Film Review: Remake of ‘Overboard’ a Fun & Unexpected Treat

Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 4, 2018 - 9:56am

CHICAGO – When the movie remake of the 1987 charmer “Overboard” was announced last year, immediately my thought was “it will stink.” But the creators of this remake didn’t listen, and produced a charmer of their own, twisting the premise and adding the hope of America. If that ain’t heart, I don’t know what is.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

The roles are switched in this “Overboard.” Instead of a rich woman washing up to shore after falling off her yacht, it’s a rich Mexican dude that does so, and it falls on a working class single Mom – deftly portrayed by Anna Faris – to convince him that he is her husband (a little more difficult in the age of Google, but nonetheless). By mixing the American melting pot of Mexican-Americans and Anna Faris, the film takes on another level, and creates its laughs through that level. It doesn’t shirk the original story either, and interprets it through the comic craftsmanship of Eugenio Derbez, generating a whole new take on the premise. THIS is how you produce a remake.

Leonardo (Eugenio Derbez) has the perfect life. He is the playboy son of the third richest man in the world, a Mexican mogul in building supplies. His life consists of navigating his yacht around the world, picking lovely ladies along the way. His revelry is shaken when the boat has to dock in a town in Oregon, and a carpet cleaner named Kate (Anna Faris) confronts him on his casual arrogance. He solves that confrontation by pushing her and the expensive cleaning equipment into the sea.

Kate vows revenge, and it falls into her lap from the deck of the yacht. Leonardo falls overboard, and washes up on shore, not remembering who he is. Kate’s best friend Theresa (Eva Longoria) comes up with a plan… claim Leonardo is Kate’s husband, and that will give the harried single mom more time to study for her nurse’s exam. What they don’t know is Leonardo’s conniving sister (Cecilia Suárez) has faked her brother’s death, in order to take over their father’s corporation. Leonardo is stuck in his new life, and he’ll have to make the best of it.

“Overboard” opens everywhere on May 4th. Featuring Eugenio Derbez, Anna Faris, Eva Longoria, Swoosie Kurtz, Mel Rodriguez, John Hannah and Cecilia Suárez. Screenplay by Rob Greenberg and Bob Fisher. Directed by Rob Greenberg. Rated “PG-13”