The One-Line Summary: Beat Poet Charlie McKenzie (Mike Myers) won’t admit his string of broken relationships has anything to do with his own fear of commitment, but when he meets Harriet that all changes, though there is this one tiny thing nagging at him: she might be an axe murder who kills off her husbands.
The Two-Line Blurb: Wedged right between his very popular Wayne’s World films, Myers released this poorly-received romantic/comedy that, while not credited, he helped to write (and played two parts, including Charlie and Charlie’s very Scottish father). It has aged very well though and with a great supporting cast, including Phil Hartman, Steven Wright, and Michael Richards, is a fun film that is full of great performances, great gags and a lot of charm.
The Three-Line Set-up: The film opens with Charile’s best friend Tony (Anthony LaPaglia) trying to convince him that Charlie is the reason he can’t keep love, going through a list of girls that Charlie lamely excuses as being in the mafia or smelling of soup. He then goes on stage at the café’s open mic and delivers a bitter beat poem about his latest ex, complete with a three-piece jazz group playing along. Soon after, he meets Harriet (Nancy Travis) at a butcher shop and is immediately smitten, and the two fall fast for each other until Charlie learns about “Mrs. X”, the husband-killing murderer, and suspects Harriet might be her.
The Four-Line Moment: Unable to stop thinking about it, and letting his paranoia get the better of him, Charlie finally breaks up with Harriet, which of course, sends him into a tailspin. Fortunately, Tony, who is a cop investigating the “Mrs. X” case (and very funny as he grows dissatisfied with his boring job that is nothing like cops in film), tells Charlie that they got a break in the case and it can’t possibly be Harriet doing all the killing. To win her back, he assembles his jazz trio and heads for her apartment rooftop to perform a serenade beat poem outside her window. It’s a funny, touching moment that showcases a little tenderness and drama for Myers.
The Five-Word Review: Classic Myers deserves a look.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvAd33J9-po?rel=0&controls=0&showinfo=0&w=640&h=360]
