinski (Danson) and Maria Hardy (Rossellini) meet at the marriage of Larry's uncle Phil and Maria's mother Edie (Aleandro). Newly made cousins-by-marriage, they find they have more in common than expected as their respective spouses, insecure Tish (Young) and boorish Tom (Petersen) begin an affair. Over a series of ritualized family events, dreamer Larry and repressed Maria decide to exact revenge on their spouses by pretending to have an affair themselves. Their good-natured plan takes on unexpected gravity when they learn not only are they great friends, but they realize they're falling in love with one another.
They consummate the affair, but the ramifications shake their families, including Larry's artistic son Mitch (Coogan) and Maria's adorable but aggressive daughter Chloe (Isabelle). They end the affair to bring stability back into their families' lives. Meanwhile, Larry's father Vince (Bridges) becomes interested in his widowed sister-in-law Edie and courts her.
Larry and Maria meet again some time later at Vince and Edie's wedding. Encouraged by Tish (who had split from Larry earlier in the film), he asks Maria to "dance with him", angering Tom but convincing repressed Maria to break free from her unhappy marriage. In an epilogue, Larry and Maria are seen sailing away with their children, living a fantasy they had shared from their earlier affair.
The film was directed by Joel Schumacher, known mostly for his works St. Elmo's Fire and The Lost Boys. Although not identified as such, the locations were primarily shot around Vancouver, Canada, among the first times the city was featured so prominently, and led to the city being used as a film location much more. The soaring score was composed by Angelo Badalamenti, who was extremely popular at the time from his work with Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet director David Lynch. Film Score Monthly described Badalamenti's melodic score as a definite asset to the film, underscoring several scenes with comical, Henry Mancini-like cues, and others with a delicate, poignant theme that blossoms into a waltz over the end credits.[2]
Reception
The film has received mixed reviews, with an aggragate score of 50% fresh at Rottentomatoes.com based on 8 reviews. At the initial release, the film received two thumbs up from Siskel & Ebert. The films grossed US$22 million total, with an opening weekend of $3.5 million.[3]
Individual praise went to Rossellini, whose performance of Maria has a winning simple sweetness. Danson crafts a likeable character who has nice chemistry with Rossellini. Supporting performances by William Peterson and Lloyd Bridges are also standouts.[4] Other comments called the film "underrated" and "While not amongst the great movie romances, there is something undeniably touching—and dare I say heart-warming-about "Cousins".
