User reviews

Appalled after seeing film of endangered seals in Newfoundland being clubbed to death, pot-smoking, post-hippie college professor Donald Sutherland hires lady lawyer Suzanne Somers to bring cease-and-desist action against the heartless conglomeration responsible. Mixture of good deed-doing, romantic comedy, and wacky car chases fails to add up. Somers, who at this point was still riding a high from TV's "Three's Company", tries out different bits of character business before predictably falling back on her trademark silly faces and girlish squeals. This was a poor choice to jump-start Suzanne's movie career, co-executive produced by both her agent and her husband! Still, Somers is far more watchable than Sutherland, whose slightly sinister, over-enunciated line readings are the polar opposite of romance and slapstick. The biggest mistake here was to feature apparently real footage of actual seals being killed--certainly not the way to begin a comedy! Filmed in Toronto, which explains the presence of Canadian cast members Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, drag performer Craig Russell, David Steinberg, and Catherine O'Hara. * from ****

Amongst a group of Donald Sutherland devotees, I watched this film with numb awe. That a film could be so incredibly unfunny despite a video cover describing it as a "riotous romantic comedy" was disappointing to say the least. The film contained none of Donald Sutherland's eccentric acting traits, which I enjoy in most of his other performances, and it was hard to recollect exactly which part was "riotous", though my friends and I thought we may have found it. I love films that are so awful that they are great, but his one failed to measure up even to this standard.

Despite this negative opinion, I must still advise anyone with an interest in Donald Sutherland, Suzanne Somers, or bad movies, that one should watch this all the way through, despite the tedium, to appreciate the bizarre and remarkable ending. Even though I could not describe what it is, it is to be seen to be believed. That someone, or some people, at the end of several months work watched this last scene and thought "Yeah, that makes a good ending" defies belief. Watch it for the ending!

Following his recent death, I decided to binge the films of Donald Sutherland. For the most part, his movies have been very satisfying, as he was an amazingly good and underrated actor...as evidenced by such wonderful films as "Ordinary People" and "Forsaken". But of the films I've recently watched, "Nothing Personal" is one of the poorer Sutherland outings...mostly because of the sub-par script.

Roger (Sutherland) is a professor who used to be a sort of 60s radical. However, he's become much more establishment and 'normal'. But his complacency is interrupted when he learns that an evil corporation is bashing in the skulls of endangered seals. This sends him on a rampage...and soon he's out looking to stop them. However, finding a lawyer to take the case is tough because the corporation is so big and politically tied. But he eventually settles on a hot-shot female attorney (Suzanne Somers) and soon, not suprisingly, sparks fly.

One problem with this film that likely made it hard for fans was casting Somers as the brilliant but underrated attorney. Now I am NOT saying she was bad, but she was stereotyped as a stupid blonde due to her famous role on the TV show "Three's Company". The lawyer role just seemed too big a departure for the actress, though I am sure in real life she was bright and capable.

The other problem is that the film itself is poorly written. For a rom-com, it's amazingly unfunny and unromantic. Plus seal-clubbing isn't exactly something you'd expect in comedy nor romance! It's a shame, as a lot of good actors are in the movie and it should have been better.

By the way, this movie was a Canadian production, so the presence of so many "SCTV" cast members isn't all that surprising and it is nice seeing young Catherine O'Hara, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy and the ill-fated Tony Rosato in various small supporting roles.

They should have changed the title of "Nothing Personal" to "Nothing Works". That's because nothing really works in this movie. I don't want to say that the almost always reliable Donald Sutherland mailed it in but he isn't nearly as good as he normally is. He spends half the movie walking around with an annoying grin. The other half of the time he wears a bowtie. He is playing a professor after all. Lawyer (?!?) Suzanne Somers doesn't fare much better. She is likeable and she certainly knows how to strike a pose but she was a sitcom star at the time. On the big screen, her lack of acting chops really shows. "Nothing Personal" is an instantly forgettable dud.

Although never finding it funny, I found the film darn entertaining. The late Summers and Sutherland make a great professor and lawyer team, and this is really what drives it. Coleman, is just stereotyped here, as a greedy bad.guy, none concerned about these particular type of seals, endangered species, which are being clubbed to death. It brought back some bad memories, as seeing an 82' episode on John Laws world, where seals were being slaughtered in this manner. I admired the story, as this was an important and controversial topic in the 80's. Sutherland sporting nifty formal attire, brings a likeable character to the screen, and Summers oozes sex and sensuality, as she knows how. We even have a cameo by a Love Boat favorite. It's Sutherland and Summers cute chemistry, which makes this a watchable treat.