Overboard (2018)

Love them or hate them, Hollywood is always going to find something to remake. And when they can't do that, they'll remake a remake - or at the very least retool an old concept while changing very little. Such is the case with 2018's version of the 80s comedy Overboard or Overboard 2018 as I like to call it because it sounds like a Sci-fi film. Featuring Eugenio Derbez as the amnesiac rich jerk with Anna Faris filling the shoes of the struggling middle-class American parent of three girls, the film has its charms and is better than expected and more than a simple gender-swap gimmick. But it doesn't push itself to be more than it is and fails to cash in on the comedic talents of Faris.

Leonardo (Eugenio Derbez) is a member of Mexico's richest family who owns one of the world's largest construction supply companies - although he doesn't do any actual work. Kate (Anna Faris) is a single mother of three girls struggling to make ends meet while she completes her nursing school degree so she can provide for her family. After getting stiffed on a cleaning bill by Leonardo, Kate's hit with the news that she's not going to have anyone to watch the kids while she studies and takes her exams. After too much partying, Leonardo falls off his yacht and ends up in the hospital with amnesia. To even the score and get a little help around the house, Kate and her friend Theresa (Eva Longoria) cook up a scheme for Kate to masquerade as Leonardo's wife with three children and no money. 

If you're at all familiar with the original Goldie Hawn-Kurt Russel Overboard, then you pretty much know exactly what to expect story-wise from Overboard 2018. Major plot points and positioning are exactly the same. The only differences are slight changes in circumstances. Beyond the obvious gender-swapping of the leads, the film pushes up the idea of the soft-handed rich boy going to work in construction working on another rich guy's luxury pool where he learns the value of a hard day's work. That's really the only big thematic difference here. He learns to become a parent, learns to cook meals for others, and he learns to take responsibility for the first time in his life. 

In addition to not being anything new or too exciting, the biggest issue of Overboard 2018 is its failure to fully capitalize on Faris' natural comedic talents. She's largely static here playing the straight man to Derbenz's silliness. For an actress capable of making nervous uncomfortable situations funny, it's unfortunate that the script didn't find room to use that talent. In fact, most of her motivation for having Leonardo in her home is completely forgotten through most of the movie. You forget that she's going to nursing school. You forget she's cash-strapped and is about to be evicted. These are great situations where Faris could have shown her own range but wasn't able to. Had Overboard 2018 gone all the way and used its two leads fully beyond being a rehash of a familiar scenario, this film actually could have been worthwhile rather than innocuous.

While it is easy to dismiss Overboard 2018 outright, I'd be lying if I didn't say that I actually had a good time with this one. By no means is it a great movie, but it is charmingly innocent enough to be unoffensive. Where the film thrives is with Derbez and his manic doofus Leonardo. He brings a crazy caffeinated energy to the part that doesn't reach the point of irritating. He's got great comedic timing and the film uses his abilities to its benefit. He and Faris have great chemistry together and it's easy to see that the cast as a whole had a great time together. It's not a waste of time. I had fun. It's just very obvious that it could have been a better film than it is. If all you want is uncomplicated fun, you'll get it. But you won't get much of anything else. 

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray

Overboard washes onto Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate in a two-disc Blu-ray + DVD + Digital set. The discs are housed in a two-disc eco-friendly case with identical slipcover artwork. The disc loads to trailers for upcoming Lionsgate releases before arriving at an animated main menu with traditional navigation options. 

Overboard features a pretty standard clean and glossy modern 2.39:1 1080p transfer. Clarity is strong throughout allowing you to appreciate facial features and details - including a tattoo of a famous cartoon mouse. Colors are bright and cheery with bright and bold primaries. Yellows and greens are particularly strong as the film make the most of the British Columbia, Canada coastline that substituted for Oregon. Flesh tones are even and healthy. Black levels and contrast are on point with black levels enjoying a nice inky presence, but there are rarely any truly dark scenes as much of the film plays out in the bright full light. Thankfully there is a nice sense of three-dimensional depth to the image. The only trouble spots surround some pretty obvious digital work where the image can flatten a little and softness creeps in, but thankfully they're relatively brief. All in all, this is a nice transfer for an uncomplicated looking film.

Overboard features a strong and effective English/Spanish DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio mix. Most of the comedic hijinks are confined to dialog and the film is crystal clear. You never struggle to hear what is being said even against some of the louder music chosen to for certain scenes. When the film is quieter and more conversational, the mix can feel a bit front/center with only slight surround activity. But when and where it counts, with scenes with a lot of movement, the surrounds open up filling the soundscape nicely. Levels are spot on without any need for adjustment. Like the video transfer, this is a clean and good mix for an undemanding film. 

While not a huge hit when it reached theaters, it's nice to see that a halfway decent assortment of bonus features has been assembled for Overboard. A lot of it is basic stuff, but it is informative and you do get a sense that the filmmakers and cast were genuinely trying to bring some new stuff to the show - even if it isn't always obvious in the final product.

Audio Commentary Featuring writer/director Rob Greenberg, writer Bob Fisher, and producer Benjamin Odell. Overall this is a pretty decent commentary. It's a bit basic and by the numbers, but when they get scene specific about how they had to work some timing and logistics it's actually pretty good. 

Chemistry Is Comedy (HD 13:50)

Culture Clash (HD 6:39)

Captains of the Ship: Bob and Rob (HD 3:56)

While not a terrible film, Overboard is just unnecessary. It offers up some charm and a few good laughs thanks to it's committed cast, but the lack of any genuine new material makes it just another entry in the Hollywood remake mill. The great chemistry between Derbez and Faris is what makes this film watchable and even remotely worth your time. If you weren't interested in seeing it in theaters, there's not a lot I can say to convince you to check it out. But if you just need something charming and nice for an evening's entertainment, you can do a lot worse than this new Overboard. Lionsgate brings the film to Blu-ray in fine order with a solid A/V presentation and a few decent bonus features. Certainly, not everyone is going to be enthused by this film, but I had fun and I'll admit it's Worth A Look.