If Looks Could Kill

Almost animated in its style is this 'James Bond' type flick from writers Fred Dekker and Darren Star about mistaken identity. "If Looks Could Kill" is comically entertaining for the most part, if very silly and extremely predictable.

William Dear has toned the violence right down and used cartoon characters acting out a cartoon script. Richard Grieco and the support cast (including Roger Rees, Robin Bartlett and Gabrielle Anwar) have fun and so do we, as long as we don't expect any serious cinema! Linda Hunt steals the show as the wicked lady with a whip for a necklace. "If Looks Could Kill" is good entertainment for youthful audiences.

Tuesday, September 3, 1991 - Knox District Centre

For a long time, I refused to watch this flic because I thought it was just a vehicle for "teen idol" Grieco, and I usually don't enjoy stories contrived to promote TV to films career moves. Then I saw "The Man Who Knew too Little" with Bill Murray, laughed out loud, and decided to try this similar, mistaken-for-a-spy spoof. I'm glad. The plot is artless, totally ridiculous & full of contradictions. Yet, the terrific cast carries the implausible story to entertaining heights with scenery-chewing, tongue-in-cheek glee. A really hot sex scene turns into a gorefest, the villains are outrageous, and the heroics are spectacular. WB threw sfx money at this one.

I especially enjoyed Robin Bartlett as the "French Teacher".

I remember seeing this with a bunch of my friends the night it came out. Back in seventh grade, I thought this was the coolest, funniest movie I'd ever seen. I wanted to BE Richard Grieco in that movie. I loved how he started out as a gawky American guy lost in Europe, and slowly transformed into an ersatz James Bond. It's not a big, great movie. Just a fun, humorous action flick. Gotta love Gabrielle Anwar in this. Roger Rees was also a very cool villain.

Overall, for a fun time that's not taxing on the brain, definitely rent this. I loved it back then, and I still do now.

A stupid but pretty entertaining James Bond-type action flick, this features comedy a lot more than it does action. There were enough funny lines in the comedy to make it a keeper in my collection for awhile. Like the Bond movies, there were also a good number of clever gadgets.

The story is preposterous, so you can't take any of it seriously.There is too much macho baloney from the young hero in here, played by Richard Grieco, not a household name but a decent actor. Speaking of acting, Robin Bartlett, who plays the French teacher, overacts terrible and is just plain annoying. It's no wonder we've never heard her name before.

Action scenes range from pretty good to incredibly stupid.

I get tired of pointing these things out to people, but this is a comedy. People complaining about that fact that's it's unrealistic seem to be missing something. At no point did the movie makers expect you to find this realistic.

It's an escapist teen fantasy. Ordinary guy gets to drive expensive car, meet cute women, and have an adventure.

Of COURSE it's ludricous. But it's cute and funny in a lot of spots. I laughed out loud many times BECAUSE it's silly. So if you prefer sophisticated humor, maybe this is not for you.

It's less silly than say Top Secret. It's more of a straight action/adventure - it's just that the premise is totally unrealistic and so is the protagonist - he goes from being clueless to saving the day. Don't expect James Bond here people - it's not supposed to be.

I give it 7 out of 10. Why? Because it made me laugh out loud in multiple spots. Which is the point to comedies.

(Why some people watch comedies when they lack of a sense of humor is beyond me - some of the comments made here indicate that they do, though :)