30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An Underrated Comedy Starring Tom Hanks & Shelley Long, March 13, 2003
"The Money Pit" is an underrated, romantic, slapstick comedy telling the story of an unmarried couple that unwittingly decides to purchase a large house in dire need of repair. The couple, Walter Fielding, Jr. (Tom Hanks) and Anna Crowley Beissart (Shelley Long), have a strong relationship until Anna's former husband, Max Beissart (Alexander Godunov), returns to claim the apartment where they have been living in NYC. Being forced to move, Walter and Anna decide to purchase a house and find what they believe is a dream house being sold by a seemingly eccentric widow, Estelle (Maureen Stapleton), in Long Island. Walter and Anna hurriedly purchase the house and move in. However, after a series of mishaps, they soon discover that their dream house has a number of problems. Having both invested a sizeable amount of their savings into the house, Walter and Anna have no choice except to hire contractors with dubious reputations to repair the problems.
Anyone who has dealt with home repair issues (as I have) will no doubt identify with the trials and tribulations endured by Walter and Anna. Of course, many of the mishaps they experience in the film are exaggerated but very memorable, including the falling staircase, the crashing bathtub and the exploding kitchen. Naturally, stress resulting from the amount of money invested, the various mishaps and the prolonged loss of privacy due to the presence of many construction workers severely tests Walter and Anna's relationship. Max's presence as conductor of the symphony where Anna performs as a violinist doesn't help matters either.
Being an exceptional actor, Tom Hanks did an excellent job with his portrayal of Walter, ranking equally with his performances in "Splash" (1984), "Big" (1988) and "Joe Versus the Volcano" (1990). Shelley Long's performance is also quite good. Other memorable characters in the film include the Shirk Brothers (the dubious contractors): Art Shirk (Joe Mantegna) and Brad Shirk (Carmine Caridi); as well as construction foreman Jack Schnittman (Josh Mostel). Sadly, when the film was released in 1986, it was snubbed by critics and earned poor box office receipts. Admittedly, the film is not perfect, but I rate "The Money Pit" with a very strong 4 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good slapstick comedy or to anyone contemplating the purchase or renovation of a house. The film also has a strong and simple lesson: buyer beware.
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely Great!, October 4, 2003
One of the best screwball comedy/romance movies of the last 20 years. Finally on DVD after a long standing dispute with its famous director.
Shelly Long gives what is likely the best performace of her career, she actually carries Tom Hanks, who also puts in a good performance.
People who dont like this movie seem to take it too seriously, not expecting screwball gags from the likes of Hanks and Long. Once you embrace this movie for what it is, every moment is pure comic genius.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
SCENES MISSING, July 24, 2005
I love this movie, but in the DVD version there are some scenes that are missing. The entire sequence where they spend there first night in the house and actually break the step is totally left out! Also the scene with the trees falling is cut short. Those were the two I noticed but there may be more. Why do studios do this? It is a total letdown to fans.
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