Directed by: Sydney Pollack
Grade: C
Seriously, Tootsie has got to be one of the most over-hyped comedies that I have seen. Considering the film’s 10 Academy Award nominations and it’s induction into the National Film Registry for being ‘culturally significant’, it would seem perfectly apparent that I sat down to watch this film with high expectations. Parts of Tootsie are funny and did make me laugh, but unfortunately, there are just enough awkward moments that made me feel all the more uncomfortable as I reclined in the chair.
The film finds Michael Dorsey, a down-on-his-luck actor who can’t seem to find an acting job. So he dresses up as a woman, Dorothy Michaels, and soon becomes the biggest hit on TV’s latest Soap Opera. Things spiral out of control when Michael, still disguised as Dorothy, falls in love with a co-worker named Julie, and Julie’s father falls in love with Dorothy.
Believe me; Tootsie’s funny moments are sporadically present throughout the film. But from the beginning, I didn’t care for Michael Dorsey as a character, and I also didn’t like how, from beginning to end, the film feels increasingly stagy and artificial in its execution. Tootsie had a lot going for it: a simple, easy-to-follow storyline and a lot of talent in its stars (namely Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange and Bill Murray). But in short, Tootsie is really nothing special, despite all of the acclaim that it has received, and to me, felt nothing more than a secure mixed-bag. C
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