If you like Dana Carvey, you'll dig this movie. If you don't, well, then it's pretty lame. But as a vehicle for Mr. Carvey, this story of a con-man weasling his way into an affluent family in order to fleece them, only to fall in love with their daughter, it's even better than it needed to be. The lines and scenes are all pretty good, if not somewhat non-offensive and restrained. The county club lunch with the old couple is classic and Carvey is about as charming as he gets. The wine ordering scene and the expression on his face when he finally takes a sip of the Chateau Lafite is practically worth the price of admission alone. "Hey Milt, think he's gonna come by and burp me after lunch?" Robert Loggia is also excellent as the successful but down-to-Earth CEO who is charmed by Dana's rough edges. Corny, predictable, and yet a totally worthwhile way to spend two hours with one of SNL's favorite sons.
27 Reviews
Dana Carvey one of the last greats
iwatcheverything10 November 2003
Dana Carvey is one of the last great actors who came from Saturday Night Live. There are now only about 2 or 3 that are worth seeing their movies. This is classic of Carvey. It kept me laughing all the way through even though they tried to make it a sappy romance at one point. The cons were funny and so was his character. If you like seeing Carvey then this film is for you. If you don't I would suggest watching something different or some old SNL to see what he is like. Good movie all around I believe though.
As Pericles said to the Athenians: I really need another beer.
Hey_Sweden28 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The first feature film starring vehicle for 'Saturday Night Live' cast member Dana Carvey casts him as Eddie Farrell. Eddie is a Chicago con artist, who along with his partner Lou (Todd Graff, "The Abyss") has run afoul of powerful mobster Sal Nichols (James Tolkan, the "Back to the Future" series). Hiding out at a posh suburban home into which he's broken, Eddie is mistaken for the house-sitter by amiable Milt (Robert Loggia, "Big") and his wife Mona (Doris Belack, "Tootsie"). From there he is able to con his way into a plum job, working for bathroom fixture tycoon Milt. Milt conveniently has a gorgeous daughter, Annie (Julia Campbell, "Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion"), a hard-working young doctor with whom Eddie naturally falls in love.
"Opportunity Knocks" may be really no ball of fire, but it certainly delivers a decent amount of laughs, and remains pretty pleasant throughout. Ultimately, the story is quite formulaic and predictable, with Eddie developing a conscience and feeling that he can't keep on lying to Milt and his family. Still, there's a certain satisfaction as the character uses all of his skills to rope Sal into an untenable situation and thereby get his revenge. This being rated PG-13, the violence never gets overly serious, with the mobster characters managing to be intimidating without being as thoroughly nasty as they could have been had the movie been rated R.
As a vehicle for Carvey, "Opportunity Knocks" consistently does its job, offering him the opportunity to do some real acting while also indulging in some un-P. C. dialect shtick (and even his "impression" of then-U. S. president George H. W. Bush). Most priceless is when Carvey belts out a rendition of "Born to be Wild" at a karaoke bar, and does some truly goofy dancing at a bar mitzvah. But the whole cast is engaging; look also for improv comedy legend Del Close (the "Blob" remake) in a bit role. Ever-delightful Milo O'Shea ("Barbarella") has a nice supporting role as Max, Eddies' mentor in the art of the con.
Good fun in general, and one of the more entertaining movies from this era to showcase an SNL talent.
Seven out of 10.
"Opportunity Knocks" may be really no ball of fire, but it certainly delivers a decent amount of laughs, and remains pretty pleasant throughout. Ultimately, the story is quite formulaic and predictable, with Eddie developing a conscience and feeling that he can't keep on lying to Milt and his family. Still, there's a certain satisfaction as the character uses all of his skills to rope Sal into an untenable situation and thereby get his revenge. This being rated PG-13, the violence never gets overly serious, with the mobster characters managing to be intimidating without being as thoroughly nasty as they could have been had the movie been rated R.
As a vehicle for Carvey, "Opportunity Knocks" consistently does its job, offering him the opportunity to do some real acting while also indulging in some un-P. C. dialect shtick (and even his "impression" of then-U. S. president George H. W. Bush). Most priceless is when Carvey belts out a rendition of "Born to be Wild" at a karaoke bar, and does some truly goofy dancing at a bar mitzvah. But the whole cast is engaging; look also for improv comedy legend Del Close (the "Blob" remake) in a bit role. Ever-delightful Milo O'Shea ("Barbarella") has a nice supporting role as Max, Eddies' mentor in the art of the con.
Good fun in general, and one of the more entertaining movies from this era to showcase an SNL talent.
Seven out of 10.
Fun, "Good Feeling" Movie
m19653 April 2011
I'm the first to be skeptical of any movie like this. In fact, most movies I watch these days involves at least one visit to IMDb.COM first. But some movies, no matter how accurately they may be reviewed for technical merits just can't review the sentimental or personal value they may have to you. This is one of them. Oh, trust me - I've watched my share of movies like this that have left me more than high and dry - but this one is different (at least for me). I've always felt Dana Carvey was a special comedian and has never reached his full potential as an actor. However poor the writing, or perhaps his acting, the movie is engaging enough to keep this harden skeptic enthralled for greater than 90mins. That's saying a lot.
This movie will surely not go down in history as a one of the 'greats' of comedy - but is well worth an evening if you're just looking for something funny, heart-touching and romantic.
This movie will surely not go down in history as a one of the 'greats' of comedy - but is well worth an evening if you're just looking for something funny, heart-touching and romantic.
Taking care of business.....
FlashCallahan27 February 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Eddie and Lou are con men on the run from a loan shark. They hide out in someone's house and they hear on the answering machine that the owner is out of the country for a month or two and the house- sitter won't be able to do so due to a new job.
This provides for a sweet arrangement for Eddie and Lou...until the relatives of the house owner drop by to visit.
Eddie quickly assumes the identity of the person supposedly house- sitting for the owner, and the problems start from there.....
Just like buses, you wait for ages for a mistaken identity comedy to come along, and then two pop up out of nowhere.
So we had Taking care of Business (known as Filofax in the UK), and this, which was a breakout role for SNL alumini Carvey.
He's pretty good in his role, but the majority of the time he does nothing more than skits from the said show.
The story is nothing out of the ordinary, if you've seen one film like this, you've probably seen them all. They follow the same narrative structure in every film like this.
You get the protagonist from the wrong side of the street, assuming another identity, the parents instantly love him, the love interest of the film can't stand him at first, but soon warms to him. Despite him not knowing anything about the occupation of the person he's assuming, he pitches something that is genius, learns some life lessons about himself along the way himself.
But as the third act comes along, the past catches up with him, the family are disappointed, and the girl rejects him, for all of five minutes.
This isn't a spoiler, it's just the natural process of this sub genres plot structure.
See also Houseguest, Housesitter, Mr Deeds, and even Teen agent.
it's not laugh out loud funny, some of carveys routines are just plain embarrassing, but it's just entertainment for a rainy day.
This provides for a sweet arrangement for Eddie and Lou...until the relatives of the house owner drop by to visit.
Eddie quickly assumes the identity of the person supposedly house- sitting for the owner, and the problems start from there.....
Just like buses, you wait for ages for a mistaken identity comedy to come along, and then two pop up out of nowhere.
So we had Taking care of Business (known as Filofax in the UK), and this, which was a breakout role for SNL alumini Carvey.
He's pretty good in his role, but the majority of the time he does nothing more than skits from the said show.
The story is nothing out of the ordinary, if you've seen one film like this, you've probably seen them all. They follow the same narrative structure in every film like this.
You get the protagonist from the wrong side of the street, assuming another identity, the parents instantly love him, the love interest of the film can't stand him at first, but soon warms to him. Despite him not knowing anything about the occupation of the person he's assuming, he pitches something that is genius, learns some life lessons about himself along the way himself.
But as the third act comes along, the past catches up with him, the family are disappointed, and the girl rejects him, for all of five minutes.
This isn't a spoiler, it's just the natural process of this sub genres plot structure.
See also Houseguest, Housesitter, Mr Deeds, and even Teen agent.
it's not laugh out loud funny, some of carveys routines are just plain embarrassing, but it's just entertainment for a rainy day.
A squandered opportunity
sme_no_densetsu27 September 2011
"Opportunity Knocks" is very much a movie of its time. Apart from the fact that it stars then-hot Saturday Night Live star Dana Carvey, it has the general feel of an 80's comedy (though it was actually released early in 1990).
Carvey plays a struggling con-man who charms his way into the lives of an upper class family after they mistake him for a friend of their son. He soon hits it off with both the businessman father (Robert Loggia) and the reserved daughter (Julia Campbell), though his growing attachment is destined to end in the exposure of his deception. To make matters worse, he's got a dangerous loan shark hounding him for $60,000 that he doesn't have.
The acting is mostly decent but certainly nothing to write home about. Carvey gets ample opportunity to showcase his varied comedic skills, though he could have used some better writing to work with. Robert Loggia & Julia Campbell both do well in their respective roles but the rest of the cast is unremarkable at best and below par at worst.
Donald Petrie's direction is capable but not particularly memorable. He's actually directed a few above average rom-coms in his career but this one isn't one of them. The soundtrack includes a couple of good selections but these are overshadowed by some dated music and an embarrassing karaoke rendition of "Born to be Wild".
Ultimately, "Opportunity Knocks" is a passable time-waster but it too often strays into cliché and unbelievability. Even as a Dana Carvey vehicle, it pales next to the "Wayne's World" movies which were yet to come.
Carvey plays a struggling con-man who charms his way into the lives of an upper class family after they mistake him for a friend of their son. He soon hits it off with both the businessman father (Robert Loggia) and the reserved daughter (Julia Campbell), though his growing attachment is destined to end in the exposure of his deception. To make matters worse, he's got a dangerous loan shark hounding him for $60,000 that he doesn't have.
The acting is mostly decent but certainly nothing to write home about. Carvey gets ample opportunity to showcase his varied comedic skills, though he could have used some better writing to work with. Robert Loggia & Julia Campbell both do well in their respective roles but the rest of the cast is unremarkable at best and below par at worst.
Donald Petrie's direction is capable but not particularly memorable. He's actually directed a few above average rom-coms in his career but this one isn't one of them. The soundtrack includes a couple of good selections but these are overshadowed by some dated music and an embarrassing karaoke rendition of "Born to be Wild".
Ultimately, "Opportunity Knocks" is a passable time-waster but it too often strays into cliché and unbelievability. Even as a Dana Carvey vehicle, it pales next to the "Wayne's World" movies which were yet to come.
Feel good, night in type of movie
Encore_201712 December 2020
After a scam goes wrong, con-artist Eddy Farrell (Dana Carvey) finds himself on the run from a mobster who wants money that Eddy knew nothing about. Eddy heads for an empty house that he'd panned to rob - it's the perfect hide-out.
What he hadn't planned on was the owner's parents popping in to welcome him and mistake him for a university friend of their son's. Taking a jon in the father's firm, he is soon thought of as a member of the family, has more money than he could have imagined, drives a red sports car and finds himself falling for Annie, their daughter.
Eddy must decide if he is going to rip off this very rich family, or leave before he gets any more attached and someone finds out who he really is.
What he hadn't planned on was the owner's parents popping in to welcome him and mistake him for a university friend of their son's. Taking a jon in the father's firm, he is soon thought of as a member of the family, has more money than he could have imagined, drives a red sports car and finds himself falling for Annie, their daughter.
Eddy must decide if he is going to rip off this very rich family, or leave before he gets any more attached and someone finds out who he really is.
A starring vehicle for Dana Carvey
BandSAboutMovies25 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Donald Petrie has directed plenty of movies you may know, even if you don't know him. Mystic Pizza, Grumpy Old Men, Richie Rich, My Favorite Martian, Miss Congeniality, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days...he's made some memorable films. This effort is from the time when Dana Carvey was a star on Saturday Night Live, but before Wayne's World made him a bigger star.
Carvey plays con man Eddie Farrell, who is working a scam with his friend Lou Pesquino. They sneak into an empty house and discover that the owner is out of the country and the house sitter can't make it. After a gang of thugs get sent by mobster Sal Nichols (Detective Hugh Lubic from Masters of the Universe and Strickland from Back to the Future), the two split up and Eddie takes on the identity of the home's real owner, Jonathan Albertson.
Soon, Eddie is growing close to businessman Milt Malkin (Robert Loggia) and his wife Mona, as well as their daughter Annie (Julia Campbell, the mean girl from Romy and Michele's High School Reunion). It all starts as a con, but soon Eddie is falling for her.
This is a movie packed with actors that you rush to IMDB to look up, like Milo O'Shea as Eddie's uncle Max (he was Durand-Durand in Barbarella), the first acting role of jazz musician John M. Watson Sr. (he's the bartender in Groundhog Day) and Del Close, who was one of the most influential people in the history of American improv. He's also Reverend Meeker in the vastly underrated 1988 remake of The Blob.
I really need to get to a Robert Loggia week on this site, even if nobody but me wants to talk about how great he is in movies like the Independence Day movies (actually, he's the only good part of the sequel other than the fact that it mercifully ended), Lost Highway, Big (one could argue that he's playing the same exact role from that film in Opportunity Knocks) and The Believers.
You may be surprised - certainly, many people watching this and reviewing it on Letterboxd are - that in 1990, we didn't have the cultural sensitivities toward stereotypical accents. Just keep that in mind and understand that this is a goofy comedy that just wants to entertain you.
Carvey plays con man Eddie Farrell, who is working a scam with his friend Lou Pesquino. They sneak into an empty house and discover that the owner is out of the country and the house sitter can't make it. After a gang of thugs get sent by mobster Sal Nichols (Detective Hugh Lubic from Masters of the Universe and Strickland from Back to the Future), the two split up and Eddie takes on the identity of the home's real owner, Jonathan Albertson.
Soon, Eddie is growing close to businessman Milt Malkin (Robert Loggia) and his wife Mona, as well as their daughter Annie (Julia Campbell, the mean girl from Romy and Michele's High School Reunion). It all starts as a con, but soon Eddie is falling for her.
This is a movie packed with actors that you rush to IMDB to look up, like Milo O'Shea as Eddie's uncle Max (he was Durand-Durand in Barbarella), the first acting role of jazz musician John M. Watson Sr. (he's the bartender in Groundhog Day) and Del Close, who was one of the most influential people in the history of American improv. He's also Reverend Meeker in the vastly underrated 1988 remake of The Blob.
I really need to get to a Robert Loggia week on this site, even if nobody but me wants to talk about how great he is in movies like the Independence Day movies (actually, he's the only good part of the sequel other than the fact that it mercifully ended), Lost Highway, Big (one could argue that he's playing the same exact role from that film in Opportunity Knocks) and The Believers.
You may be surprised - certainly, many people watching this and reviewing it on Letterboxd are - that in 1990, we didn't have the cultural sensitivities toward stereotypical accents. Just keep that in mind and understand that this is a goofy comedy that just wants to entertain you.
Always loved this flick
mperry357 February 2016
First of all, I am a huge Dana Carvey fan. I rem as a youngster making sure I stayed up on Saturday until 10:30pm to see Carvey on SNL. I can't pick just one thing I like so much about him. He's an incredibly gifted individual. His impressions have always been fantastic and the way he delivers his material absolutely kills me. He's one of only a handful of comics that have brought me to tears.
With that said, Opportunity Knocks worked really well for him. It allowed him to use his creativity in his character, Eddie. Whether it's his impersonations or his physical comedy, he shows it throughout the film. Is Opportunity Knocks a brilliant film with Oscar winning performances?? Of course not. It's just a fun movie that allows Carvey to show off his silly humor and it has a nice warm story beneath the surface. I have always enjoyed Opportunity Knocks since the 1st time I saw it in 1990. I own the movie and have watched it countless times. It definitely holds tremendous nostalgic value to me so it's a comfort flick for me, in a lot of ways. If you don't care for Dana Carvey's comedy, then u prob won't really appreciate this film. However, if you're like me, and like Carvey, then you'll certainly enjoy this more...than any of his others. Dana is more Dana in this flick than any other movie he's done. I wish Universal would release this movie on Blu-ray Disc...I'd add it to my Blu-ray movie library, in a second.
With that said, Opportunity Knocks worked really well for him. It allowed him to use his creativity in his character, Eddie. Whether it's his impersonations or his physical comedy, he shows it throughout the film. Is Opportunity Knocks a brilliant film with Oscar winning performances?? Of course not. It's just a fun movie that allows Carvey to show off his silly humor and it has a nice warm story beneath the surface. I have always enjoyed Opportunity Knocks since the 1st time I saw it in 1990. I own the movie and have watched it countless times. It definitely holds tremendous nostalgic value to me so it's a comfort flick for me, in a lot of ways. If you don't care for Dana Carvey's comedy, then u prob won't really appreciate this film. However, if you're like me, and like Carvey, then you'll certainly enjoy this more...than any of his others. Dana is more Dana in this flick than any other movie he's done. I wish Universal would release this movie on Blu-ray Disc...I'd add it to my Blu-ray movie library, in a second.
A dated, but entertaining con artist movie
cricketbat3 April 2020
Opportunity Knocks is obviously an attempt to show off the voices and impressions Dana Carvey was doing on Saturday Night Live. Some of the humor hasn't aged that well, but this is still an entertaining con artist movie. This could definitely be the nostalgia glasses talking, though. I loved this movie as a kid, so it was fun to watch it again.
Perfect Hideout????
bkoganbing13 February 2012
Opportunity Knocks has Dana Carvey and Todd Graff as a pair of small time grifters who steal a car from loan shark James Tolkan and strip it and junk it. Trouble is that neither of these two lunkheads bothered to look in the trunk where $60,000.00 of Tolkan's collection money is. Needless to say that's got Tolkan upset and he's after these two.
Who take place in a house that looks closed up. But by checking the answering machine find out that the owner has gone to India for three months and the fellow who is supposed to house sit has gotten a sudden job offer and he's blown town. What a perfect hideout.
But then parents Robert Loggia and Sally Belack show up of the owner and Carvey who is alone pretends he's the housesitter and they invite him to lunch at their club. Where Carvey meets Julie Campbell who is their daughter and a doctor. It's the dream of every red blooded American to meet and marry a man/woman of medicine.
The reformed conman is a plot device that's been done quite a lot in film, in one case set to music in The Music Man. But Opportunity Knocks goes way over the top here. Carvey and Graff should have taken their losses and run with a little bit of getaway cash they have courtesy of Loggia. What happens after Carvey gets that out of Loggia is too too absurd.
Who take place in a house that looks closed up. But by checking the answering machine find out that the owner has gone to India for three months and the fellow who is supposed to house sit has gotten a sudden job offer and he's blown town. What a perfect hideout.
But then parents Robert Loggia and Sally Belack show up of the owner and Carvey who is alone pretends he's the housesitter and they invite him to lunch at their club. Where Carvey meets Julie Campbell who is their daughter and a doctor. It's the dream of every red blooded American to meet and marry a man/woman of medicine.
The reformed conman is a plot device that's been done quite a lot in film, in one case set to music in The Music Man. But Opportunity Knocks goes way over the top here. Carvey and Graff should have taken their losses and run with a little bit of getaway cash they have courtesy of Loggia. What happens after Carvey gets that out of Loggia is too too absurd.
Very funny movie if that is what you are looking for!!!!
cholkanlms25 July 2005
This movie is great, it is at very easy reach on my DVD shelf as I always find myself scanning chapters for the funny parts. It is one of those weekend afternoon flicks or funny late night movie when you just want a good chuckle. This was never meant to be an Oscar winning movie so don't expect that from this flick simply sit and enjoy.
If you like other Dana Carvey's movies this is a must see for you. Dana does a very good job in this movie, I would say much better then The Master of Disguise. You would enjoy all of the skits and impressions that Dana is able to pull off.
Great movie if you don't want to buy it thats fine but this is a something you must at least rent once.
If you like other Dana Carvey's movies this is a must see for you. Dana does a very good job in this movie, I would say much better then The Master of Disguise. You would enjoy all of the skits and impressions that Dana is able to pull off.
Great movie if you don't want to buy it thats fine but this is a something you must at least rent once.
Before He Was Garth
view_and_review20 March 2020
Before Dana Carvey was known as Garth from "Wayne's World," he had this doozy of a movie. "Opportunity Knocks" is a light comedy about a con man named Eddie Ferrell (Dana Carvey) who fell into potentially one of the biggest cons of his life. The question is: what angle would he play?
He pretended to be a house sitter named Johnathan Albertson which got him easy access to a wealthy hand dryer salesman named Milt (Robert Loggia). If he could win over Milt he could have access to Milt's money, but he may just have to win over Milt's daughter, Annie (Julia Campbell), to get to him. He would do the love con.
"Opportunity Knocks" was a means for Dana Carvey to show off his comedic range when it comes to impressions or just voices in general. It's a funny family movie with no real profanity or significant violence. It's a film that's cute at times with a light wisp of romance. I wouldn't call it a rom-com, but it is knocking on the door. Still, I'd recommend this to someone like me who usually steers clear of romantic comedies.
He pretended to be a house sitter named Johnathan Albertson which got him easy access to a wealthy hand dryer salesman named Milt (Robert Loggia). If he could win over Milt he could have access to Milt's money, but he may just have to win over Milt's daughter, Annie (Julia Campbell), to get to him. He would do the love con.
"Opportunity Knocks" was a means for Dana Carvey to show off his comedic range when it comes to impressions or just voices in general. It's a funny family movie with no real profanity or significant violence. It's a film that's cute at times with a light wisp of romance. I wouldn't call it a rom-com, but it is knocking on the door. Still, I'd recommend this to someone like me who usually steers clear of romantic comedies.
Relatively harmless and slightly stupid
stills-614 October 1999
Dana Carvey does his SNL skits and tries acting in the last 20 minutes or so. A semi-decent storyline is irrelevant for his humor, which is OK. I like Carvey and his impressions - there's plenty here - but I'd rather watch him on TV than in this movie. It's a little fun, but the hook towards the end is more than a little jarring and signals that the fun is over.
Dana Carvey makes another great film
MovieChi1 January 1999
I just saw the film "Opportunity Knocks" for the first time last night. I've seen it twice since then. This film just proves how talented Dana Carvey is. He provided laughs and fun throughout the movie.
Being a fan of "Saturday Night Live" since the first time I saw it, Dana Carvey has been the funniest (in my opinion) ever to star on the show. During the movie, Mr. Carvey portrays his oh-so-famous impersonation of George Bush (no one could do it better).
I think "Opportunity Knocks" is a great film and you can't watch it without smiling at the things Mr. Carvey does. So, for a fun time and lotsa laughs, you should go see it.
Being a fan of "Saturday Night Live" since the first time I saw it, Dana Carvey has been the funniest (in my opinion) ever to star on the show. During the movie, Mr. Carvey portrays his oh-so-famous impersonation of George Bush (no one could do it better).
I think "Opportunity Knocks" is a great film and you can't watch it without smiling at the things Mr. Carvey does. So, for a fun time and lotsa laughs, you should go see it.
Right Comedy, with Right Theories !
elshikh46 May 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I loved that script a lot. Supposedly it's predictable (double identities, love story, from zero to hero, you can con them some time but not all the time, then happy end, the good wins), however it managed to find a creative way to do everything. Many moments are priceless; the one in the fancy restaurant's bathroom, the president Bush con, and the last romantic con also. The way how they got rid of the bad guy was intelligent, hilarious and so cinematic. And by the way, after one year, see how another movie about another conman, (The Distinguished Gentleman - 1992), would use the same trick of disguising like bug-killers, having the desk of some supervisor for a while, to pull a scheme on powerful bad guys!
Dana Carvey is a handsome gifted comedian, who could have hit it big in Hollywood, so what did happen? Comparing this movie to his later one (The Master of Disguise), 12 years later, is as comparing Chaplin's (City Lights) to (Countess From Hong Kong)! In just one decade, Carvey, who according to (Opportunity..) could have been cast in comedies and romantic comedies, turned from Opportunity Knocks to Opportunity Knocked for six! Certainly, big part of the answer lies in the script's power. Notice well how, here, the script utilizes Carvey's famous routine of SNL as Bush so cleverly, while in (The Master..) the whole matter shrinks into detached silly impersonations, with nothing else!
Julia Campbell had a magical, innocent, presence. She was a gift from the magical innocent 1980s itself. Where did she go either? Robert Loggia is a name that makes me happy whenever I read it on any opening credits. Review the movie's elements; cinematography, editing, music,.. etc. It's smooth, cute and smart. The feel good movies of the 1980s were the nicest. Still the thing I love the most is how this one has its own, so wicked, theories where all the advertisement's men are originally conmen or must be, all the rock music is about shouting anyway, and - my favorite - all the great decisions in life we take in the bathroom. How true!
PS: This is my review number 900. I Hope to find love, someday soon.
Dana Carvey is a handsome gifted comedian, who could have hit it big in Hollywood, so what did happen? Comparing this movie to his later one (The Master of Disguise), 12 years later, is as comparing Chaplin's (City Lights) to (Countess From Hong Kong)! In just one decade, Carvey, who according to (Opportunity..) could have been cast in comedies and romantic comedies, turned from Opportunity Knocks to Opportunity Knocked for six! Certainly, big part of the answer lies in the script's power. Notice well how, here, the script utilizes Carvey's famous routine of SNL as Bush so cleverly, while in (The Master..) the whole matter shrinks into detached silly impersonations, with nothing else!
Julia Campbell had a magical, innocent, presence. She was a gift from the magical innocent 1980s itself. Where did she go either? Robert Loggia is a name that makes me happy whenever I read it on any opening credits. Review the movie's elements; cinematography, editing, music,.. etc. It's smooth, cute and smart. The feel good movies of the 1980s were the nicest. Still the thing I love the most is how this one has its own, so wicked, theories where all the advertisement's men are originally conmen or must be, all the rock music is about shouting anyway, and - my favorite - all the great decisions in life we take in the bathroom. How true!
PS: This is my review number 900. I Hope to find love, someday soon.
Some good parts, a few stupid parts
spenrh15 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This late 1980s flick is another one of those forgotten B movie flicks from the 80s which didn't carry on to still be a well known movie into the 21st century. Those types of B movies weren't in the same category as 80s movies that did remain well known much later, such as "Ferris Bueller's day off", "The breakfast club", and "Back to the future", the latter movie with James Tolkan as Mr. Strictland, has a role here in "Opportunity knocks" as ruthless mob boss Sal who is after Dana Carvey's star character for who he thinks stole $60,000 from him. In reality, he stole his car and dumped it on a curb (where hooligans tore pieces off the car and stole the money in one of those fast forward sequences).
Dana, as Eddie Farrel, is a small time conman with his partner Lou (Todd Graff, who played a role that same year as Tom Selleck's prison inmate in An innocent man who met a firey violent end for ripping off the wrong inmates). Eddie and Lou spend their time ripping people off for cash by jumping in front of cars and threatening to sue, posing as gas repair men (a mildly amusing scene where they try to con the house owner by saying that there are "dangerous clouds of gas pockets" in his home, make him hold a button on his furnace while they try to steal his TV, and then get attacked by his sons who return from karate lesson), and doing other small time cons. Then they break into a home where the house owner is in India and the house sitter calls and leaves a message on the answering machine while they're there saying that he can't house sit due to a big money executive job offer in Seattle. This movie, which I previously thought began on the streets of New York with Eddie and Lou's jumping in front of a car scam, and then took the house sitting scam to the nice upper middle class house somewhere along the coast in the Hamptons. But I realized later that the movie was in Chicago, and the house was along Lake Michigan. My mistake on that came from how the movie just seemed more East coast, from the bar mitzvah, Robert Loggia normally being a New Yorker in movies, Eddie's retired con man uncle Max's (Milo O'Shea) East coast accent, and East coast accents with numerous other characters.
Anyway, when Eddie poses as the backed out house sitter Johnathan Albertson, house owner David's parents show up and Eddie pretends to be Johnathan. Eddie does a fairly convincing job at pulling the scam, but I personally feel that David's parents were a little naive for immediately believing that Eddie was Johnathan and for like falling in love with him. Johnathan was supposed to be David's best friend of many years, yet his parents never met him before, never saw any photos of the real Johnathan, etc. This scam by Eddie would never be pulled off today, with Facebook and so many other ways that the parents could find out the truth.
There are amusing scenes such as Eddie with the parents at a fine dining resteraunt (some amusing lines between Eddie and the waiter), Eddie and David's father (Robert Loggia) at his blow dryer business, and the funniest scene being Eddie pretending to be George Bush at the Cubs stadium bathroom. Him immitating Bush was hilarious with lines like "..not gonna do it.. wouldn't be prudent...at this..juncture...of my career", "blow dryers..good. Towels..bad", and "I'm going to send my entire cabinet one of these blow dryers, put 'em up all over the White House, and even send one as a gift set to Gorbie". I still find those lines pretty funny.
Now for the stupid parts of the movie; one of the mob guys that worked for Sal, Pinky, was an annoying character, I didn't like him. And the worst scene of all was Eddie at a night club singing Born to be wild, known there as "Wild man". The way he sang, danced, and the audience's reactions to him were embarrassing to watch. And I also saw how dated everyone's clothes (such as the waitress's) there were. Something about 80s dress and style sometimes seems more dated than 1960s and 1970s clothes and style.
As Eddie started learning the blow dryer business pretty well, and began a romantic relationship with Loggia's daughter Annie (Julie Campbell), he began seriously considering reforming himself and really becoming a legitimate businessman at the blow dryer company and marrying Annie. Lou opposed to that and urged Eddie to keep scamming, and for a minute watching that, I sure hoped that Eddie wasn't going to listen to him. However, Lou then brought up one very valid point, David sent a postcard of the Taj Mahal saying that he was about to return home from India. And of course, Eddie could then no longer remain a respected member of the family no matter how clean he tried to live now, since David's return would automatically uncover how he's lied about who he is and expose him as a fraud. So Eddie instead comes clean to David's parents and Annie in a scene which obviously turns unpleasant, with his new fiance and family all understandably turning against him. Of course, because it's a movie, the turn against was only temporary. Loggia, who initially got angry with Eddie upon finding out his scam, was a few scenes later looking at the autographed baseball that he gave Eddie earlier and then forming an "I guess he was alright, and I miss him now" smile. Annie also suddenly, without convincing reason, suddenly turned 180° back the other way at the end of the movie and fell back in love with Eddie. Both things would be unrealistic in real life. In real life, the family would've likely called the police for what he did, and very unlikely would've ever forgiven him. But like I said, it's a movie.
The big scam near the end of movie with Sal and the commissioner's office was actually pulled off quite well, and was kind of amusing, and got mobster Sal with a bad ending for him. And uncle Max came out of retirement to help with that one. So anyway, good movie in some parts, but with others, I can see why this became a forgotten 80s B movie. I've always thought that this movie took place in and around NYC, and the house was in Long Island. But I realized later that it was in and around Chicago and the house was along Lake Michigan.
Dana, as Eddie Farrel, is a small time conman with his partner Lou (Todd Graff, who played a role that same year as Tom Selleck's prison inmate in An innocent man who met a firey violent end for ripping off the wrong inmates). Eddie and Lou spend their time ripping people off for cash by jumping in front of cars and threatening to sue, posing as gas repair men (a mildly amusing scene where they try to con the house owner by saying that there are "dangerous clouds of gas pockets" in his home, make him hold a button on his furnace while they try to steal his TV, and then get attacked by his sons who return from karate lesson), and doing other small time cons. Then they break into a home where the house owner is in India and the house sitter calls and leaves a message on the answering machine while they're there saying that he can't house sit due to a big money executive job offer in Seattle. This movie, which I previously thought began on the streets of New York with Eddie and Lou's jumping in front of a car scam, and then took the house sitting scam to the nice upper middle class house somewhere along the coast in the Hamptons. But I realized later that the movie was in Chicago, and the house was along Lake Michigan. My mistake on that came from how the movie just seemed more East coast, from the bar mitzvah, Robert Loggia normally being a New Yorker in movies, Eddie's retired con man uncle Max's (Milo O'Shea) East coast accent, and East coast accents with numerous other characters.
Anyway, when Eddie poses as the backed out house sitter Johnathan Albertson, house owner David's parents show up and Eddie pretends to be Johnathan. Eddie does a fairly convincing job at pulling the scam, but I personally feel that David's parents were a little naive for immediately believing that Eddie was Johnathan and for like falling in love with him. Johnathan was supposed to be David's best friend of many years, yet his parents never met him before, never saw any photos of the real Johnathan, etc. This scam by Eddie would never be pulled off today, with Facebook and so many other ways that the parents could find out the truth.
There are amusing scenes such as Eddie with the parents at a fine dining resteraunt (some amusing lines between Eddie and the waiter), Eddie and David's father (Robert Loggia) at his blow dryer business, and the funniest scene being Eddie pretending to be George Bush at the Cubs stadium bathroom. Him immitating Bush was hilarious with lines like "..not gonna do it.. wouldn't be prudent...at this..juncture...of my career", "blow dryers..good. Towels..bad", and "I'm going to send my entire cabinet one of these blow dryers, put 'em up all over the White House, and even send one as a gift set to Gorbie". I still find those lines pretty funny.
Now for the stupid parts of the movie; one of the mob guys that worked for Sal, Pinky, was an annoying character, I didn't like him. And the worst scene of all was Eddie at a night club singing Born to be wild, known there as "Wild man". The way he sang, danced, and the audience's reactions to him were embarrassing to watch. And I also saw how dated everyone's clothes (such as the waitress's) there were. Something about 80s dress and style sometimes seems more dated than 1960s and 1970s clothes and style.
As Eddie started learning the blow dryer business pretty well, and began a romantic relationship with Loggia's daughter Annie (Julie Campbell), he began seriously considering reforming himself and really becoming a legitimate businessman at the blow dryer company and marrying Annie. Lou opposed to that and urged Eddie to keep scamming, and for a minute watching that, I sure hoped that Eddie wasn't going to listen to him. However, Lou then brought up one very valid point, David sent a postcard of the Taj Mahal saying that he was about to return home from India. And of course, Eddie could then no longer remain a respected member of the family no matter how clean he tried to live now, since David's return would automatically uncover how he's lied about who he is and expose him as a fraud. So Eddie instead comes clean to David's parents and Annie in a scene which obviously turns unpleasant, with his new fiance and family all understandably turning against him. Of course, because it's a movie, the turn against was only temporary. Loggia, who initially got angry with Eddie upon finding out his scam, was a few scenes later looking at the autographed baseball that he gave Eddie earlier and then forming an "I guess he was alright, and I miss him now" smile. Annie also suddenly, without convincing reason, suddenly turned 180° back the other way at the end of the movie and fell back in love with Eddie. Both things would be unrealistic in real life. In real life, the family would've likely called the police for what he did, and very unlikely would've ever forgiven him. But like I said, it's a movie.
The big scam near the end of movie with Sal and the commissioner's office was actually pulled off quite well, and was kind of amusing, and got mobster Sal with a bad ending for him. And uncle Max came out of retirement to help with that one. So anyway, good movie in some parts, but with others, I can see why this became a forgotten 80s B movie. I've always thought that this movie took place in and around NYC, and the house was in Long Island. But I realized later that it was in and around Chicago and the house was along Lake Michigan.
Hilarious and Entertaining Comedy!
nanvind9 February 2003
This movie was fun from beginning to end. I cared about the characters, it has a great plot and I love seeing it again and again.I can't wait for it to come out on DVD. It has a great story about friendship, family, and true love. The story is told in a very funny, delightful, and entertaining way. I absolutely LOVE this movie.
Don't miss the opportunity to see this movie!
inkblot1113 April 2005
Eddie (Dana Carvey) is a small time conman in Chicago. He and his partner get in a little over their heads, however, when they take/borrow a car that belongs to the top dog crook in the city. On the lam, Eddie gives himself a new identity when he poses as an ace businessman for a firm that markets hand blow dryers. In his pretend role, he meets Annie (Julia Campbell), the daughter of the firm's president. Is it love or is he just after her family's money? Will Eddie be found out? Dana Carvey makes this movie something special. His performance is highly amusing, of course, but he also displays a talent for the dramatic elements of the film. The rest of the cast prove themselves to be quite capable of supporting Carvey's hijinks and Campbell makes a beautiful love interest. The Chicago scenery and the lovely costumes add nicely to the movie's enjoyment, too. For the many romcom fans across the globe, this one should be added to a must-see list. Those who appreciate the laudable talents of Carvey will not want to bypass this one, either.
a great comedy!
jaws!10 April 1999
opportunity knocks is very funny. the first time i saw this movie back in 1990 or maybe early 1991 i didn't really like it that much. but then i saw it again in 1997 or early 1998. i loved it. i guess i couldn't understand this movie when i first saw it.i was only 8 or 9 when i first saw it.but now i understand it very well.all the jokes i get.it's carvey's best movie! it's very funny.it has a great plot to it.just all around great.i give this movie ***1/2 out of ****
and underrated classic
cyberiouse021 July 2005
While this is not by far one of the greatest movies ever made but it is a very underrated movie. it has great acting a good story many many funny moments in it and it is still very good after repeated views if you are looking for a god funny not very known movie that stars Dana Carvey i highly suggest it. it is also a very good movie for anyone that lives in Chicago. there are a lot of good sight seeing scenes in it like the Wrigley field scene which is also one of the funniest scenes in the movie. this movie is Dana Carvey at his funniest when he is solo while there are many more funny movies where he has a major actor comedian along with(Wayne's world) this is him pure and on his own. it also shows that he can kinda sing too
Overlooked late 80s flick
richspenc6 March 2017
This film is remembered well from when I was 14. It's another film that got hidden away from the mainstream 21st century movie world. Just one of the guys is another example of that, and both that and this film I have never found on DVD in any stores. Too many people find them both B movies, and B movies from that era don't make it to the 21st century like the A movies do. Examples of B movies from 80s: the two I already mentioned, Frog, My stepmother was an alien, The invisible kid, The boy who could fly, Killer klowns from outer space, walk like a man, and others. Examples of 80s A movies: Back to the future, Ferris Bueller, The breakfast club, Weird science, Sixteen candles, Big, Rain man, Batman, Twins, and many others.
Opportunity knocks was in my opinion a very good film with con man Dana Carvey, and is less talked about than the much inferior, more stupid Dana Carry con man film 2002's Master of disguise. Dana and partner Todd Graff are con partners who are basically still on the lower end of the ladder but wishing to climb up it. They owe $750 to big guy Pinky (another ironic gangster name, common thing in these kind of films). Pinky works for big mob boss Sal (James Tolkan, Mr Strickland from Back to future films ). They really land onto Sal's hit list after stealing his car, abandoning it and allowing it to get vandlelised, plus 60 grand in cash being stolen from trunk. Dana and Todd, now with Sal having bullets with their names on them, flee and end up breaking into a nice upper middle class house whos owner David is on a three month vacation to India. Along the way are several comical skits from Dana including (a couple more India references) an Indian accent with an attitude, another Indian accent with Leprosy, a gas/ furnace repair man scam, and a jump in front of a car scam, all for chump change. Dana wants to move up in the world, and with aid from his retired big league con man uncle, he gets his chance in the big leagues himself. He takes the nice house of David and poses as his old college buddy Johnathan since Dana overhears how David's real buddy Johnathan who was gonna house sit dropped out last minute to take some big money making job. There "Johnathan" meets David's parents Milt (Robert Loggia) and his wife Mona. Things really take off from there and Dana really starts living it up with his new false yuppie lifestyle with everyone in Dave's family being none the wiser to his scheme. That includes beauty Ann who really falls for his so called educated, worldly, witty, big business man position in life. I would not necessarily say that David's family is dumb for falling for his charade since he really pulls it off quite convincingly.
There are some very good scenes and a few dumb ones while Dana is mascarading as Johnathan. The good scenes involve Dana/"Johnathan" going to Milt and Mona's country club for lunch while Dana gets to work with some very amusing lines (the Chatuea la fete wine scene, the comment to the host "where does one go to drain the lizard?", Dana to Milt after the waiter pours his wine: "is he gonna come by and burp me too?", Dana to Milt after Milt starts talking heavy business (that Johnathan would know about but not Dana): "I think we're boring the ladies". Mona: "Thank you Johnathan".). More good scenes and lines come while Dana/ "Johnathan" is at Milt's office such as the conversation with the Japanese man about the Malcolm blowers, the "George Bush" scene at the stadium bathroom, the barmitzva, the entire plot with Sal getting set up by Dana and his uncle posing as government building commissioner, and some of the scenes while he's getting romantically attached with Ann.
The couple of dumb scenes are: the scene with Dana/"Johnathan" in the company bathroom telling everyone that the bathroom is the place where people come up with the best business ideas, and then the way Milt and everyone cheer him for that. Seriously? The other very bad scene, the worst one is Dana/ "Johnathan" singing "Born to be wild" at a club as "Wildman". The way he sang it, the way he danced, especially that erotic crawl on the ground towards the audience, and the way the audience including the guys were screaming and reaching their arms out at him like the girls did at Elvis concerts. Are you serious!? It was embarrassingly awful to watch. And also the way everyone called him Wild man and Pinky seeing him and trying to come after him. Awful, the whole scene. This paragraph here is the reason I subtracted points from my review. But the other 7 points are from how well the rest of the film was.
Opportunity knocks was in my opinion a very good film with con man Dana Carvey, and is less talked about than the much inferior, more stupid Dana Carry con man film 2002's Master of disguise. Dana and partner Todd Graff are con partners who are basically still on the lower end of the ladder but wishing to climb up it. They owe $750 to big guy Pinky (another ironic gangster name, common thing in these kind of films). Pinky works for big mob boss Sal (James Tolkan, Mr Strickland from Back to future films ). They really land onto Sal's hit list after stealing his car, abandoning it and allowing it to get vandlelised, plus 60 grand in cash being stolen from trunk. Dana and Todd, now with Sal having bullets with their names on them, flee and end up breaking into a nice upper middle class house whos owner David is on a three month vacation to India. Along the way are several comical skits from Dana including (a couple more India references) an Indian accent with an attitude, another Indian accent with Leprosy, a gas/ furnace repair man scam, and a jump in front of a car scam, all for chump change. Dana wants to move up in the world, and with aid from his retired big league con man uncle, he gets his chance in the big leagues himself. He takes the nice house of David and poses as his old college buddy Johnathan since Dana overhears how David's real buddy Johnathan who was gonna house sit dropped out last minute to take some big money making job. There "Johnathan" meets David's parents Milt (Robert Loggia) and his wife Mona. Things really take off from there and Dana really starts living it up with his new false yuppie lifestyle with everyone in Dave's family being none the wiser to his scheme. That includes beauty Ann who really falls for his so called educated, worldly, witty, big business man position in life. I would not necessarily say that David's family is dumb for falling for his charade since he really pulls it off quite convincingly.
There are some very good scenes and a few dumb ones while Dana is mascarading as Johnathan. The good scenes involve Dana/"Johnathan" going to Milt and Mona's country club for lunch while Dana gets to work with some very amusing lines (the Chatuea la fete wine scene, the comment to the host "where does one go to drain the lizard?", Dana to Milt after the waiter pours his wine: "is he gonna come by and burp me too?", Dana to Milt after Milt starts talking heavy business (that Johnathan would know about but not Dana): "I think we're boring the ladies". Mona: "Thank you Johnathan".). More good scenes and lines come while Dana/ "Johnathan" is at Milt's office such as the conversation with the Japanese man about the Malcolm blowers, the "George Bush" scene at the stadium bathroom, the barmitzva, the entire plot with Sal getting set up by Dana and his uncle posing as government building commissioner, and some of the scenes while he's getting romantically attached with Ann.
The couple of dumb scenes are: the scene with Dana/"Johnathan" in the company bathroom telling everyone that the bathroom is the place where people come up with the best business ideas, and then the way Milt and everyone cheer him for that. Seriously? The other very bad scene, the worst one is Dana/ "Johnathan" singing "Born to be wild" at a club as "Wildman". The way he sang it, the way he danced, especially that erotic crawl on the ground towards the audience, and the way the audience including the guys were screaming and reaching their arms out at him like the girls did at Elvis concerts. Are you serious!? It was embarrassingly awful to watch. And also the way everyone called him Wild man and Pinky seeing him and trying to come after him. Awful, the whole scene. This paragraph here is the reason I subtracted points from my review. But the other 7 points are from how well the rest of the film was.
Charming, But Becomes Tiring After a While...
MovieAddict20162 April 2003
To cut to the chase, "Opportunity Knocks" was funny about half-way through, but then it became tiresome and predictable.
Dana Carvey plays Eddie Farrell, the world's most successful conman. Well, not really. He's a good conman, but he isn't rich. He and his co-conman Lou (Todd Graff) have been down on their luck lately. But things really escalate downwards when a vicious loan shark comes looking for the men. So they rob a home to get some quick cash. While they do so, an answering machine on a desk clicks on. Eddie and Lou listen to find out that not only is the owner away for a month or two, but that the person supposed to be watching the house has called saying he won't be able to come over to the home, due to a new job in another part of the country. So Eddie and Lou relax in the rich man's home until Milt Malkin (Robert Loggia) shows up--president of a hair-blowing company. Milt is a distant relative of the homeowner, yet he has never seen him before. Therefore, Milt mistakes Eddie for Jonathan, the owner of the home. Eddie, thinking this is all great, plays as the houseowner...and the shenanigans begin...
"Opportunity Knocks" is one of those movies with a decent premise, and some typical eighties' comedies laughs. But even the half-baked laughs soon evaporate as the plot becomes tiring and thin. There gets to be a certain point of Eddie pretending to be someone he isn't that becomes unfunny.
"Opportunity Knocks" is Dana Carvey's first main starring role. We know what this means. Somewhere in there they're going to fit in a Bush impersonation. Luckily, they do it quite well, and it proves to be one of the most interesting and amusing, if not hysterical scenes in the film.
"Opportunity Knocks," despite some average laughs, has a certain charm to it that is attracting. Perhaps it is the characters. Perhaps it is just the style of the film. I'm not sure. It's just a very charming film. Technically it is very typical, but if you look deeper it has a strange charm to it that is hard not to like. And besides, who cannot like Dana Carvey? Oops, spoke too soon--"Master of Disguise" just popped to mind.
I actually was beginning to really get into this film, before the last quarter or so that is so predictable and stereotypical for the genre that it was quite disappointing.
In the end, "Opportunity Knocks" has some good potential, ultimately some good laughs, never reaches its full potential, yet is still charming and worth watching.
How's that for a confusing review?
3/5 stars -
John Ulmer
Dana Carvey plays Eddie Farrell, the world's most successful conman. Well, not really. He's a good conman, but he isn't rich. He and his co-conman Lou (Todd Graff) have been down on their luck lately. But things really escalate downwards when a vicious loan shark comes looking for the men. So they rob a home to get some quick cash. While they do so, an answering machine on a desk clicks on. Eddie and Lou listen to find out that not only is the owner away for a month or two, but that the person supposed to be watching the house has called saying he won't be able to come over to the home, due to a new job in another part of the country. So Eddie and Lou relax in the rich man's home until Milt Malkin (Robert Loggia) shows up--president of a hair-blowing company. Milt is a distant relative of the homeowner, yet he has never seen him before. Therefore, Milt mistakes Eddie for Jonathan, the owner of the home. Eddie, thinking this is all great, plays as the houseowner...and the shenanigans begin...
"Opportunity Knocks" is one of those movies with a decent premise, and some typical eighties' comedies laughs. But even the half-baked laughs soon evaporate as the plot becomes tiring and thin. There gets to be a certain point of Eddie pretending to be someone he isn't that becomes unfunny.
"Opportunity Knocks" is Dana Carvey's first main starring role. We know what this means. Somewhere in there they're going to fit in a Bush impersonation. Luckily, they do it quite well, and it proves to be one of the most interesting and amusing, if not hysterical scenes in the film.
"Opportunity Knocks," despite some average laughs, has a certain charm to it that is attracting. Perhaps it is the characters. Perhaps it is just the style of the film. I'm not sure. It's just a very charming film. Technically it is very typical, but if you look deeper it has a strange charm to it that is hard not to like. And besides, who cannot like Dana Carvey? Oops, spoke too soon--"Master of Disguise" just popped to mind.
I actually was beginning to really get into this film, before the last quarter or so that is so predictable and stereotypical for the genre that it was quite disappointing.
In the end, "Opportunity Knocks" has some good potential, ultimately some good laughs, never reaches its full potential, yet is still charming and worth watching.
How's that for a confusing review?
3/5 stars -
John Ulmer
Opportunity Knocks
Coxer9923 April 1999
Serviceable comedy light on story, not laughs.
firepants4 January 2001
This 1990 film was the first of two attempts by Dana Carvey to parlay his success on Saturday Night Live to the silver screen (Clean Slate - 1994). Carvey is better than expected, and while most of the laughs are from borderline sketch comedy better suited for television (such as his wide variety of impressions), his talent is great enough to make this movie watchable, and even enjoyable at times. The plot and script, while contrived and full of holes, does manage to serve it's purpose by moving the story along and getting Carvey from one punchline to the next. Carvey's efforts are even more significant given the notably weak performances turned in by the rest of the cast, including the usually adequate Robert Loggia.
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