Verdict:
You folks know the Taming of the Shrew, by Shakespeare? The “shrew” is a woman who is presented as a b*tch, but some rough-handling by a man turns her into a good little girl. The man and the woman then, of course, fall in love with each other. Supposedly this story already existed in folklore by the time Shakespeare got his hands on it, probably for a while.
That classic story would be torn limb from limb by feminists if it was written today and the feminists would have a point, given the Stockholm-syndrome nature of the plot. And Overboard takes that premise a step further because Goldie Hawn’s character, Joanna, loses her memory and ends up in the power of the guy she offended, who then pretends to be her husband to exact revenge. What prison sentence would this guy be looking at in real life?
It is then all the more impressive that this film manages to make this plot so endearing. Joanna makes a believable and heart-warming journey with genuine growth. Characters and their actions remain believable, because everything is properly developed. The comedy is sharp and well-timed. Overboard is also one of Kurt Russel’s better performances and his character’s many kids are adorable rather than annoying. Hawn and Russel have good chemistry.
It’s a shame the movie uses a simple predictable romantic comedy formula, complete with a liar-reveal bit at the end, when Joanna has to look into her heart to search her true feelings to some sad soundtrack.
Overboard is a delightful and heartwarming comedy, highly recommended for those seeking a light feel-good experience.