Doc Hollywood (1991)

This is How Movies Should Be Made

Stylish but barely mediocre overall

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Dr. Benjamin Stone (Michael J. Fox) leaves the manic E.R. of Washington Presbyterian Hospital for the moneyed world of Hollywood plastic surgery. He's driving his 1956 Porsche Speedster when he gets lost on a detour. He crashes into a fence while avoiding cows in the road. The fence is owned by the judge and he gets sentenced to 32 hrs of community service at the hospital. He falls for ambulance driver single mom Lou (Julie Warner). Hank Gordon (Woody Harrelson) is her suitor. Mayor Nick Nicholson (David Ogden Stiers) is eager to talk Ben into staying with the elderly Dr. Hogue looking to retire.This one follows the formula and I've never seen anything wrong with that from rom-coms. It relies heavily on the ample charms of Michael J. Fox and there's nothing wrong with that either. Julie Warner makes a memorable introduction. The town is filled with likable quirky folks and a pig. This is a solid fun affair.

Once again Hollywood doctors a person's life so they end up wanting to get married and reproduce, rather than being happy as a rich person living near the beach. I know plenty of unmarried people who are happy with their lives, but Hollywood makes them look like they must be miserable selfish sociopaths who just want to chase a dollar and live shallow self serving lives.The only Doc Hollywood obvious from this film is Hollywood itself, where these types of films are plentiful and the audiences who buy them are also plentiful since they want to "feel good" (as they are told what to feel good about).Ironically, these films are made by wealthy producers and directors just wanting to chase a dollar (and many sexual partners in most cases)by telling other people what to do with their lives. "Do what I say and not what I do" (so I can have your money and that of your offspring I told you to have).These producers tell unmarried people they are socially unacceptable if they don't want a husband/ wife and kids- telling their relatives to pressure them into getting all of the above STAT (like the old women in this movie do with MJ fox's character). They also tell you that you need someone else attached to you by marriage to be whole and happy, thus women stuck by abusive men in the past and now.Thanks Doc Hollywood.

Dr. Benjamin Stone (Michael J. Fox) has just finished his residency in the DC area and, now, is off to the big bucks in Beverly Hills! You see, the young croaker has an appointment with a famous plastic surgeon (George Hamilton) to become a member of his staff. There is little doubt in Stone's mind that he will be chosen because "he's not just anybody". But, as he begins the long journey with his Porsche, some construction and other rural hazards makes him lose his way. When he almost hits come cows crossing a road, he steers his auto into the fence of the local judge, totally destroying it. In return, the judge sites Ben for reckless driving and sentences him to 32 hours of service at the local hospital. Our Ben is livid! After securing another interview in California at a later date, Stone reluctantly begins his obligation in a town he describes as hee-haw hell. But, amazingly, it might not be as bad as the city doc thinks. First, the mayor (David Ogden Stiers) welcomes him with open arms and the town folk make a big fuss over Stone, too, hoping he might stay, since their resident physician, Doc Hoag (Barnard Hughes) is old. Then, a hotshot mechanic, Mel (Mel Winkler) fixes his precious car. Most importantly, a local gal who drives the hospital ambulance, Lou (Julie Warner) is a lovely divorcée with looks and smarts. Almost before they can believe it, these two are in an undeclared love. Will Ben be making the trip to California after all? This is a lovely and funny romance from over 20 years ago that is still fresh and appealing. Fox, naturally, is a charming comedian and the other cast members listed above as well as Woody Harrelson and Bridget Fonda are most delightful. The small city and its surroundings are rustic beauties while costumes, photography, script and direction are most worthy. Make an appointment with this Doc, y'all, you will be glad you did.

Doc Hollywood is a film purpose built to allow Michael J Fox to be likable (if a little smug) in quirky surroundings, it also has some bizarre inexplicable nudity that is odd in what would otherwise be a PG 13 family flick.Fox is Ben Stone, a young hotshot surgeon waylaid momentarily in the sleepy small town of Grady ("Squash capital of the South!") on the way to LA to apply for a more cushy yet higher paid job as a plastic surgeon… he also plans to learn to surf.But alas for Stone a fence related automobile accident lands him in trouble, 32 hours of community service as the local doctor's replacement trouble.Now Stone is temporarily locum-ing for a cantankerous long time local doc who is laid up, and while the local townsfolk lay out the red carpet the staff of the hospital do not. The matron is particularly unsociable and by the book, and the ambulance driver Lou – who never gets a job for the duration of the film – is matter of fact once she realises that Stone is merely temping.Now it should be mentioned that Lou (Julie Warner) is a lady, she is also responsible for the inexplicable nudity earlier on. She twigs pretty quickly that Stone sees her as 'something to do' while he is in town and spurns his every smarmy advance. A bet with a local only serves to increase Stone's wooing two-fold.Meanwhile another local vacuous Paris-like gold digger played by Bridget Fonda is openly willing to do anything in order to get out of town and sees Stone as a well presented, four foot 6 ticket out of town.What follows is the typical quirky fare that seem to populate these films while the formerly arrogant and single-minded lead character learns where he truly belongs. He is given a pig in lieu of payment for his services, has various amusing adventures and encounters with patients and locals including Woody Harrelson as a rival suitor for Lou's affections… and all the while the local pageant and highlight of the year is a comin'.This is entirely formulaic fare, but dammit Michael J Fox was just so damn likable at this time of his career that it is hard to… well… not like him in this. And because he is the guy on the poster and there are enough cute moments (and unexpected nudity) along the way it makes Doc Hollywood difficult to hate.Even with all that said this was a 5.5 until the final minute or so, in a scene set in LA someone asks "Is that a star?" and Woody Harrelson's character replies offscreen "No, that's Ted Danson". For some reason that cracked me up so much that I was still chuckling half way through the credits.If getting the ending right is half the battle in a film that 5 second exchange nailed it for me, and pushed Doc Hollywood up to a "Worthwhile" 6. And if I'm wrong then it's just a harmless and likable unambitious flick with a bit of tit, and that's not bad either.Final Rating – 6 / 10. Not much to recommend, but nothing much to put you off watching it either.