Six Weeks is one of those "my child is dying but is sweet and vibrant till the end" dramas that were inspired in the years after the groundbreaking Promises in the Dark. It's not your typical Dudley Moore movie, is it? And yet, he stars in it alongside Mary Tyler Moore. It's a bit of a strange storyline that somehow manages to make sense even though it doesn't. Dudley is a politician running for Congress; he has a wife and teenaged son whom he appears to be happy with. While making a speech at a benefit, he meets a quirky, very precocious little girl, Katherine Healy. It turns out she's the daughter of cosmetic tycoon Mary, who thinks he's only buttering up her kid for a campaign contribution. Dudley and Katherine genuinely like each other, and Katherine tells her mom it's her dying wish to spend her last weeks working on his campaign. So, as Mary and Dudley spend more time together on the campaign trail and treating Katherine to anything she wants during her remaining weeks, they start to develop feelings for each other.
It doesn't make any sense; Dudley has a supportive wife, and he doesn't have any ache inside him that needs to be appreciated. Mary knows he's married and would never cause a political scandal by leaving his family, so why set herself up for two heartbreaks when she's already guaranteed one by her daughter's death? And yet, it does make sense, because if two people bond over a dying child, of course they're going to fall in love. They're constantly on their best behaviors because they're not allowed to scold, criticize, or fight in front of the little girl. The heightened emotions toss all sense of propriety out the window, and impending death makes them want to live it up no matter what.
Everything in this movie is pretty telegraphed, so you won't get any surprises. Whether or not you think that's a benefit is up to you. I thought Dudley might get to show off some dramatic acting, but his character was constantly joking around. He showed more serious acting in Romantic Comedy, believe it or not. Is there anyone who really likes this genre? We usually watch it for the cast, so if you like Mary, you might rent it.
It doesn't make any sense; Dudley has a supportive wife, and he doesn't have any ache inside him that needs to be appreciated. Mary knows he's married and would never cause a political scandal by leaving his family, so why set herself up for two heartbreaks when she's already guaranteed one by her daughter's death? And yet, it does make sense, because if two people bond over a dying child, of course they're going to fall in love. They're constantly on their best behaviors because they're not allowed to scold, criticize, or fight in front of the little girl. The heightened emotions toss all sense of propriety out the window, and impending death makes them want to live it up no matter what.
Everything in this movie is pretty telegraphed, so you won't get any surprises. Whether or not you think that's a benefit is up to you. I thought Dudley might get to show off some dramatic acting, but his character was constantly joking around. He showed more serious acting in Romantic Comedy, believe it or not. Is there anyone who really likes this genre? We usually watch it for the cast, so if you like Mary, you might rent it.