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Tuesday, January 25, 2011

All of Me (released in 1984) - a fantasy comedy starring Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin

This romantic comedy stars Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin along with Victoria Tennant in the lead roles. This film is based on the book “Me Too” by Edwin Davis. Directed by Carl Reiner, All Of Me is considered to be one of the best works of Steve Martin.
Martin plays Roger Cobb, an upmarket New York attorney who moon lights as a Jazz Musician. He has a well to do law practice and is dating his boss's daughter. Roger wants more out of his life but his girlfriend and his boss keep him on a tight leash. His uneventful life changes when he is summoned to an eccentric, spoilt millionairess, Edwina Cutwater's house. Edwina is terminally ill and requests Roger to make her last will and testament.
Edwina plans to transfer her spirit on to the youthful body of Terry, her stableman's daughter with the help of Prahka Lakha, an eastern swami who specializes in tantra. But all the planning fails as Roger comes during the transference ceremony and Edwina ends up in Roger's body. So with two spirits vying for control, Roger on the left and Edwina on the right, a laugh riot ensues.



With two crazy ditsy spirits in one body things become complicated, it is definitely hilarious to watch Roger and Edwina trying to walk out the body, Edwina trying to control the courtroom when Roger's spirit sleeps, when Roger is with his abrasive girlfriend and the most hilarious one is Roger trying to relieve himself in the mens bath room. These scenes are vintage Steve Martin and needs to be kept alive for future generations to come.
As Edwina and Roger fight for control, Roger's life go downhill. He looses his job and his girl friend leaves him. With that comes a sense of liberation and he is free to be the Jazz musician he wants to be. Soon a truce is signed and slowly Edwina also finds that she likes him. This “like” turns to love, but things get murkier as Terry the waif turns out to be Terry the gold digger. Never believing the soul transference business Terry soon tries to usurp Edwina's fortune and it is up to the split up duo to put an end to her evil designs.
Roger unmasks Terry's intentions and faced with the prospect of jail, Terry decides to move in to a near by horse's body and enables Edwina to get in to hers. Roger and Edwina get married to enjoy her limitless fortune for days to come.
This movie was a box office success and opened to rave reviews. The performances are top notch and Steve Martin outstrips all actors by a mile. Lily Tomlin and Steve Martin were nominated for the Golden Globes for her role as Edwina Cutwater and Roger Cobb. Steve Also won the best actor award from the National society of film critics and the New York Film Critics Circle. The humor may be little far fetched towards the end, but the split personality scenes itself make the movie worth while.

All of Me (released in 1984) - a fantasy comedy starring Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin

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