ElMaruecan82
I saw "She's Out of Control" when I was a kid, every Saturday Night featured a comedy, and in the early 90's, they were all from the 80's. I can say I saw at least three films with each of Richard Pryor, John Candy, Dudley Moore, Chevy Chase, Dan Ayrkryod or Gene Wilder before I could see one of Pacino, De Niro or Nicholson. Those were the days, I never missed a Saturday comedy, and "She's Out of Control" was twice promising, the second value was that it starred Tony Danza and "Who's the Boss" was still airing. That was an offer I couldn't refuse.And I enjoyed the film. To my defense, I was only ten. I saw the film when I was twice the same age and well, I enjoyed it in the sense that it reminded me of the good old days… and that I could spot Matthew Perry in his baby-faced pre-Friends years, and well, it was a time without the Internet, without any Netflix, where VHS stores still existed (how would I have gotten the film otherwise?) so the film could take two hours of my life. You see where I'm coming from?Indeed, a few years later, as an IMDb member, I went to the film's board, one of the threads gave me a link to the then Siskel & Ebert's website and I could have a taste of their own opinions. The film is infamous for having made Ebert's Most Hated List and for having encouraged Siskel to quit his job if it wasn't for the providential "Say Anyhing", seen the same day. Not only did they hate the film but they hated the experience of watching the film, and hated the insult on people's intelligence that it represented. I never saw the film again… but curiosity won over me and I finally saw it to check how bad it was.Well, I don't think it's bad as much as it's wrong. Wrong is the right word, and even when it grabs a few timid laughs, they're still addressed to rather creepy situation. Ebert and Siskel pointed out that the father's obsession with his daughter was driven to very pervert corners, especially when he first sees her steeping down the stairs with that short white dress and the "Venus" music, there's a level of eroticization of a teenager that ceases to be disturbing when you know the actress was 20, but in the context, she's 15, it doesn't get better.The problem isn't that the father's obsession is creepy, but in the fact that the script actually proves him right in a twisted way. Once she becomes pretty (of course, all she had to do was get rid of braces and glasses, typical ugly duckling makeover Hollywood cliché), she collects boyfriends like heels from a repulsive buyer. I used to find the first montage of boyfriends lining up on the door funny, now it's not even funny, it's creepy, especially when it gets to the point of a father needing to make an appointment to see his girl. There might be at one small moment of truth within the chaos, when Katie admits it's a phase because she never got used to appeal to boys and when her father warns her about using her pretty face as a weapon. There could be a powerful moment like when Elizabeth Taylor says in "Butterfield 8": "Face it Ma, I was the slut of all time". The ugly 'word' is never uttered but it doesn't fool us as Katie breaks every record on that level. But the film never attacks the core of the problem, it never even tries to handle her attitude as a problem, it makes it the Dad's problem. And all it takes is to try to win his daughter's trust, get along with the boyfriends (well-played actually). So the film involves a subplot with some therapist and writer played by Wallace Shawn. He gives all the proper advice for Doug but even by suspending my disbelief, the film surrendered to the idiotic formula. There's a moment where Katie asks her Dad about the "right time" and all Doug does is quoting a whole paragraph from the book.That's symptomatic of a desperate screenplay that would rather treat its material in sitcom fashion than sacrifice feeble attempts of laughs in order to provide a real father-and-daughter moment. And even the quoting made no sense once you get to know Doug, he's creepy but he's not an imbecile, he would know his daughter enough not to give her a church sermon. I have an unlimited patience with movies with nostalgic value but I don't like these cringe-worthy moments. I pointed out similar flaws in another 80's flick "Like Father, Like Son" where the father started behaving like a kid when impersonating a teenager. The moment that got on the critics' nerve used to be the one I remembered the most, Amy Dolenz running in a way it might have inspired "Baywatch" and Danza looking at the looks of men, as if they were indeed obsessed by her body. The music playing is the "Oh Yeah" from Ferris Bueller. This part is all wrong again. It is wrong for Danza to sexualize her daughter. It is wrong for the movie to show that he might be right to feel that way, and it is wrong that she'd think there's nothing wrong with attitude, yet it's all plain wrong. So, how to put it? "She's Out of Control" reminds me of that "hang in there" cat in the poster, the film is the cat, the rope is nostalgia. But for nostalgia's sake, I'd rather remember Tony Danza as Tony Micelli than Doug Simpson, father of teenager Katie (Ami Dolenz in the movie), so this is one instance where I'd let the cat fall.
Predrag
Kinda dated movie. If you didn't grow up then or live during that period as a teen or older you would probably think what a gross bunch of people. Anyway, this was kind of a TV-like movie. Some girl who looks like Tawyna Harding decides to get contact lenses, her hair done, and remove her braces... you know.. to become "beautiful" (like all people with glasses and braces are just hideous). Boys start to notice her. Her dad has a hard time as he is a single dad. The ending had a decent moral premise I guess... but honestly all that sex and sex ed stuff... obsession back then with kids and parents was just that... an obsession. It was blown out of proportion as everyone wanted to break some taboo of talking about sex. So they just over talked it. It was nonsense. It was silly, but fun for those who are going into high school to watch.Your belly will ache from laughter after watching this hilarious movie from the 80's. This movie takes me back to my youth. Also this was Tony Danza at the peak of his popularity. Danza does get a little wacky in the movie, but that's part of its charm. There are a lot of funny scenes in this movie including the scenes with that mastermind Dr. Fishbinder and etc. Young Matthew Perry is in it too, but only had a minor role. All in all, this is one of my top favorite movies of all time and really takes me back to my childhood. Don't take it too seriously just let the movie take you back to a happier time and enjoy the laughs! Overall rating: 8 out of 10.
personalinjuryesquire
As a fellow Texan of Tony Danza, I have a natural affinity for movies about life on a farm. This movie does not disappoint. Danza's performance is one for the ages. I would say the ages of 6 through ten years old. Although I loved the movie, I had a hard time following the complex story-line. Danza's portrayal of a father trying to control his daughter (hence the clever movie title) ranks up there with Olivier, Brando and Kutcher. How this movie did not get Oscar consideration is beyond me. I would warn that Danza's character does launch into profanity laced tirades quite often. This is a great movie for the whole family. I have two movies that I play endlessly for my two month old: The Godfather Two and She's Outta Control. Enrich your lives, enrich your worlds and enrich Tony Danza's pocket, buy this movie. I prefer the video version over the DVD version because of the better audio and visual qualities.Thoughts and prayers out there who do not see this gem!
