A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

Wanda is a classic that paved the way for movies like There's Something About Mary, and a movie that truly displays Kevin Kline's wide array of skills. This is the story of four ridiculously comical jewel thieves who are constantly double-crossing each other. The humor in Wanda verges on being too British, which makes sense since John Cleese was the director, but thankfully, it does not cross the line. The jokes are a little old fashioned, a little late '80s, but that also makes sense since the movie premiered in 1988. All that said, I really liked this movie, I thought it was hysterical throughout. Jamie Lee Curtis is classic as Wanda, John Cleese is hilarious, everyone in this movie does a great job. Kevin Kline is amazing as Otto, the scheming American. His performance is a tour de force, one that won Kline an Oscar. I am having difficulty finding any problems with this movie. I suppose that the entire plot is mildly ridiculous, and like I said, the humor verges on being too Limey, but Wanda walks that line perfectly. I imagine that if I had seen this movie as an adult in 1988, I would have thought it one of the funniest things I have ever seen. As I mentioned, it is a little behind the time, but a classic never dies. My wife was not interested in watching this movie, and while she would not have enjoyed it the way I did, I think she would have liked it. All told, I give A Fish Called Wanda 3 and a half stars.