Mr. Wonderful (1993) User Reviews (23)

Church Bells Take Their Toll

[wes-connors · 5/10 · 23 December 2008]

New York electrician Matt Dillon (as Gus DeMarco) wants to buy a bowling alley in Brooklyn, with his buddies from work; but, he doesn't have the money. To get his share of the bucks, Mr. Dillon must either sell his beloved Corvette, or marry off his alimony-collecting wife. If Dillon can find "Mr. Wonderful" for ex-wife Annabella Sciorra (as Leonora "Lee" DeMarco), he can stop payments. Making her ex-husband's job more challenging, Ms. Sciorra has hooked up with married college Professor William Hurt (as Tom). Sciorra has returned to school, and is learning Latin. Meanwhile, Dillon is dating sexy nurse Mary-Louise Parker (as Rita).

This Anthony Minghella film will be very disappointing if you're looking for anything approaching the caliber of "The English Patient" or "The Talented Mr. Ripley". As good as they are, director Minghella and his bickering leads, do simply nothing with this ordinary, predictable story.

There are a few nice moments, like a young downs syndrome couple sneaking a kiss as NYC subway light flicker. But, It's difficult to believe Sciorra suddenly dating the series of men recommended by Dillon. And, it's hard to fathom Dillon giving up a woman as desirable and intelligent as the gainfully employed Nurse Parker (a part filmmakers should have considered making an "airhead"). Second-stringers, like Parker and Con Edison worker David Barry Gray (as Pope), are more interesting to watch than the stars.

***** Mr. Wonderful (10/15/93) Anthony Minghella ~ Matt Dillon, Annabella Sciorra, Mary-Louise Parker, William Hurt

An under-rated, light hearted little romantic comedy

[=G= · 6/10 · 9 July 2001]

"Mr. Wonderful", predictable and obvious like most films of this genre, tells of a NYC hard hat electrician (Dillon) who tries to marry off his exwife (Sciorra) so he can put his alimony money toward his stake in a bowling alley. The film received several good reviews and works on many levels where similar films fail. "Mr. Wonderful" has an excellent cast, doesn't get too sappy, is well crafted and reasonably smart, and has a fresh and fun kind of "feel" to it. An enjoyable watch for romantics in need a break from hardcore drama.

guy loses girl, guy tries to find another guy for girl

[corridorg4 · 7/10 · 18 February 2005]

I expected this movie to bore me within the first five minutes, but I had an afternoon to kill and there was a rerun of a home improvement show I could watch. I got a pleasant surprise and never did check into ways to repaint the kitchen. I found the plot to be original because of Dillon's machinations to get another guy the girl. He's not much of a matchmaker, but he seems to sincerely want hi ex-wife to be happy. The end was predictable, but Sciorra and Dillon are convincing as angry ex- spouses who have gone in different directions and the numerous character actors fill in the occasional boring spots, especially Dan Hedeya - I like anything he does though, so I am biased.

Enjoyable film with surprise cast.

[hankmcn · 14 February 2007]

I just watched this on TV and enjoyed it as much for the cast as well as the light hearted story.

Seeing a thinner younger James Gandolfini with Annabelle Sciorra years prior to the Sopranos was a surprise as well as seeing Vincent D'Onofrio as a shy singing druggist instead of an intense detective or someone on the edge of sanity.

The rest of the supporting players are a tribute to the talent pool available to producers who need to fill background roles with actors with as much talent as the leads.

Luis Guzman does a great job as always along with Dan Hedaya, Bruce Kirby and William Hurt. There is even a too brief appearance by Saverio Guerra as the landscaper driving the truck. If you wondered where you saw him before it was as the laughable Bob character on Ted Danson's enjoyable series Becker.

Familiarly Heartwarming.

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 13 February 2009]

Matt Dillon is a divorced, working-class New Yorker who pines to chip in with his buddies and buy a bowling alley. The thing holding him back is that he is disgorging money to his ex-wife Annabella Sciorra. Dillon is also hooked up with a nurse, Mary Louise Parker, while Sciorra has bonded with her professor William Hurt, who, lamentably, is married.

I ask you -- the experienced movie-goer -- is it necessary to spell out what happens at the end? Not if you've seen "The Awful Truth" or any of the innumerable others that wind up with the estranged couple realizing that they were really meant for each other all along. The only alternative, and it was fashionable for a while, was for the wounded wife to find empowerment in her singlehood, as in "Unmarried Woman." The story was written by women and directed by a man, and so the perspective of both genders is rather neatly represented. The bits of symbolic interaction, the kind that women pick up and men blunder over, are nicely captured in the script. A little hackneyed here and there, as during Parker's dismissal of Dillon, but overall a nice job.

The director adds an understanding of male companionship, of men stifled in their ability to express emotions other than lust and rage. And he knows how much men of Dillon's background treasure their Vettes. Here, the dialog is sometimes inept. A friend of Dillon's, Pope, is in love with a young woman named Marie. (The central figures are all Italian; the WASPS are on the periphery.) "I doan know how I feel when I see Marie! I mean, she might be 50 feet away. Maybe she's just brushin' her hair or somethin'. I mean, I doan know. My stomach gets dis HOLLOW feelin'. I get all kinda JUMPY, if you know what I mean." Well, I may or may not know what he means, but I know that working-class men DOAN TALK DIS WAY. Here's how the dialog would go. Dillon: "Hey, you still wit Marie or what?" Pope: "Yeah. I tink it's getting' deep." If you take that verbal clumsiness away from these guys, you might as well take their cojones while you're at it.

It was all pretty familiar, if intermittently amusing. Here's the thing that surprised me. Mary-Louise Parker's performance as Dillon's sometime girl friend who finally realizes that she can do better with somebody who cares more for her than for his ex wife or his car. She's quite good -- and in a slurpy and uninspiring part, too.

No one wants to sound like a sexist but I'm compelled to point out, speaking to you as your psychologist, that men's and women's brains are rather different. That's not even to mention their hormones. I won't get into detail, but this biological difference is reflected in their interactional styles. I refer you to any of Deborah Tannen's books on the subject, as much as I hate to. (She knows how to cut men off at the knees while retaining her deniability.) Anyway, I think women would enjoy this film more than men. The men will squeeze some enjoyment out of what is likely to have been the director's contribution.

I wish Mary-Louise Parker had been on screen more often, here and elsewhere, and not stuck in the victim role so repeatedly.

pleasantly romantic and enjoyable

[m_madhu · 7/10 · 15 August 2002]

this is a passive movie by ace director anthony minghella, the movie has an awesome star cast and they all give competent performances early in their careers.

the movie does not have much of a plot and though the story seems veers to a cliched and predictable end, there are enough minor twists that abound in the movie, making it quite an enjoyable watch. the standout features of the movie include its tight script, terrific lines and smart performances.

the plot in itself is no great shakes but this movie is a fun watch for a relaxed evening.

an enjoyable and pleasant 7!

Leads lack chemistry to make story end convincing

[elainew32 · 4/10 · 9 August 2003]

This is a very pleasant romantic comedy with a good cast, lots of good performances. Look for James Gandolfini in an earlier role as a shy lover.. .The premise is very believable. Matt Dillon's character is divorced, has killer alimony payments, but would like to invest in a bowling alley with his buddies. He has a girlfriend with a child, but hasn't quite committed. He has minor quarrels with his ex-wife, and it truly looks like there is no love lost between them! The plan is to find her a husband, a Mr. Wonderful, so he won't have to pay alimony any more, but when she finds one, he discovers he wants her back, says the video jacket. Matt Dillon puts in a very convincing performance as a working man, "fix-it" kind of guy who doesn't understand his more intellectual ex-wife; Annabella Sciorra is wonderful as his ex-wife, going to college and working with plants; William Hurt puts in a great performance as her married professor and lover; and Vincent D'Onofrio is excellent as the pharmacist who remembers her from high school. But I didn't feel that the ending was convincing, unlike other great romantic comedies, like "You've Got Mail", "While You Were Sleeping", or "Sleepless in Seattle".

A fine early effort from Minghella

[ereinion · 7/10 · 1 January 2015]

I was surprised after seeing this film and later finding out it was directed by none other than one of the best 90s and 00s directors, Anthony Minghella, now sadly long gone. Why surprised? Perhaps because it's an American film and a melodrama, but not of the spectacular kind like The English Patient or Cold Mountain. But one thing they all have in common, which also shines through in this one: Minghella's ability to express the emotions of its protagonists like few other directors. That is really his great legacy and contribution that he leaves behind to the film.

The movie stars one of my favorite 80s actors, Matt Dillon as the Average Joe, Gus the electrician. He lives with the beautiful Mary Louise Parker, who plays Rita, an emergency room nurse. They are very much in love but one thing hinders their happiness together and Gus' financial situation: his ex-wife Leonora, played by Annabella Sciorra. Gus dreams of buying a bowling alley for himself and his pals, but due to the alimony payments he must provide to Leonora, the bank turns his request for a loan down. Therefore he tries to get her married by finding her a husband. This whole process triggers something that has been lying deep inside both Gus and Leonora-their love for each other.

This might seem like a schmaltzy, sappy love movie to some, but it is a carefully crafted melodrama. It explores the idea that love is sometimes too easily abandoned or given up on when other things come in the way, like money and career. At the same time, it shows how hard it is to make a choice between two women that you both love and care for. Gus may love Leonora more, but it doesn't mean he feels nothing for Rita. That part of the film is very sad but at least Gus does realize he was wrong to let Leonora go in the end and does something with it. As the other user pointed out, it doesn't seem very believable that he'd give up on such a seemingly perfect match as Rita for the more complex one such as Leonora, but hey, to each his own.

The supporting cast is really top notch, with William Hurt playing Leonora's college professor whom she dates. Gus' strong reaction when finding this out is the first hint of what's to come. Also seen here is Vincent D'Onofrio as the main candidate for Leonora's husband that almost makes the cut. Dan Hedaya, Luis Guzman and James Gandolfini are also in the supporting cast but don't make that much impact on the storyline. Dillon is great as always and makes his character very believable. He's a dreamer who has been sleeping too long. Parker also shines in her part as his ultimately unhappy love project and Sciorra is as always a delight to watch. This can be seen as a final step towards perfection for Minghella, like a graduation test. While it's not one of his best works, it certainly has a vital place in his repertoire.

Plot promotes less desirable relationships

[squashcottage · 5/10 · 14 February 2010]

I am compelled to add my non-professional, yet life-experience two-bits worth here: Why should two people stay together when they clearly "nag more than they shag"?! This sort of lame ending that cinema entertainment (and by the way, Victorian novelists) like to present us with is the reason so many of us waste our lives in mediocre happiness when we could experience real joy with a different person who we could also come to love and who is actually right for us.

Kudos at least for presenting "Rita" as wise enough to realize her "truth" and for having the balls to follow through with what she needed to do. Perhaps some of these sort of re-unifications and remarriages do have some success, but not in my real life experience.

Mr. Womderful * * *

[wickend12 · 7/10 · 22 August 2020]

Mr. Wonderful is a fun underrated movie with such a good cast. Thinking it was going to quick "time killer " while I enjoyed my cup of coffee. It's funny and romantic. Seeing a young James Gandoldini with Annabella Sciorra on a date was a good surprise. (Future lovers on The Sopranos) Being a big fan of the TV show it was such a treat . But other then that Matt Dillon the Star of the movie is surrounded by such a great cast. Mary Louise Parker , William Hurt , Vincent D'Onofrio, Dan Hedaya, and Luis Guzman. I think it's underrated in spite of the

Matt Dillion plays a electrician who wants to buy a bowling alley but just can't afford because of the Alimony dues to his ex wife. So he takes the task to play match maker for his wife. Such a funny romantic movie to kick it with the girlfriend/date. I believe it's a underrated movie in spite of the 52% Rotten Tomatoes Meter. Well I liked it.

Not quite "wonderful".

[karen-128 · 2/10 · 26 June 2001]

It's true, this is not a well cast movie. Matt Dillon seems to schlump through it, and has very little chemistry with Annabella Sciorra- HOWEVER! The supporting roles are delightful. Mary Louise Parker, so good in Naked in New York and Fried Green Tamales, shines here and makes you wish she'd played the lead. As does Vincent D'Onofrio. The guy who directed The English Patient made this many years before, and he's obviously become a much better film maker. This is a remake of a foreign film, I think from Brazil, but it doesn't really come together.

I thought any minute you'd walk in the door...Oh, I waited and waited for the phone to ring...one of Mr Minghella's finest, definitely

[malcotoro · 9/10 · 30 June 2007]

Perhaps I am a little late with my writeup of this, a favoured movie in my specially selected permanent collection. I have read the other reviews, however I cannot agree, because this is a BIG hearted not light hearted comedy drama, and there is PLENTY of chemistry between the stars Annabella Sciorra and Matt Dillon. She is just lovely to look at, beautiful and totally believable. Mary Louise Parker is also delicious, the acting is great, the storyline very likable, timeless, then and now. Mr Minghella became famous with the recent Breaking and Entering, The English Patient, The Talented Mr Ripley but I like this one very much. Others in the cast warmly supportive, include William Hurt and Dan Hedaya. James Gandolfini has a simple non violent role, Vincent D'Onofrio is absolutely wonderful in his adoring song to Ms Sciorra. His performance jumps out at you, Oh Vincent... your eyes will water. You have the price of the movie in that one scene. If you are into relationships, you will appreciate it... falling in love, being in love, two people living together, then drifting apart, you just want them to get back together again. It's a romantic fantasy for adults. Take my advice, rent it, buy it. Comment from Malcolm in Toronto 30th June 2007

Not bad, but too predictable in the end and it has a terrible score

[zetes · 6/10 · 6 April 2008]

Anthony Minghella's sophomore feature, and easily his least well known film. It's not too hard to see why. It seems like a pretty generic romantic comedy. I would say that's being unfair, though, as the characters are a little better written than you would expect from the genre, and there is a little more emotional connection, too. But, in the end, it opts for formula instead of trying to figure out a more believable solution. It should be mentioned that this is the only film Minghella directed in which he didn't have a hand in the screenplay. The film stars Matt Dillon and Annabella Sciorra as a divorced couple. Sciorra relies on alimony payments to live, and Dillon is unable to move forward in his current relationship with Mary Louise Parker or to invest in a bowling alley which his friends want to buy. The solution: find a suitable partner for the ex to marry, thus ending alimony. For a long time, it didn't seem like the movie was lame enough to have Dillon fall for his ex-wife, but, alas, that's what eventually happens. Personally, I was so smitten by Mary Louise Parker that I was especially disappointed. Then again, Dillon does come off as kind of a jerk, so I guess I didn't really care with whom he ended up. It's still moderately entertaining, but the straw that breaks the camel's back is the transcendently awful smooth jazz score. Apparently, the composer isn't even listed in the credits (at least IMDb doesn't list who wrote it), but this person deserves to be beaten.

Matt Dillon is, of course, very good.

[tink-8 · 19 June 2002]

This movie is very cute and Matt Dillon is, of course, very good.He plays his role as an electrician very well. The role of his friend is also played very well and strangely enough the two love interests of his ex-wife's were very well acted( the professor and the pharmacist.)However, his girlfriend and his wife, in my opinion, were not well cast at all and neither one had much chemistry with Dillon. The girlfriend came off as whiny and the wife as a helpless sap at times. However, I enjoyed the film. It was clever and romantic.

Yeah, not bad.

[bombersflyup · 7/10 · 27 January 2021]

Mr. Wonderful is well cast and well acted, though predictable from the outset.

The story you've seen 100 times, other than that I have nothing negative to say. It's slightly better than you'd expect. Mary-Louise Parker alluring.

New York City love story with Matt Dillon and Annabella Sciorra

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 22 May 2021]

A Con Edison electrician in Manhattan (Matt Dillon) needs money to buy/renovate a bowling alley with his four partners and so tries to find a husband for his ex-wife (Annabella Sciorra) so he can stop paying alimony. Mary-Louise Parker plays his girlfriend while William Hurt appears as the ex's beau, a college professor. Vincent D'Onofrio is also on hand.

"Mr. Wonderful" (1993) is a solid enough romantic drama with some amusing touches set in the Big Apple. It's a great movie to see Manhattan in the early 90s, big hair and all (e.g. Sciorra). It successfully establishes the main characters and you buy into their story.

On top of this you get Parker at the height of her beauty, which the director doesn't fail to tastefully display on a few occasions. Speaking of the director, Anthony Minghella would go on to direct notable films like "The English Patient" (1996) and "Cold Mountain" (2003). Unfortunately he died prematurely at the age of 54 from a hemorrhage following surgery to remove tonsils & neck cancer.

The film runs 1 hour, 39 minutes, and was shot in Manhattan & points nearby.

GRADE: B-

Charm, Freshness added to an old chestnut genre

[thedraz · 10/10 · 11 August 2002]

Wonderful comic acting, well-played....it perfectly meets the expectations you'd have of a pure entertainment romantic comedy. Matt Dillon is especially good and displays a depth to his acting that had yet to be seen when this was first released. A little gem that deserves to be seen.

A light romantic film!

[filmloverlady · 8/10 · 24 April 2005]

Okay so this is not Oscar material, but it is a sweet film just the same. I count this as one of my favorite movies, although let me state I have about 1,000 favorites! Coming from an Italian family I feel like I know these characters so well- Matt Dillon is adorable and very believable as Gus, the guy who needs to stop paying alimony to his ex-wife Lee so he can go into a business opportunity with his friends. Gus realizes the only thing to do is find Lee a new husband...a Mr. Wonderful! This of course leads to some very funny situations- The supporting cast is also great with Vincent Dinofrio (Law & Order-Criminal Intent)in one of his early roles. A terrific romantic comedy!

Completely predictable

[flamingangel882 · 11 August 2002]

As if you can't tell what's gonna happen right from the beginning. The plot is: A divorced man named Gus (Matt Dillon) wants to marry off his ex-wife (Annabella Sciorra) so that he can stop paying alimony and buy into a deal to replenish a bowling alley. Meanwhile, his set-ups lead to many disappointments and disaster dates. It also causes him trouble with his girlfriend (Mary-Louise Parker) who eventually breaks up with him. This movie is so predictable it hurts. There are so many dead-giveaways to the ending that even I could predict it. (Tee-hee.) Besides a few almost-humorous moments, this movie is boring, lifeless, and mediocre. The performances are OK, however there is no real chemistry between the characters and we don't get to see much character development. I swear, if it weren't for that adorable Matt Dillon, I would never watch this movie.

Breezy, Bright, and Fun

[leftbanker-1 · 10/10 · 3 October 2016]

I don't understand the low reviews here for this fine work by Anthony Minghella. The only weak point in the film for me was Annbella Sciora. Matt Dillon was perfect as the working class hero and his boys were all fun to watch. Luis Guzmán was brilliant as always although he was a minor player, as always. This was the first time I saw Mary-Louise Parker and she was perfect as the great girl but taken on the rebound. I love the fact that they all have regular jobs with a working class dream of buying a bowling alley. Why is it so hard for Hollywood to portray middle and lower middle class people in films? It's sort of a dumb premise but the film goes way beyond that initial tagline.

Compare this to most rom-coms with their completely moronic premises and nothing-to-say stories, and I think this little movie fares well. Even the music is cute. The dumb part about trying to fix up his ex so that he doesn't have to pay alimony should have been scrapped because the film didn't need it, and in its defense, they didn't take it too far.

Wonderful? Not really

[inkblot11 · 30 June 2003]

Matt Dillon plays Gus, a divorced man who works as a city electrician. The main drain on his finances is the alimony and school tuition he is paying his ex-wife. When some co-workers wish for him to be part of their plan to purchase a bowling alley, Gus realizes he can't fiscally join the group unless he is able to marry off his former wife. Hence, he begins a search for "Mr. Wonderful". Meanwhile, his ex-wife Leonora is involved with a handsome, married college professor who has no intention of getting a divorce; Gus' new girlfriend resents the time he is spending away from her. Is there a way out of this tangled mess?

While the principal actors do an effective job in their roles, the movie is agonizingly slow-paced and without much humor. The main characters are also unsympathetic and never give the viewer a chance to get caught up in their lives. There is a surprise ending but, not many viewers will stick it out to discover what it is. Recommended only for Matt Dillon fans and for those with indiscriminate movie tastes.

A Forgotten Gem

[ThomasColquith · 9/10 · 4 June 2021]

I recently bought a DVD copy of "Mr. Wonderful" and watched it and I wasn't disappointed. I had seen part of this film years ago on TV and liked what I saw, making a mental note to see the whole thing one day, and now many years later I finally did just that. It is a nice little romantic comedy that is well shot, good colors and use of lighting, good music, not too long, well acted, and strikes the right tone of not too serious or too silly. And, I liked how the film focuses on working class persons and their hopes, dreams, and problems -- this is all too rare in Hollywood.

So, given the chance I highly recommend watching this one. I'm not sure why the rating is so low on it. I gave it 9/10 -- one of the better romantic comedies in my opinion.

A decent romance

[blackrose909 · 8/10 · 4 November 2021]

I watched this movie for the first time tonight in November 2021, almost 30 years after it was made. I loved it.

The cast was excellent, the themes were very relevant and the characters strangely relatable. Some have complained about a predictable plot. I somewhat agree with this, but can't say that I come across many movies where the ex-husband is trying to find ex-wife a new husband. I found it kind of hilarious.

I love the evolution of the main characters and their relationship. It's wonderful to watch people grow and realise important things about themselves, whatever the future may hold. Would recommend.