Doc Hollywood

Director: Michael Caton-Jones 

Screenplay: Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman

Minutes: 104

Year: 1991

Score: 5.67

Release: Warner Archive

Well the title is misleading, that is for sure. Also, what is with the blatant nude-scene in a romantic comedy? Doc Hollywood works on nearly every level and is a fun movie to share with your adult family.

From WBShop.com:

“Beverly Hills. The most beautiful women in the world. Plastic surgery. What do these three things have in common?” asks Dr. Ben Stone (Michael J. Fox). “Me, in less than a week!” It turns out to be an eye-opening week.

And Doc Hollywood turns out to be a witty charmer. Stone is a newly minted MD whose medical fast-lane cruise takes a small-town detour. Grady, South Carolina, Squash Capital of the South, is home to salt-of-the-earth folks (Julie Warner, Woody Harrelson, Bridget Fonda, David Ogden Stiers, Barnard Hughes) who give the West Coast-bound hotshot the seasoning he lacks.

Doc Hollywood is a surefire prescription for comedy cheer!

I mean, really, come on, why is there nudity in this movie? The only purpose it serves, story-wise, is to show that Lou, Julie Warner, is a strong woman who should be treated no differently than a male counterpart. This plays next to Michael J. Fox’s, Ben, assuming that the ambulance driver is male, when is it is Lou. The movie doesn’t need both. It is an innocent, non-sexual, scene but could be replaced with any number of scenes, any of which would be a trope, but any would work.

I suppose if I am choosing that one moment as my argument then the movie must be pretty good otherwise. Yes, and no. It is a spectacularly average movie. I certainly enjoyed it, but there is little to separate it from the city-dweller in the country or flip-flop movies which work on the basis of rural charm. The fly over country showing its value. This is not a bad thing.

You could do worse. I am mentally scoring Doc Hollywood against Big Business which I think is a bit stronger in theme and execution. But the supporting cast in Doc Hollywood is incredible.

There are lots of great Warner Archive releases coming out, nearly, every week at WBShop.com!

Director: 5 – Cinematography: 4 – Edit: 6 – Parity: 3 – Main performance: 9 – Else performance: 6 – Score: 5 – Sound: 6 – Story: 5 – Script: 8 – Effects: 5 – Design: 6 – Costumes: 5 – Keeps interest: 7 – Lasting: 5