Leading lady Monica Potter and her four model/actress female
co-stars got to party in Vancouver "like a bunch of kids on summer
vacation". They hit night spots non-stop while hottie Freddie
Prinze Jr. worked on his role as a more adult, suave, dark mystery
man; a big departure from his teen hunk parts in "She's All That"
and "Down to You".
In HEAD OVER HEELS, AMANDA PIERCE (Monica Potter) is an art restorer
at the Met in Manhattan. Sure she'll never find Mr. Right, she
devotes her emotions to the paintings she repairsÉto the point
of swooning and getting weak in the knees when she sees one that
really inspires her. While looking for a new apartment, she's
knocked over in the lobby by a huge, amorous Great Dane and his
"doggie sitter" JIM WINSTON, (Freddie Prinz Jr.) a fashion executive
living in the building next door. For the first time a guy, not
a painting, makes Amanda weak in the knees.
Moving in with four gorgeous models, Amanda is thrilled to learn
that Jim lives right across the way, never closes his blinds and
the girls can watch his every move! The models do a high fashion
make-over on Amanda and they all crash Jim's party but he turns
out to prefer her without all the paint and designer duds. The
couple appears to hit it off until, later, during one of the "peeking
at Jim" fests, Amanda is sure she sees him murder one of his female
party guests! When the police find nothing wrong and no corpse,
Amanda's sanity is questioned. Everyone already knows the models
are "loopy" so case closed.
The girls turn fashion diva "Charlie's Angels" as they snoop
and spy on Jim. Amanda continues the romance, all the while watching
her back and learns that her honey isn't at all what he seems.
The investigation throws the roommates into a high fashion world
of crime that includes runways, back alleys and Russian diamond
smugglers. In the end, of course, the couple is back together
and "Head Over Heels".
This is modern Hollywood's attempt at copying one of those classic
screwball action/romance comedies like "Bringing Up Baby" with
Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn. It's a good try but it's kind
of hard to accept Freddie as a suave grown up James Bond type
who can throw knives on target and command "Arnold-style" Russian
thugs. And what is with this new wham, bam, hit the dirt style
of meet and greet in romantic comedies lately? Jennifer almost
gets flattened by a dumpster in "Wedding Planner" and Monica here
is bowled over by a Great Dane! Don't guys just meet gals at a
party anymore? On the other hand, there are several good laughs
and ewwwww-style bathroom jokes that are worth a chuckle. The
models are gorgeous and Freddie looks hunky. Suspense and mystery
is a nice addition to a film like this but this plot takes a limo-length
backseat to the clothes, cute couple and slapstick and gets lost
in the New York shuffle. Everything is wrapped up easily and before
the audience knows what the heck happened.
If you go to this film hoping to see a buff Freddie or a cute
and appealing Monica and some hot models, you won't be disappointed.
If you were hoping to follow a mystery, unravel clues and enjoy
the process, go read a good spy novel.
Now Playing
Rated: PG-13
Directed by: Mark Waters ("The House of Yes")
Screenplay by: Ron Burch and David Kidd from a story by
John J. Strauss and Ed Decter, ("There's Something About Mary")
and Ron Burch and David Kidd
Starring: Freddie Prinz, Jr. as Jim Winston
Monica Potter as Amanda
Shalom Harlow as Jade
Ivana Milicevic as Roxana
Sarah O'Hare as Candi
Tomiko Fraser as Holly
China Chow as Lisa
Official Website: http://www.headoverheels.com
