Movie Review: Overboard (1987)

The plot of the original Overboard makes me uncomfortable because of the unethical misogyny. A man takes in a woman who has lost her memory and tricks her into being the perfect housewife. If you like cheesy 80’s comedies and you can overlook this flaw, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell have enough charisma and chemistry to make this movie salvageable. Otherwise, you can skip this and be fine. 

Don’t get me wrong, I did not hate this movie, but there are bits that make me uncomfortable. I don’t agree with how they treated Goldie Hawn’s character at the start of her kidnapping. While it might be excusable because she was a nightmare at the start of the film, it was a bit excessive and mean. It is also problematic that a woman who has never worked a day in her life learns instinctually how to be the perfect mother and housewife over a period of a couple of days. If the acting in this movie wasn’t as good as it is, I wouldn’t have finished this movie. I don’t know how it compares to the remake, but I am glad they did the gender swap. This movie would not be successful with a modern audience. 

If you like cheesy 80’s movies, this one is fine. This movie has a very specific audience, and if you aren’t in that group, I wouldn’t bother looking it up. That said, you can watch it for free on YouTube.