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| Hallmark Hall of Fame DVD "The Makeover" Starring Julia Stiles |
The Makeover
"Hallmark Hall of Fame"
Starring Julia Stiles and David Walton.
*Premieres on Local Station!
Network: ABC
Original Air Date: January 27, 2013
CAST:
Julia Stiles ... Hannah Higgins
David Walton ... Elliot Doolittle
Camryn Manheim ... Colleen Pickering
Frances Fisher ... Allie
Georgia Lyman ... Bonnie
Tony “Tony V” Viveiros ... Frank
Nada Despotovich ... Wilma
Maureen Keiller ... Vivian
Bill Mootos ... Wade Bradbury
Lonnie Farmer ... Humphrey Rossdale
Albert Chan ... Pearce
PLOT:
Hannah Higgins (Julia Stiles) is a smart, driven education consultant. She's so driven she runs for Congress to advance the cause of education reform. Hannah's a disaster of a candidate, though—her cold, elitist persona alienates Boston voters big-time.
Hannah and her business partner, Colleen Pickering (Camryn Manheim), don't give up easily. Next time 'round, they recruit a candidate who definitely is a people person. Elliot Doolittle (David Walton) describes himself rather grandly as a "beer vendor." Translation: he drives a truck and keeps Boston's watering holes well supplied with the frothy stuff.
Elliot—whose thick South Boston accent masks his intelligence—is a diamond-in-the-rough. He's the opposite of prim-and-proper Hannah Higgins, but his total lack of pretension and his obvious people skills allow him to connect instantly with anybody and everybody.
Hannah takes Elliot on as a "project." If she can just teach him to speak like a gentleman, dress like a gentleman, comport himself like a gentleman…why, he might become a gentleman—a gentleman who can run for Congress and win, and then help promote the cause that Hannah holds dear.
Elliot and Hannah are about as oil-and-water as any two people can be. But, as Elliot becomes more "presentable" and Hannah becomes a little less high-falutin', could this be a match made—maybe not in Heaven, but—in Boston?
Movie Review:
The Makeover was a do-over of the movie My Fair Lady with some role reversals. My Fair Lady stars Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Dolittle, but this time around it was actor David Walton as Elliott Dolittle. Henry Higgins became Hannah Higgins (Julia Stiles) this time around and even Colonel Pickering was updated to a female role of Colleen Pickering (Cameron Manheim).
The Makeover used the same “My Fair Lady” format of transforming someone from the lower class of society to a higher class.
On the night that Hannah Higgins looses her bid for Congress, she meets beer vendor Elliott Dolittle and proceeds to belittle him and his improper speech and Boston accent. In spite of that, he humbles himself and comes to her days later seeking her help with improving his speech so he can get a better job through his company.
Hannah again belittles him and turns him away... but as she watches him outside the window and sees how he easily interacts with the people of the community – Hannah develops the idea of giving Elliott a Makeover, teaching him how to properly speak, and run his campaign for Congress.
Is the movie a little far-fetched? Yes. Elliott’s character grows and changes so drastically in appearance and behavior, while Hannah remains mainly just as professional and stiff, as she started. It’s obvious she sees herself as being superior to Elliott and his rough around the edges Sister and money-grubbing Mother – who Hannah tries to pay off.
(SPOILER ALERT)
In the end, Elliott loses his race for Congress, and Hannah goes into a tirade - privately joking with Colleen as to how they can rid themselves of Elliott. Again, she puts him and where he comes from down. This scene revealed to me Hannah’s true superior character and I found no redeeming changing qualities in her throughout the movie. Elliott is way too giving and even forgives her. I personally didn’t see the chemistry between their characters – though they do kiss at the end. To me, too much time was given on failing campaigns instead of developing their characters more fully.
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(END of SPOILER)
All in all... it is a decent movie with no violence, one kiss, and no language, that I recall.
To me... it was one of those movies that leaves no lasting impression, except that it copies another classic beloved film, My Fair Lady, which can never be replaced.
In the end, I do suppose... love conquers all.
See or Skip:
See, if you enjoy seeing all of the Hallmark Hall of Fame Movies.
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*Images and Movie Details via : Hallmark Hall of Fame
This looks and sounds SUPER cute. Love Julia Stiles also. :)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this movie only because of the character Elliot. Hannah had NO redeeming qualities and was a totally rude snob throughout. Unbelievable that he would fall for her in the end.
ReplyDeleteP.S. It's the Commonwealth (not state) of Massachusetts.
Your review on The Makeover was great. I found it to be a slow moving movie and if anything better had been on I probably would have turned it. My husband thought it was so boring he left the room to watch something on another TV. I stuck with it until the end only for Hannah as you said to belittle Elliott again. I was furious this time around and couldn't believe it. I agree with you and anonymous above, Hannah had no redeeming qualities and Elliott was a Saint for forigiving her. She certainly didn't deserve him.
ReplyDeleteI liked the movie. I felt sorry for Hannah, that she had never opened herself up before to life and love. Finally someone, Elliott, was helping her to break out of her shell. I do agree they could have shown this more and gone more in depth with her character, but I liked it. I still had great hope for Hannah and Elliott to finally get together and I was glad when they finally did.
ReplyDeleteAw, so sorry this wasn't a favorite.
ReplyDeleteHow funny because I found Elliott's transformation very believable. I've seen so many movies that WAY overdo this story-line. Usually, the guy is such a diamond in the rough that it makes it implausible that he even could be "transformed." As far as "makeover" scripts go, this is one of the best.
The Makeover is based on the George Bernard Shaw play Pygmalion. My Fair Lady was a Broadway musical based on Pygmalion and later made into a movie with Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison. There was also the 1930's era British file Pygmalion based on the play.
ReplyDeleteThe character's in the Makeover closely resembled those in Pygmalion. Of course the movie was set in our day and age and the roles reversed. The Hannah character was not likable through the course of the movie until the very end. Of course in Pygmalion Higgins is not likable either and is still putting Eliza down right to the very end. Of course secretly he was pining for her, as was Hannah pining for Eliot.
There were parts of the Makeover that were taken right out of Pygmalion. Where Hannah says she treats everyone that way. That is exactly what Higgins said. Also the part where she told Elliot about sitting such low expectations for himself. That is another Higgins quote.
I enjoyed the movie and thought it did a good job of being a modern day Pygmalion. They were interesting characters and it held my attention to the very end always wondering what was going to happen next.
If you get a copy of the book Pygmalion and read it before you watch the Makeover, it makes the movie much more enjoyable to watch.
B O R I N G !!!!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe there are people who enjoyed this movie. Oh my - I guess there is something for everybody.
Hannah was so, well I just couldn't stand the character and when in the world was there ever any chemistry between them - Hannah and Elliott? It just wasn't a great love story to me.
In My Fair Lady, Higgins and Eliza Dolittle do not become romantically involved. There is no kiss. It's simply stated and sung that he has become "Accustomed to her face!" Plus, he seems a bit softer towards Eliza then Hannah ever did toward Elliott.
I just didn't like Hannah - ever, throughout the movie and felt Elliott deserved better. I, too, felt his makeover was rather quick and a bit too much. I think there would be years of preparations to make before running for Congress - on top of his relearning of how to speak the English Language.
However you slice the movie, it was decent, but pretty slow-going throughout. I personally would suggest skipping this one and rent My Fair Lady, instead.
I do not know why some posters are comparing The Makeover to My Fair Lady, when it is based on Pygmalion. There are major difference in the play Pygmalion and the movie musical My Fair Lady. Higgins is never likable in Pygmalion, he is a narcissist and antagonistic towards Eliza to the end. There is no romance between the two. They go their separate ways at the end. Pygmalion is not a love story but about Eliza becoming independent. Hannah came across as Mary Poppins compared to the Pygmalion version of Higgins.
DeleteThey totally changed the ending in My Fair Lady to bring in more sales at the box office, figuring viewers would be turned off by not having a happy romantic ending.
Beware if you do rent My Fair Lady, there is some Language in it.
ReplyDeleteI agree, however, the classic is still and will forever be - the BEST! :)