I am a "child" of the 80s, and loved the big blockbusters (and at the top of that list, Star Wars and Indiana Jones). Harrison Ford was and still is an idol of mine.
When I first saw Mosquito Coast on video in the late 80's, my expectations were of a grand adventure in the tradition of Indiana Jones. I just rewatched the trailer for the film, and the narrator literally mentions Indiana Jones and says that this is "Ford's biggest adventure yet." The trailer is almost 100% composed of explosions, which again completely sets the wrong expectations. So when I saw it as a young teenager, I was thoroughly disappointed at the lack of action. There was just too much pesky dialog and not enough "good parts." Not enough explosions, by golly! Well, almost 30 years later, the film holds up incredibly well, and I find it infinitely more enjoyable than that first viewing. In my mind I put it in a category of "Ford's boring movie", but now I see it as one of his finest acting performances (possibly his best), and the story and production of the film has an artistic quality that was completely unappreciated by kids in the 80s, and even critics in the 80s (Roger Ebert gave it a thumbs down for being too boring).
If this movie was released today, I would not be surprised to find it on the Best Picture nomination list, and Ford up for best actor (and River Phoenix for supporting actor). The film is just incredible. The underlying storyline about consumerism is as relevant today as ever. The characters are unpredictable, yet you can identify with them. The location shooting adds a dimension and authenticity to the film that just cannot be replaced by filming on a Hollywood studio backlot.
In summary, I highly recommend this film and plan on adding it to my very limited personal collection of treasured movies (right next to Indiana Jones!).
When I first saw Mosquito Coast on video in the late 80's, my expectations were of a grand adventure in the tradition of Indiana Jones. I just rewatched the trailer for the film, and the narrator literally mentions Indiana Jones and says that this is "Ford's biggest adventure yet." The trailer is almost 100% composed of explosions, which again completely sets the wrong expectations. So when I saw it as a young teenager, I was thoroughly disappointed at the lack of action. There was just too much pesky dialog and not enough "good parts." Not enough explosions, by golly! Well, almost 30 years later, the film holds up incredibly well, and I find it infinitely more enjoyable than that first viewing. In my mind I put it in a category of "Ford's boring movie", but now I see it as one of his finest acting performances (possibly his best), and the story and production of the film has an artistic quality that was completely unappreciated by kids in the 80s, and even critics in the 80s (Roger Ebert gave it a thumbs down for being too boring).
If this movie was released today, I would not be surprised to find it on the Best Picture nomination list, and Ford up for best actor (and River Phoenix for supporting actor). The film is just incredible. The underlying storyline about consumerism is as relevant today as ever. The characters are unpredictable, yet you can identify with them. The location shooting adds a dimension and authenticity to the film that just cannot be replaced by filming on a Hollywood studio backlot.
In summary, I highly recommend this film and plan on adding it to my very limited personal collection of treasured movies (right next to Indiana Jones!).