The Money Pit (1986)

Such a frustrating disappointment

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The movie isn't bad. But it also isn't one of the greater comedies. Still it is pretty entertaining and if you look at the cast you can see that it has a lot of talent that manages to make us laugh at a silliest joke. The beginning is actually funnier than the end. Tom Hank's ride in the ambulance with his friend was entertaining. I also found it hilarious how the woman who sold them the house told how she lost her Carlos (he was Hitler's pool boy) and Tom Hanks going to one of his child stars to lend money for the house was also a great scene. That kid, Billy Lombardo, didn't seem to have stayed in acting but he was pretty good in this movie. Then when they get the house there is pretty much just one joke: it falls apart. And they still manage to have entertaining moments when they keep on repeating it, but still it is noticeable and one wishes there was more. Still the facial expressions and physical comedy hold the movie above average.

Some people call this Tom Hanks' worst film. Nope, it was just completely ridiculous to the point that the viewer is supposed to know this kind of thing could never happen on this scale and just laugh, because we've all had these kinds of things happen on a much smaller scale.Tom Hanks and Shelley Long play a couple who have recently fallen in love and have been living in her ex-husband's New York City apartment and not thinking ahead. But then one day the ex-husband, Max (Alexander Godunov), returns and they have to leave.In a hurry to find a place to live, they buy a house for a song that looks beautiful through a disreputable agent. Although they looked at the house - never had an actual inspection mind you - and everything looked okay, things begin to fall apart the day that they move in. The front door and its entire frame fall off its hinges, the bad step on the staircase ends up with the entire stairway crashing to the floor, the bathtub falls through the floor just by filling it with water, and so on. The problems and their cost mount to the point of being way past ridiculous, and as goes the house so goes the relationship between Hanks and Long. To make matters worse, Max really wants his ex-wife back and is taking advantage of her vulnerability and deteriorating mental state.The fact is, nobody in this film but Hanks and Long play remotely likable characters. Everybody else is at best selfish and vain or incompetent, at worse dishonest, including Hanks' dad who ran off and left with his law firm's money so he could marry a girl about one third his age, leaving Hanks' character holding the bag.How will this all work out? Watch and find out. This was the only pairing of Shelley Long with Tom Hanks, and it is rather bittersweet in a kind of "A Star is Born" way, looking back. Tom Hanks had not been able to break out of farce like comedy roles such as this yet will end up getting back to back Best Actor Oscars. Long thought that this role was a stepping stone to better things after she decided to leave Cheers the following year, but she never got anything that really rose above this kind of role and was pretty much out of the movies by 1992.Highlights of the film for me - Gudonov's monologue to Hanks on the perks of being shallow and self-centered, a mouse-trap like chain reaction joke of physical comedy involving Hanks that has to be seen to be believed, and Philip Bosco as the genial and useless supervisor of the construction crew who is all smiles and has only one answer to how long it will take to fix the house - "two weeks".

One of the early Hanks comedies that cemented his position as one of the hottest upcoming comedy stars in Hollywood (after 'Splash'). Even though this movie has been overlooked for me its easily one of his better early movies. Although most of Hanks films have an abundance of heart this one also has a relatable subject in house renovation.Tom Hanks (Walter) and Shelley Long (Anna) buy a huge country mansion that would normally go for around one million, but because the place is falling apart (unbeknownst to them) its going for $200,000. The initial joke being in this day and age this ginormous property would be selling for a lot more than one measly million, but that's to be expected. The laughs come thick and fast as they realise the mansion is a lemon and is literately coming apart bit by bit. They have been well and truly had by the previous owner.Now far be it for me to nitpick at a light-hearted piece of comedy gold from the classic Tom Hanks 80's era but...lets go. The couple say they have no money whatsoever, indeed they have to borrow a sh*t-tonne just to buy the place, yet when they move in they are faced with massive repairs. The question that springs to mind is how on earth they afford to pay for all this. Sure both of them work so that will help but my God this mansion clearly requires some hefty workmanship that ain't gonna come cheap. Some of the things that go wrong are definitely laugh out loud worthy but Jesus the cost!!Huge holes in the floor, a new bath tub, new electrics, new TV, new front door and surrounding wooden frame, broken windows, an entire new chimney both interior and exterior plus new fireplace, complete new plumbing, huge new wooden staircase, holes in the roof etc...Take into account that this is a property bordering on a stately home and most fittings will need specialist attention and most probably with handmade craftsmanship to boot! The staircase alone would of cost an absolute fortune, and then the entire chimney stack!! So I am left wondering how they could even begin to pay for all this on top of the fact they have borrowed money to buy the house. Hanks character does put down an initial down payment of $5,000 but I doubt that would even begin to cover much.What is so sickly about the whole thing (so cutesy) is the fact that whilst all this is going on, in between all the horror that unfolds around them...both try and remain calm, expressing their love for each other and with Anna constantly reminding Walter everything will be OK. In reality I'm sure most people would have a break down. The weird aspect in the movie is that the building contractors appear to be this clan of fetish circus freaks. Big muscle men in bondage gear, little people and various types of punks all driving the type of vehicles you'd expect to find in the Mad Max franchise. Not really sure why they went down that route because it isn't particularly funny...just odd. I guess its suppose to freak you out because it looks like they're gonna ruin the place or squat there and the love birds will have more trouble on their hands. I think people can relate to this movie simply because many will have experience of buying a place and having problems occur, be it down the line or straight away. I'm sure some will have experience that will have been just as horrific as in this movie, so watching this will certainly hit home for some. Indeed it does make you wince whilst watching, seeing this amazing mansion slowly crumble bit by bit, it does make your palms sweat at the thought of the spiralling costs whilst at the same time make you glad its not real...or its not you. Its all harmless fun with some good stunts, a bit of slapstick, a lovely real time house presumably combined with sets and an overly energetic Hanks. Oh and what's this...Anna's ex- husband is the main psychotic German henchman terrorist from 'Die Hard', how bout that.6/10

I got a chance to watch this movie during a real estate class. And I am kinda glad the professor decided to show it. Cause although this movie was made in the 80's it still sorta holds up today. Tom Hanks is young in this and him and his fiancé decides to buy a house...Without doing any inspections on the house. And that is when there dream house ends up being a nightmare cause all the appliance and stuff in the house are so worn out it turns out to be a major hazard. So there is a bit of some comedic elements in this movie besides it have some romantic comedy aspect to it. But the romantic comedy is just a small portion of this movie. And it educates you what not to do when buying a house while it have some funny moments than and there. This isn't one of the best comedies I seen but it's pretty good. And is worth seeing, especially before buying a house as a couple.7/10