Steve Martin plays Newton Davis, a big city architect, whose marriage proposal is turned down by his childhood sweetheart Becky (Dana Delany). His proposal included a dream house, which has been sitting empty ever since. But after sharing a one night stand with Gwen, a waitress with a knack for telling lies. Gwen eventually moves into the empty house and convinces the neighbors, including Davis' parents and Becky, that she's his wife. When Davis arrives, he formulates a plan to use Gwen and their fake marriage to win back Becky.
Sure. the plot sounds a little crass, but the actors make it work to a certain degree. Martin, basically playing his 'American everyman' role with a flair for physical comedy, gets some laughs as Davis. But Hawn steals the show, it's her spawn of lies and the sweetness of her character that elevates this movie from being your standard sitcom. But, in spite of the acting, the movie still suffers from a script that lacks a real comedic punch. Too often recycled gags, like Newton's uptight parents and jerk boss, are used to strain humor into otherwise bland proceedings. A movie like this could have used new ideas. (6/10)
