Welcome to Mooseport is one of those comedies that fit into the ‘isn’t really a comedy’ category. It’s a movie with a lighter tone but isn’t really going after the big laughs. Mooseport is one where if you ask someone about it they say, “it was kind of cute,” as long as they didn’t spend $9 at the theater and it was a rental. Reviewers call this a fluff comedy, in the likes of My Fellow Americans with James Garner and Jack Lemmon.
Surprising is that the stellar cast never really makes use of their outstanding talent. This is Ray Romano’s first movie and in his attempt to play his character unlike his TV personae he comes across bland. Gene Hackman walks through his lines as the ex-President coming to live in his summer home after a brutal divorce from the First Lady. A little chuckle comes from the small town politics rule of playing rock, paper, scissors instead of flipping a coin to decide who’s first in local debates. This is the most memorable of Mooseport’s jokes. Maura Tierney, Christine Baranski, Marcia Gay Harden, Rip Torn, and Fred Savage round out the main cast.
In all fairness. It was enjoyable to watch. The movie wasn’t bad. It wasn’t good either. This is a Sunday afternoon rental for when you want to sit and veg out. If you go in not expecting to laugh you’ll have a more enjoyable experience.
This was a Short But Sweet Review
