On C List of Movie Reviews
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Changes (1991)
Rate:
8
Viewed:
6/21
6/21:
Partly Rebecca but mostly Danielle Steel, Changes is an absorbing romantic drama telefilm that's sometimes
overwhelmed by the large number of people involved.
Because of the high production values, great fashion sense, and impressive-looking people, I can't help but feel the
similarities to Alfred Hitchcock's sumptuous pictures. Think of Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, James Stewart, and Kim Novak, the
clothes they wore, and the elegant in/exterior setups.
It's all wonderful, but they're, I hate to say this, heavily drenched in white privilege, especially when the wife's Hispanic maid left
her family in New York City for California to serve the other family's needs. I have a big problem with it. Plus, how can
she handle that many people on top of the huge mansion? Melanie and Peter need a team of salaried helpers.
The story is engrossing. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to how long to get married after the initial meeting, but
I think Melanie and Peter dove into it too quickly because they (mostly he) felt so good at that moment when they should've
taken the time to get know to each other first. Of course, the quick adjustment has become too much for the children, and I
can't blame them.
As good as the movie is, there are too many people at once. I don't want to say it's the director's fault because
Changes was a telefilm that's meant to be roughly ninety minutes long plus commercials. It's a tough task, trying to
juggle everybody at once and making sure each person's issue is fully addressed. The last twenty minutes is unbelievable
as the separate sets of children, all of a sudden, decide to get along.
There are some events that appear out of nowhere with a few of them not receiving proper closure. The abortion stuff between
Val and Mark is shocking; I expected more from them and wondered if it constituted incest. The doctor seems to have
moved on fairly well from the death of his patient Marie Dupres because of the heart transplant rejection. At the same
time, there's a small follow-up of Melanie's difficult transition at work.
Cheryl Ladd and Michael Nouri give the strongest performances, and both are excellent. I still can't get over his uncanny
resemblance to Steven Bauer. One thing I like, which is rare for a couple in movies, is that Michael Nouri is tall as
compared to Cheryl and the height difference is frequently exploited. The kids aren't bad. I'm surprised to see
Jerry Seinfeld's mother in the role of a baddie; now, I can see Liz Sheridan doing plenty of
horror movies. Flowers in the Attic would've been a perfect fit for her.
All in all, no matter what the negatives are, Changes is enjoyable, thanks to Cheryl Ladd and Michael Nouri.