Father's Day

Bomb Rating: 

Hollywood executives didn't want to alienate people who feel that biology gives them the right to destroy families years after they've abandoned their children to pursue a life spent chasing cash, tail and crack.

I bet there were a couple different endings considered for this film in which two very different guys, Jack Lawrence (Billy Crystal) and Dale Putley (Robin Williams), search for a boy, Scott (Charlie Hofheimer), both believe to be their son.

Scott's mother, Colette (Nastassja Kinski), tells both they're the father because she wants them to look for Scott after he runs away. By film's end, however, a third person is in the running to claim paternity, prompting Scott to inquire, "Was my mom a whore?" Of course not, Scotty -- she apparently just slept with three men in an extremely short span of time, presumably to celebrate the inauguration of Ronald Reagan or some such thing.

The possibility of an alternative ending arises when Jack and Dale examine Scott's family photographs. It becomes obvious that regardless of biology, Colette's husband, Bob (Bruce Greenwood), is the man who raised Scott. So why even bother looking for the sperm donor? Undoubtedly, sensitive Hollywood executives didn't want to alienate people who feel that biology gives them the right to destroy families years after they've abandoned their children to pursue a life spent chasing cash, tail and crack. What's more, in Hollywood, where most players would sooner give up drinking water than cash, tail and crack, it's never a good idea to slap your investors in the face.

To spread the word about this Father's Day review on Twitter.