Dutch (1991)

What makes it different from others?

the audience applauded

Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

Brash working-class Dutch Dooley (Ed O'Neill) attends a high-class party with girlfriend Natalie Standish (JoBeth Williams). She doesn't get along with her rich ex-husband Reed (Christopher McDonald). He's abandoning Thanksgiving with their son Doyle (Ethan Embry) to go to London. Dutch volunteers to drive him home to Chicago from his boarding school in Georgia. He's looking to befriend Doyle who turns out to be an entitled brat disliked by the other kids and a spoiled snob just like his dad. It's a crazy road trip with hookers Brock (Ari Meyers) and Hailey (Elizabeth Daily).John Hughes is trying to write an odd couple road trip. The problem is that neither of these characters are that appealing. Ed O'Neill needs to dial back his brash working stiff mantra and his gruff mannerisms. Somebody should play the straight man and Dutch should probably be that guy. He doesn't have to be a nice guy but he should be some sort of mentor. Once the hookers show up especially with a very young one, the movie's family creds are put in doubt. The comedy suffers from its lack of likability.

Dutch Dooley is the boyfriend of a wealthy, snobbish tycoon's ex-wife. Volunteering to drive her son home for Thanksgiving to Chicago from his boarding school in Georgia, little does Dutch expect the bizarre situations in store for him. When a blunt, down-to-earth construction worker takes to the road with an insufferable twelve-year-old snob, insecure under the surface, who does not approve of him in the least. A lot of ground must covered before they can reach their destination as friends........It's that age old problem isn't it. Rich people automatically thinking that the working class are a bunch of buffoons who wouldn't know Champagne from Cava, but give them the benefit of the doubt because, hey! Rich people shouldn't do labour outs jobs should they?So here we get two kind of road trips, the literal one with all the hi-jinks you'd expect from a film that has the John Hughes name to it, and the metaphorical road trip where they find themselves, and gain a mutual respect for each other, and it's as bland as it sounds.Firstly O'Neill as Dutch had to be one of the most unlikable good guys in the history of a Hughes written movie. We are supposed to side with a fully grown man who leaves a vulnerable child in the middle of nowhere at night? But hey it's okay, the boy is a rich brat. The rich must be punished!!!Embry is your typical Hughes brat. Abhorrent to the last sugar coated embrace, he's as unlikable as the titular character, and we have over an hour of these two on the road, bit picking at one another.Imagine Planes, Trains, and Automobiles with all the charm, wit, intelligence and love taken away, and you have this unfunny ordeal.And it all ends with Christopher Macdonald gaining a serious head injury, oh how I'd live to be working class, you can do anything you like to the other classes, and still be respected........because your a working man.Don't make me laugh.Rubbish.

Yes, John Hughes, the writer and co-producer of this thing, may be clearly recycling "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" to a degree, but this variation still works due to entertaining and endearing characters, and some very good moments along the way. Ed O'Neill is a hoot in the lead role of "Dutch" Dooley, an amiable working class lug dating Natalie Standish (JoBeth Williams), who married into the upper class. Natalie's got a son named Doyle (Ethan Embry, then still using his birth name Ethan Randall) enrolled in a far away prep school, and the kid is a stuck up, insufferable brat with a contempt and hatred for practically the whole world. So the tension is there from the beginning when agreeable Dutch volunteers to drive the kid home to Chicago in time for Thanksgiving. He hates Dutchs' guts at first, but it goes without saying that the journey is going to change not only his opinion of the man but the way he views things. Assorted episodes include Dutch setting off firecrackers in a field, an automobile mishap, Dutch & Doyle hitching a ride with a pair of seemingly benevolent hookers (Ari Meyers, Elizabeth Daily), and the films' highlight, a scene in a homeless shelter. Some of the humour comes from taking a refined individual out of his element as Doyle is obliged to order food at a diner and later is overly neat with his utensils at the shelter (prompting Dutch to come up with the quip, "Would you like to see a wine list?"). Doyle comes to realize that there are good people in the world from all walks of life, and lets go of that pent-up hostility, while also learning the hard truth about his undependable father Reed (Christopher McDonald, once again playing a jerk to perfection). O'Neill and Embry prove to be a good team as we wait for the kids' icy exterior to start melting; Dutch is a basically good, honest, and straightforward man who also helps Doyle finally find the child inside. Lovely scenery from various U.S. locations - in Tennessee, Illinois, and Georgia - is a big plus, as well as Alan Silvestris' music. All in all, this is an appealing road comedy that does deserve a place as a seasonal favourite. Seven out of 10.

DUTCH, in my opinion, is an excellent comedy about an unlikely friendship between a teenage boy and his mother's boyfriend. If you ask me, Doyle (Ethan Randall) was an absolute snob! That kid really need to learn respect! However, in my opinion, every mishap that occurred on his journey home with Dutch (Ed O'Neill) was absolutely hilarious. Before I wrap this up, I'd like to say that everyone was ideally cast, the direction was flawless, and production design was spectacular, and the performances were top-grade. Now, in conclusion, I highly recommend this comedy about an unlikely friendship between a teenage boy and his mother's boyfriend.