All of Me

Yesterday I watched this movie for the 5th or 6th time, now on DVD. Certainly it is one of the most delightful comedies of the 80's. Steve Martin is a lawyer by career and musician by hobby who shares the soul of a selfish millionaire (Lily Tomlin) during an unsuccessful transmigration to the body of the character of Victoria Tennant. The situations are so funny, the magnificent cast is so sharp (specially Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin), that the viewer will certainly love this movie. Please stay watching it until the end of the credits, when you will see Steve Martin falling down while dancing with Lily Tomlin. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Um Espírito Baixou em Mim" ("One Spirit Possessed Me")

"All of Me" does the impossible: it takes two great comic talents (Martin, Tomlin) and not only puts them in the same movie but in the same body!

To watch Martin twist, writhe and convulse as he has to house Tomlin's spirit in his body is hilarious enough but to see one start a sentence and another finish it or verbally spar against each other is a pure delight.

Though Tomlin has little to do, she is more of a verbal comedienne while Martin was always more physical and spastic. Their pairing is genius, as this movie proves time and again.

Funny as it is, you'll get caught up in the story, too. Everyone is treated as an individual and gets to contribute thoughts, personalities and at least one good line and/or scene. Libertini is especially funny as a Hindu mystic ("BIG DOPE!").

Catch "All of Me" as soon as possible. You'll love all of it.

Ten stars.

ALL OF ME (1984) *** Steve Martin, Lily Tomlin, Victoria Tennant, Madolyn Smith, Richard Libertini, Jason Bernard, Dana Elcar, Selma DIamond. Screwball comedy/fantasy that features Martin's true comic genius as a lawyer who becomes the host for a deceased client's spirit, sharing her persona with hilarious results. Martin's physical movements are a stitch and Tomlin is an able foil as the eccentric lost soul. Directed with flair by Carl Reiner.

A transcendental blunder forces a lawyer to share his body with the soul of a crotchety heiress. Carl Reiner's finest work as a director combined the finest performances of stars Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin. Martin is so good in the role that there are moments that we take him seriously as an actor. This is the kind of performance worthy of attention and for fans of Martin's genius, this is one for the books.

Put all thoughts of Sgt. Bilko and The Pink Panther out of your mind: let us remember Steve Martin when he was at the top of his game, an uproariously funny comic with his own special brand of zany physical humour. All Of Me, directed by Carl Reiner, sees Martin starring as Roger Cobb, a struggling lawyer who unwittingly becomes host to the spirit of recently deceased millionairess Edwina Cutwater (Lily Tomlin) after her plan to transmigrate her soul into the body of stableman's daughter Terry (Victoria Tennant) goes terribly wrong.

With Edwina controlling one half of Roger's body, the silver haired comedian is given ample opportunity to showcase his wacky style of comedy and does so with gusto; the result is a memorable central performance from Martin in a consistently funny film that also sees co-star Tomlin on fine form as the lonely rich woman who, in death, learns to enjoy life and who finally makes a friend.

Breezy direction from Reiner ensures a lively pace, the action accompanied by a suitably jazzy score, with comedy highlights including Roger visiting the men's room with a little help from Edwina (tap tap), a hilarious courtroom scene wherein Edwina takes control while Roger sleeps, and a wonderfully silly bedroom scene where Roger attempts to have sex with Terry while Edwina is taking a nap.