Curly Sue (1991)

good back-story, and good acting

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

I had heard about this movie over the years but had never seen it. My interest was piqued by Alisan Porter recently winning a singing competition and she truly is a remarkably good singer. She of course as a youngster played Curly Sue in this movie so I wanted to see her in it, now that I know a bit about her as an adult. I found it streaming on Amazon Prime.As the movie starts we see the pair, a man and a little girl, on a road trip of sorts, hitching rides however they could, until they make their way to Chicago. They have become scam artists, as a way to feed themselves. She is a very smart little girl but without any education, and can't read or write.The man is James Belushi as Bill Dancer and the girl is Alisan Porter as Curly Sue. Working one of their scams, where Bill gets Sue to hit him on the head with a board, then they find an unsuspecting driver in a parking garage, pretend to get hit by the car, in the hopes of getting a meal and maybe a few dollars.The lady they scam is pretty Kelly Lynch as high-powered lawyer, Grey Ellison. They get a meal but no money. But a day later exiting her parking garage she in fact does run over him, the two end up at her place where she takes care of them.The arc of the story is to see if this hard-nosed lawyer can soften up by her association with Curly Sue, and to see if Bill can straighten up and get an honest job.I must say I am pleasantly surprised at what a fine young actress Porter was at that very young age. Not only her delivery of lines convincingly but also her timing and facial expressions are just right. She never seems like she is "acting", she seems to be living the role.SPOILERS: Grey's mean and jealous boyfriend of 4 years phones protective services which results in Bill being locked up and Sue being placed in a foster facility. But Grey pulls strings, gets them released, she ditches the old boyfriend, plans to adopt Sue. Bill was not her father anyway, he started to care for her when a one-night stand went bad, but he also seemed to be headed for Grey's good graces.Did I say how good Alisan Porter is in this role?

This movie is a good and cute father-daughter partner film.I watched the film 3 times on Encore on Demand on Xfinity. This film is about 2 con artists partners.1 of them is a cute little girl.and the other one is a man that is her dad. This movie is quite funny and little inappropriate. This film is not just for kids or teenagers but also good for adults/parents to watch. This film is another film that gives you relationship/sex advice after My Girl 1&2.If you saw this title on demand and you decide not to watch it Because you thought it would be childish, then your missing out and its not childish at all.It has a lot of swearing and adult conversations and it has 1 character dealing with the attorney about their marriage. So if you like My Girl 1&2,Annie,and other films that gives you relationships/Sex advice, then you will like it.do i recommend this to: Toddlers or Infants:No.this movie is unsafe to them.under 10 kids:yes but under supervision.kids over 10:yes. Teenagers:Yes.Adults:Yes.its OK if you watch it alone or with a girlfriend/wife. You or yall will enjoy it.seniors:probably not unless you watch it with grandkids or family. Now for my review: The story:the story is about two con artists conning people to survive and they are father and daughter.so its pretty good.i like it. Music:the music sound so cute just saying. Its good too. Cast:pretty good.prefect actors and actresses for the roles. Curly sue actress:she is a cute little girl that has curly hair like annie 1982 actress and her voice sounds like Mara Wilson(actress of matilda.she acts like annie actress in 1982 annie sometimes in the.film. Graphics:none just live action film.but its a little foggy. Out of all of those:i rate this film:9/10

I don't think anyone will argue that John Hughes is a modern day film making legend especially for those of us that grew up in the 80's and 90's. He helmed and created stone cold classics like Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Sixteen Candles, Home Alone, Christmas Vacation...you likely know the drill. It could be said that Curly Sue wasn't his best work. However, that's not to say it isn't also a great movie. It just isn't as blatantly well made. It is predictable and typical but very 80's (despite being released in 1991) and its just fun. It was a movie my wife loved and I realized I had never seen it so we sat down to watch it. It is the definition of a "feel good" film but there isn't much more than that to it which is okay. It doesn't have anything particularly memorable about it, the film is sufficient being complacent in its genre and delivering exactly what anyone should expect. When a movie is like that, it tends to get very low scoring from critics professional and otherwise but most of us who just love films can appreciate a genre movie. Curly Sue is safe. Its mostly clean and sweet and has romance and a few fun scenes and its easy to watch and I really enjoyed it!! I have always enjoyed Jim Belushi and he has had some great films but he never really became a Hollywood superstar. He has great charisma and is such an everyday guy that you can't help but love him. That's why he fits this role so well. He's a con artist who adores this little girl and has lived on the streets for however long but you completely understand why someone would fall in love with the guy. A con-man with a heart of gold. Alisan Porter is our title character and is of course amazing. She is adorable and street smart and you just love her and its not because she's obnoxious or a trouble maker but just truly a kid who has had a rough life and knows her way around a con or two. The chemistry between her and Belushi is near perfect and definitely the heart and soul of the film. This might not have been a break out hit for her but she'll always be great in it. Kelly Lynch gives a decent performance as the rich elite lawyer who gets a soft spot for these two trouble makers. Lynch's character is a means to an end so she doesn't get a ton of great scenes but she fills her role nicely. Its a very typical role but it works and her and Belushi are good together but not amazing. The supporting cast are all decent as well and fill their roles well especially John Getz as the painfully obvious jerk boyfriend to Lynch. You gotta have a pseudo-villain like him in an 80's-ish family comedy.The reason John Hughes is considered such a master by some is because he knew his genre. He was a chef of a certain kind and he knew exactly what ingredients his recipes needed and he didn't try to stray too far from it. Curly Sue is presented on a plate with no surprises and as I've said that's great!! It means its not a brilliant film but it is wonderfully entertaining and I could easily watch it again and again. There were more than one heart string pulling scenes and its just written and directed very well. Usually I have a rule about writer's directing their own work but no one had vision about his own work like John Hughes. I honestly think he stopped directing (this was actually his last directorial film) because his style and vision was distinctly 80's where success was based on monetary value and romance was based on opposites attracting and living happily ever after. He is a fairy tale weaver of a more realistic nature and Curly Sue was delightful and family-friendly for the most part and I always appreciate that. A wonderful addition to our collection!! 8.5/10

Curly Sue is a 6 year old with an abundance of hair and a life as a drifter. She and her father, Bill (Jim Belushi), try to survive on the streets by being small time con artists. In Chicago, Bill decides to jump in front of a car in a pricey parking garage while Curly will scream about lawsuits and traction to the intended victim. It happens to be a very upscale lawyer named Grey (Kelly Lynch) who is appropriately appalled at what she has done. Not only do the scammers make some cash, they get to spend the night at Grey's plush apartment. Even then, Grey feels she owes them more so the three of them hang together for a spell. Grey only knows the lucrative law business and nothing about life. Who better to teach her than Bill and Curly, those savvy experts on life's realities? But, all good things must come to an end and there is no life for a legal expert and a couple of con men. Or is there? This is a sweet and funny movie about the unexpected. Curly is certainly as entertaining as Shirley Temple but much edgier, of course. Belushi gives a rare touching performance as the down on his luck con and Lynch is luminous as the snooty but soft touch lawyer. John Hughes, as writer and director, shows us his magic touch once again, as the script is lively and unpredictable. Just watch Curly and Bill take Grey out for a night, with no money, and see the humorous results. Do you long for happy endings, long promised and finally delivered, with a few uncertain moments in between? This is your made-to-order movie.