On Further Review: Tootsie(1982)

Tootsie is one of those films that captured a moment. It’s a film that hit at the right time and can be seen as the point where a social change happened. It’s a film that marked the point where Bill Murray started doing more than silly comedies. It’s a film that was hailed in its day as a great comedy…however 30 years on I’m not so sure.

The plot of Tootsie has a difficult actor played by Dustin Hoffman having to pretend to be a woman in order to get a role. Of course this causes all sorts of complications, and it changes him for the better.

Sadly that’s about all there is to the film, that’s as deep as it gets. It was a critical and Oscar darling winning Best Picture, acting, writing and directing awards. Other than Jessica Lange’s Oscar I don’t think it really deserved any of them. I mean let’s face it Hoffman’s win was because he put on a dress and kissed a man, daring things at the time. (I mean how many Oscars have been won for roles that went against type or something daring?)

While the film does have some things to say about men and women, most of the film is a sitcom.