Customer Reviews

Doc Hollywood

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This film is the perfect offbeat movie for a lazy summer afternoon. Michael J. Fox and the supporting cast create a sense of place and time where the lowly squash is king (or it queen?). Fox loses his way in the Carolinas as he travels to Lotus Land for a new job as a plastic surgeon. A good movie to remind you what is important in life - pigs, kudzu, and a Porsche Speedster. It is such a lovely little film that the DVD presentation should be a crime. The picture quality is horrible and it is not letterboxed. No trailers, director's comment (which would have been GREAT), or added features. Just the movie, nothing extra. It appears some distributor's ten-year-old son was learning to burn a DVD for the first time and was given this as a project. Somebody should be ashamed. It's like serving a Heineken in a dirty baby bottle. Warner Brothers clearly dropped the ball on this. Loved the movie. Hated the DVD.

When future film critics decide to analyze the career of Michael J. Fox, they will likely say his talents were best suited to television, with an acknowledgement that he did star in the BACK TO THE FUTURE series. This will be a shame, as Fox has been an ingratiating, very enjoyable actor to watch, in most of his films, and DOC HOLLYWOOD is one of his best roles.

As breezy, fast-talking Washington, D.C. surgeon Dr. Ben Stone, who dreams of making big money doing plastic surgery in Hollywood, but finds his true calling as a general practitioner in a small southern hamlet, Fox is so 'right' that you can't imagine any other actor in the role. After a minor traffic accident enroute to California forces him to do 'public service' in fictional Grady, South Carolina, taking on much of the workload of a crusty old local physician (the always enjoyable Barnard Hughes), Stone becomes the 'talk' of the town, and rustic but wise Mayor Nick Nicholson (David Ogden Stiers, in one of his most engaging performances), starts 'selling' the joys of country life to the cosmopolitan young doctor. A quilt with 'magical' powers provides a nude vision of the girl he's destined to love, 'Lou' (Julie Warner), who turns out to be working at his office; his hormone-fueled pursuit of her, and her pragmatic 'indifference' to his flirtations make their gradual romance edgy and fun to watch.

In a town full of colorful characters, two 'stars in the making' stand out; Woody Harrelson, as 'Lou's' suitor, Hank Gordon, a country variation of his bartending character from 'Cheers', talks dumb but has a knack for selling, only lacking a place to make big money at it; and Bridget Fonda, as Mayor Nicholson's oversexed but 'out of place' daughter, hopes Stone will take her away to the bright lights of Hollywood. Both stars are terrific in their supporting roles, and show the charisma that would lead them to stardom.

DOC HOLLYWOOD is full of charming vignettes, from Stone vicariously reading the mail for an illiterate farm couple, to being paid for services rendered with a rather large pig, who ultimately becomes his 'pet'. The film abounds in warm comic touches that are guaranteed to bring a smile!

With a very funny cameo by George Hamilton, as the Hollywood plastic surgeon Stone dreams of working with, DOC HOLLYWOOD hits all the right notes for a terrific entertainment. My only complaint about the film is that it was actually filmed in Florida; as a South Carolina resident, I can attest that MANY of our small towns could have doubled quite nicely for Grady...

DOC HOLLYWOOD is a film I'm proud to have in my collection!

I normally cannot watch movies on airplanes for some reason. I first saw "Doc Hollywood" on the grueling Boston-LA flight, and it immediately captured and held my interest for the entire flight. More than anything, that fact illustrates that this is a truly engaging flick. This is a genuinely funny movie. One thing that this movie does is lay to rest any doubts anyone might have had about Michael J. Fox's acting ability. In my opinion he turns in a stellar performance, albeit supported by fine jobs by the supporting cast. The part where he finally goes to LA is absolutely hysterical, by the way.

The story is very simple (no spoilers here). The protagonist (Michael J. Fox) is on his way to a job interview for a position as a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills. He has an accident in a small Southern town ("Grady") and is sentenced to several hundred hours of community service. The town needs a doctor, and its real purpose is to recruit him as a permanent resident physician. Naturally, Doc meets a nice girl and now the choice is between money as a big-shot LA plastic surgeon and lifestyle in a nice rural setting. There's a lot more. I won't spoil it for you. Doc's slow assimilation into the town of Grady is wonderfully done. This movie manages to be both touching and funny, and I say this as one who is normally not much for comedy or date flicks.

Michael J. Fox shows in this movie that he had the potential to go far, as indeed he did.

Love this movie. Seen it several times. But won't be purchasing the dvd until I can get it in widescreen.

I had this DVD for a while, and thought I'd come here and comment on how awful the transfer is. I've seen better quality on normal TV without a cable/sat. Connection. The picture is extremely dark in the hospital scene in the beginning. Then there is a lot of grain and I've seen wood with less grain. The grain makes the scene even darker then it should be. Then when he's out of the hospital and on the road, the grain is still very noticeable. I love the movie, but this DVD is just horrible. Sadly there aren't any features on the disc either, so buying the VHS is so much better if you actually like this movie.

Transfer 0.5/5
Audio 3/5
Features 0/5

I really hope that the studio that released this film decides to re-release it and do a better job at it. It's not even worth the cheap price.

When is this dvd going to be out in a Widescreen version? I really like this film and thought this was some of Fox's best work.

This is going to be a very short but to the point review. This movie is just great. A lot of fun and laughs filmed in an environment that makes you wish you could be there. A real town with real people so "down home and honest" you'll find yourself looking on the map for this place. Truely a magical experience you'll enjoy again and again.

There are two points that you should note before you buy this DVD. First, there is one nude scene. Second, the production quality has not been enhanced, and there are no special features on this DVD.

HOWEVER, I love this movie. Michael J. Fox is hilarious as well as convincing. The supporting cast is beautifully quirky, deceptively complex and interesting. There is a stunning contrast between the Washington DC hospital where Dr. Stone completes his training (violent & tumultuous), the small southern town that he is trying to escape (serene & friendly) and the LA plastic surgery practice that he wants to join(cold & impersonal).

While serving as the small town's GP, he learns through his interactions with the locals that living in a peaceful town is a quality of life choice - not a horrible fate for those that don't know better. I can watch this one over and over.

How long will we have to wait for this classic to be released in widescreen?

With its "hardened city boy recognizes what is important in life" plot, as predictable as that might be, I found this movie to be warm, funny, and poignant. It fits my general criteria defining a good movie in that the lead characters were likeable with a good chemistry, the story is sufficient to keep my attention, and it has a happy ending. I have always enjoyed the romantic comedy genre and this movie fits the mold well.

The chemistry between Michael J. Fox and Julie Warner is good and the interplay with the other characters (played by David Ogden Stiers, Barnard Hughes, etc.) is enjoyable to watch. Coupled with the small town setting in rural GA, its simple truths and more relaxed view of life are vaguely reminiscent of the old Andy of Mayberry TV show - and that's not a bad thing.

While not the type of movie that ever receives critical recognition, this movie is simply a pleasure to watch. It does something I find all too rare in the films that tend to be recognized in the "let's-give-ourselves-another-award-for-making-a-deep-dark-and-brooding-film" world of the awards shows - Doc Hollywood left me feeling good and I enjoyed the time I spent watching it. Some would call this solely a "chick flick" but I grade it as a good, light romance for all and a DVD that's a must in your collection for those days when you just feel a desire to watch something "happy".