Movie Review: Romancing the Stone

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Plenty of action and laughs
Cons: Slow start, special effects, Kathleen Turner (at times)

The Bottom Line:

Action, laughs, romance

Movie makes a fun combo

Well known for reason




Fun 80's Romantic Adventure

You've got to love the 80's. While the decade was filled with cheese, it still managed to produce some fun movies that are still worth watching today. Such is the case with Romancing the Stone.

Joan Wilder (Kathleen Turner) is a famous romance novelist. A hopeless romantic, she is still single. She lives in New York City and is used to city life.

All that changes when her sister is kidnapped down in Columbia. She quickly takes off to ransom her, bringing the treasure map that the kidnappers demand. But when she gets on the wrong bus, she is stranded and meets up with Jack T. Colton (Michael Douglas), an American. Unfortunately, she is being followed by several goons. Can Jack keep her safe? Will Joan ever find true love? Who will get the treasure? And will Joan's sister be rescued?

Maybe it was in my circles growing up, but this movie was notorious at the time it came out. It was rated PG, but contained pre-marital sex, tons of language (mostly the "S" word), drug use, and a couple rather violent scenes. I'll agree that the movie probably should have been PG-13 and isn't for kids. But for the adults it's a fun time.

The movie starts out a little slowly as it introduces us to Joan. Once she gets to Columbia, however, things pick up quickly and never slow down. There are lots of chases and shoot outs as well as several close calls. Yet the story pretty much holds together with no major plot holes.

And the movie is funny. There are lots of great one liners, mostly delivered by Jack. And then there's Ralph, one of the bad guys played by Danny DeVito. He's a bumbler, and Danny DeVito is perfectly funny in the part.

For the most part, the acting works. Michael Douglas is great as Jack, managing to play the romantic, action, wise cracking hero with ease. The rest of the cast does a good job as well. The only exception is Kathleen Turner. I have often found her an uneven actress who can go over the top, and that's the case here. It's mainly noticeable near the beginning, but does pop up at other times as well.

While the action is great, the romance left a little something to be desired. It took me most of the movie to buy it, but by the end I was fully on board that plot line as well.

Finally, the movie comes with a healthy dose of 80's cheese. The hair and production values frankly scream 80's. This is especially true any time special effects are needed. It's something to note mainly in passing, but it is worth noting.

While far from perfect, Romancing the Stone is a fun action romance comedy that should please most any adult looking for a little entertainment. It is dated, but frankly, that just adds to the charm most of the time.