Spikeopath
Made in America is directed by Richard Benjamin and collectively written by Marcia Brandwynne, Nadine Schiff and Holly Goldberg Sloan. It stars Whoopi Goldberg, Ted Danson, Nia Long, Will Smith and Jennifer Tilly.When doing a biology project at school, Zora (Long) notices that her blood group is different from her mothers, Sarah (Goldberg). Having never known her father, Zora learns that she was the product of artificial insemination. Quickly setting off to find out who her father is, it comes as a big shock when it turns out he's tall white car salesman Hal Jackson (Danson), a surprise since Zora and Sarah are black! Not the most powerful of set ups it has to be said, but in spite of the lowly rating afforded it by many critics and film lovers, it's a sweet and honest affair. Film pins its hopes on the central comedy premise of a white man somehow fathering a black daughter from a black mother. From there it follows a familiar course from the shock and horror born out by the reveal, to opposites at war and on to maybe opposites attracting? This of course only works if the viewer has a soft spot for Danson and Goldberg in the first place, but with them giving it complete gusto, and being a real off screen couple as well, their play off of each other is very easy to warm too. Sure it's contrived, and very treacle based once we land in the final quarter, but the mixing of races aspect has been well handled by the makers and there's some decent comedy moments. It may not be laugh out loud funny, unless you be the type of person who finds Danson astride a runaway elephant funny? But it has its moments and director Richard Benjamin is also enough of a pro to not let the pace sag. Good support comes from Long and Smith, while Tilly is wonderfully memorable as the fitness freak bimbo girlfriend of Danson.Slight but never less than charming, it's safely recommended to fans of the two principal stars. 6/10
mark1504
The movie seems to work better than the premise might suggest. The three leads - Goldberg, Danson and Nia Long, have a nice chemistry between them. Nia Long being particularly lovable as 'their' daughter. There are some good gags in it, although the movie is not overstuffed with them. The decent, heartwarming plot (just the right amount of twists) handles the race aspects with an exemplary ease.Jennifer Tilly's bit-part was funnier and more successful than Will Smith's.
Made in America is hardly a classic but is worth watching if you like a little maturity in your comedy.
mattymatt4ever
"Made in America" is a formulaic romantic comedy with a pretty noble premise. That premise is obviously a setup for racial (not racist) gags, but it never becomes a one-joke comedy. Ted Danson and Whoopi Goldberg are great leads. They light up the screen with their (sometimes sexual) tension. Goldberg is one of my favorite actresses, and she's wonderful in this role. It's hilarious to watch her spontaneous outbursts. Nobody does 'em like Whoopi. There are no real surprises in the plot. Danson is a conceited, self-indulgent used car salesman. He's married to a floozy wife (Jennifer Tilly). Whoopi is a single parent who owns an African-American antique shop. Her daughter finds out that her real father (whose sperm was artificially inseminated) turns out to be Danson, that white used car salesman who does those crazy ads on TV. It's pretty obvious what the punchlines will be and it's pretty obvious how this sometimes schmaltzy story will end up. However, it's lightweight entertainment that isn't meant to be thoroughly analyzed. Just enjoy it for its many laughs and endearing performances. It's an innocuous, feel-good comedy. Even when it takes a dramatic turn at the third act, I didn't feel the mood was ruined. I guess it's because I felt a respect for all these likeable characters and was somewhat manipulated. Just how I felt the humor in the first and second acts, I felt the sadness in the third. My score: 7 (out of 10)
katekingswood
Despite mixed reviews and obnoxious comments about this film from several aquaintences this movie proved to be funny,heartwarming and entertaining.Whoopi Goldberg plays Sarah Matthews,the mother of a seventeen year old - Zora (Nia Long). Their seemingly perfect life is changed dramatically when Zora finds that her father was not Mr Matthews - her apparently deceased father.Zora finds that she is in fact the product of an artificial insemination and that her father is unknown by her mother.Upset and curious about the whereabouts of her real father, Zora searches through the computer files for her Mother and finds that her father is in fact Hal Jackson (Ted Danson), a dumb used car dealer who is famous for his crass and stupid commercial on the local TV station.The traumas and dramas of the whole situation begin to simmer down and so do the hard feelings between Hal and Sarah. They fall in love and as you've probably already guessed, there is a very happy ending!! Awwwwww.
AD
