I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The jokes about Albanians were hilarious and Peter Falk's character was the most ridiculous. Just one person creating so many multi dimensional characters. Especially the fire scene. Very dramatic.
Keanu Reeves and Barbara Hershey play very good characters with romantic interests in each other. Well you end up rooting for Keanu's character since he has such an endearing innocence. The backdrop, scenery and the costumes are very colorful and convincing.
The movie is a great joy to watch. It brings light to a entertainment medium that is hard to imagine in this digital age.
20 Reviews
Fantasy About Love, Art, Illusion, Life, etc.
rmax30482313 February 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I've watched this film twice and still don't know exactly how to respond to it. It's as if I'd been sawed in two, right down the sagittal plane. I'm impressed that the story was from Mario Vargas Llosa, a noted Peruvian novelist, essayist, and political figure. I mean, you can't help but admire a person who can become perhaps the most important writer of fiction in Latin America AND a serious candidate for president of Peru, who almost made it, by the way.
The movie is clearly ambitious. It takes risks that most aspiring blockbusters wouldn't dare. The story of two mismatched real-life lovers -- the older and wiser Barbara Hershey and the younger and dumber Keanu Reeves -- is intercut with a radio play. This is 1951, mind you, so radio plays are listened to religiously. The radio play, a kind of soap opera with medical interludes, is written by Peter Falk, who steals from actual incidents in the lives of others, including the conundrum of Hershey and Reeves.
The performances are uniformly good. Even Reeves is passable. Peter Falk is outrageously hammy. For reasons that are a little fuliginous he dresses up at various points as a dainty French maid, a dovening Rabbi, and an Irish Cardinal. It's full of diverse themes involving love, art, so-called real life, the sociology of enmity, and some others -- I guess. I got confused.
The problem is that none of these themes are explored in enough depth to make the story gripping rather than just interesting. Of course, one hopes for a happy outcome. And one gets it -- out of nowhere. When the two lovers are alone in a field, Falk shows up driving a fire engine, gives them his blessings, and takes off dressed in the Cardinal's robes.
The whole enterprise is more of a puzzle than a satisfying artifact. If it weren't for my own magnificent performance, which lifts the film into the realm of the celestial, but which I have discounted, I wouldn't know how to assess it. I'll have to leave the judgment to individual viewers.
The movie is clearly ambitious. It takes risks that most aspiring blockbusters wouldn't dare. The story of two mismatched real-life lovers -- the older and wiser Barbara Hershey and the younger and dumber Keanu Reeves -- is intercut with a radio play. This is 1951, mind you, so radio plays are listened to religiously. The radio play, a kind of soap opera with medical interludes, is written by Peter Falk, who steals from actual incidents in the lives of others, including the conundrum of Hershey and Reeves.
The performances are uniformly good. Even Reeves is passable. Peter Falk is outrageously hammy. For reasons that are a little fuliginous he dresses up at various points as a dainty French maid, a dovening Rabbi, and an Irish Cardinal. It's full of diverse themes involving love, art, so-called real life, the sociology of enmity, and some others -- I guess. I got confused.
The problem is that none of these themes are explored in enough depth to make the story gripping rather than just interesting. Of course, one hopes for a happy outcome. And one gets it -- out of nowhere. When the two lovers are alone in a field, Falk shows up driving a fire engine, gives them his blessings, and takes off dressed in the Cardinal's robes.
The whole enterprise is more of a puzzle than a satisfying artifact. If it weren't for my own magnificent performance, which lifts the film into the realm of the celestial, but which I have discounted, I wouldn't know how to assess it. I'll have to leave the judgment to individual viewers.
A great performance from Peter Falk
bwaynef5 April 1999
Nothing is more exciting to Pedro Carmichael than "reality impacting." It happens when the radio serial he writes offends Albanians who picket the station and attack the diminutive scenarist in the street, and it happens when a young news writer falls in love with his sexy aunt, a situation bearing similarities to the latest storyline from Carmichael's prolific pen. Reality impacts a little too much for the couple, however, when their words and actions turn up on the radio exactly as they were played out in their lives.
The premise of "Tune in Tomorrow..." is one that could certainly be the springboard for some first-rate comedy and if it had been written by someone as imaginative as the writer portrayed in the film by Peter Falk, it might have been just that. Instead, the movie sputters along, never quite catching fire, except literally at the conclusion when those fed up Albanians bomb the station.
The cast is almost perfect. Almost, you say? Two words: Keanu Reeves. Affecting a less than convincing Southern accent, Reeves is as dull here as he's been in most of his films. Barbara Hershey is fine as his sexy aunt,
and in the strictly imaginary visual reenactments of the radio soap operas, John Larroquete, Buck Henry, Dan Hadeya, Henry Gibson, Peter Gallagher, and Elizabeth McGovern are terrific. The star of this show, however, is Peter Falk who saves "Tune in Tomorrow..." from being a total misfire with a wonderfully eccentric performance. As Carmichael, Falk dresses up as a maid, surgeon, rabbi, fireman, and cardinal, all in an effort to create new characters from a base of reality. Falk rates a solid four stars. The movie only rates two and a half.
The premise of "Tune in Tomorrow..." is one that could certainly be the springboard for some first-rate comedy and if it had been written by someone as imaginative as the writer portrayed in the film by Peter Falk, it might have been just that. Instead, the movie sputters along, never quite catching fire, except literally at the conclusion when those fed up Albanians bomb the station.
The cast is almost perfect. Almost, you say? Two words: Keanu Reeves. Affecting a less than convincing Southern accent, Reeves is as dull here as he's been in most of his films. Barbara Hershey is fine as his sexy aunt,
and in the strictly imaginary visual reenactments of the radio soap operas, John Larroquete, Buck Henry, Dan Hadeya, Henry Gibson, Peter Gallagher, and Elizabeth McGovern are terrific. The star of this show, however, is Peter Falk who saves "Tune in Tomorrow..." from being a total misfire with a wonderfully eccentric performance. As Carmichael, Falk dresses up as a maid, surgeon, rabbi, fireman, and cardinal, all in an effort to create new characters from a base of reality. Falk rates a solid four stars. The movie only rates two and a half.
Keanu Reeves given paper bag. Hilarity ensures as he tries to act his way out of it.
jayhawk-1827 June 2010
'The Year's Best Comedy!' it said on the box. A review from the Village Voice, no less, although perhaps on the day when the director's mother was the guest reviewer.
'The Best Comedy of 1990'. This review on the box came from the Lake County News Herald, serving Northern Ohio. Note the lack of an exclamation point.
I'm glad I only paid a dollar for this and that the money went to the Salvation Army. That's the only good thing to come out of this.
Keanu Reeves and Barbara Hershey (woeful actors, the pair of them) fall in love simply because she's bored and he's horny. They are aunt and nephew (in name only, not by blood) and this tinge of incest is incorporated into the soap opera which plays on the radio station where Keanu's character works.
This 'scandal' is milked by the shady scriptwriter played by Peter Falk who has survived a terrorist attack on his previous place of employment and risks the same at this other radio station because of his nonsensical, baseless hatred of Albanians that works its way into every insulting line of his scripts.
I hope the above paragraphs make sense or sound halfway interesting, unlike the movie itself. It's a wildly uneven movie, with incomprehensible and disconnected scenes featuring an assemblage of low-rent talents you may half-recognise from cancelled TV shows.
None of it makes any sense. Despite wanting to be a writer, Keanu's character is never seen with a pen in hand or sat at a typewriter. He neglects his character's Southern accent in several scenes. The incest storyline features in the soap opera well before the aunt and nephew actually begin their affair. Oddball characters (like the Sid/Sam radio boss) are just irritating, not funny.
The only thing I enjoyed about the movie (aside from the closing credits) was the brilliant music from Wynton Marsalis.
'The Best Comedy of 1990'. This review on the box came from the Lake County News Herald, serving Northern Ohio. Note the lack of an exclamation point.
I'm glad I only paid a dollar for this and that the money went to the Salvation Army. That's the only good thing to come out of this.
Keanu Reeves and Barbara Hershey (woeful actors, the pair of them) fall in love simply because she's bored and he's horny. They are aunt and nephew (in name only, not by blood) and this tinge of incest is incorporated into the soap opera which plays on the radio station where Keanu's character works.
This 'scandal' is milked by the shady scriptwriter played by Peter Falk who has survived a terrorist attack on his previous place of employment and risks the same at this other radio station because of his nonsensical, baseless hatred of Albanians that works its way into every insulting line of his scripts.
I hope the above paragraphs make sense or sound halfway interesting, unlike the movie itself. It's a wildly uneven movie, with incomprehensible and disconnected scenes featuring an assemblage of low-rent talents you may half-recognise from cancelled TV shows.
None of it makes any sense. Despite wanting to be a writer, Keanu's character is never seen with a pen in hand or sat at a typewriter. He neglects his character's Southern accent in several scenes. The incest storyline features in the soap opera well before the aunt and nephew actually begin their affair. Oddball characters (like the Sid/Sam radio boss) are just irritating, not funny.
The only thing I enjoyed about the movie (aside from the closing credits) was the brilliant music from Wynton Marsalis.
Barbara and Keanu are great but Peter steals the show
Marie-623 May 2003
This was my first Peter Falk movie and I certainly hope it won't be my last. I saw "Tune in Tomorrow" to see Barbara Hershey (a favorite actress of mine) but was completely taken with this funny, eccentric middle-aged man looking like either a French maid or a Jewish rabbi. The plotline was charming and the characters were cute...Simply that. Don't expect a whole lot out of "Tune in Tomorrow" because when you see it, it'll then blow you away. Keanu looked so young! Besides that, it was a very VERY funny movie with a lot of "Paris When it Sizzles" type fluff added to it. Very sweet. 9/10
Don't take it at face value!
refill24 October 2002
From some of the other comments (especially the one complaining about the Southern accents), it's clear that people are judging this film at face value. This movie is not meant to be realistic! It's a whimsical, highly stylized fable, right in line with director Jon Amiel's best work -- and it's a delight from start to finish. Everybody in the cast is clearly having a great time -- particularly Peter Falk -- and if you have an open mind, and are willing to surrender to the film's atmosphere, you'll have a great time too.
Hilarious, smart, sexy, surprising -- in other words, not your typical Hollywood comedy. Give it a chance!
Hilarious, smart, sexy, surprising -- in other words, not your typical Hollywood comedy. Give it a chance!
Delightful
bluepuppy24 January 2003
I love this movie. I love everything about it.
It's a screwball comedy and first-rate farce. It kids soap operas, white-bread 1950's suburbia, and even points up the absurdity of racism, while still being joyous, fun, and affectionately good-natured. The acting is superb all around with delightful chemistry between the three main characters played by Barbara Hershey, Keanu Reeves, and Peter Falk. I'm amazed that anyone could fault Reeves' performance in this film. He is perfect - sweet, hopeful, naive and romantic. The May-late autumn romance between Reeves and Barbara Hershey is completely believable. You want these two to make it.
The secondary plot involves a playing-out of the radio soap opera as Peter Falk's character writes it. The acting is deliciously over-the-top as befits the absurd storyline. Extra kudos to Elizabeth McGovern. Who knew she could be so funny?
Peter Falk is the glue that holds the whole thing together. He wickedly manipulates everyone who comes within his sphere of influence - but all in the name of art and love.
As an added bonus, the music is wonderful, both as atmosphere and in and of itself. Wynton Marsalis wrote the score and his band plays the music. If you like jazz or even if you don't, the way it weaves in and out of and becomes part of the plot is a delight to the soul.
It's a screwball comedy and first-rate farce. It kids soap operas, white-bread 1950's suburbia, and even points up the absurdity of racism, while still being joyous, fun, and affectionately good-natured. The acting is superb all around with delightful chemistry between the three main characters played by Barbara Hershey, Keanu Reeves, and Peter Falk. I'm amazed that anyone could fault Reeves' performance in this film. He is perfect - sweet, hopeful, naive and romantic. The May-late autumn romance between Reeves and Barbara Hershey is completely believable. You want these two to make it.
The secondary plot involves a playing-out of the radio soap opera as Peter Falk's character writes it. The acting is deliciously over-the-top as befits the absurd storyline. Extra kudos to Elizabeth McGovern. Who knew she could be so funny?
Peter Falk is the glue that holds the whole thing together. He wickedly manipulates everyone who comes within his sphere of influence - but all in the name of art and love.
As an added bonus, the music is wonderful, both as atmosphere and in and of itself. Wynton Marsalis wrote the score and his band plays the music. If you like jazz or even if you don't, the way it weaves in and out of and becomes part of the plot is a delight to the soul.
Hilarious!
BigEd-416 October 2003
A sometimes uneven romp is overtaken by a simply brilliant performance by Peter Falk. Don't miss this overlooked jewel. Falk stars as a writer of radio serials who has been both a success, and ridden out of town, from every decent station in the country. Now in New Orleans, we discover his secret for success, and his hysterical passion to pull everything together.
Hilarious to the core
julien-1916 February 2000
Why is a movie funny? The plot? The actors? The director? All of the above? I cannot answer but "Aunt Julia..." surely gathers all of them and must be one of the most hilarious movies I have ever seen. I cannot stop laughing when thinking of Peter Falk disguised as a fireman explaining why men have to hate other men. A truly special film.
Life, Love, Laughter and New Orleans!
curaceau10 February 2010
Whenever I think of extremely underrated movies, Tune in Tomorrow always comes to mind. Barbara Hershey, Peter Falk and Keanu Reeves all shine in their leading roles. The luminous and hilarious supporting cast showcases Patricia Clarkson, Peter Gallagher, Elizabeth McGovern and John Larroquette like you've never seen them before. This ensemble is one of the best that I've encountered on screen and makes me wish they gave out awards for supporting casts.
The movie might not be everyone's cup of sweet tea but it's a gem, nonetheless. Even if the story doesn't tickle your heart, the movie is definitely worth catching for the Wynton Marsalis score and the classic images of a pre-Katrina New Orleans.
The movie might not be everyone's cup of sweet tea but it's a gem, nonetheless. Even if the story doesn't tickle your heart, the movie is definitely worth catching for the Wynton Marsalis score and the classic images of a pre-Katrina New Orleans.
A beautifully made romantic comedy.
jandmga26 May 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I came across this movie when going thru all of the movies of Keanu Reeves. I watched it and was thrilled with the movie. It was funny, hilarious and had a good story line. The movie was well paced. Funny from the start. Loved all of the characters in the movie. What a great collection of actors in a movie---from the main stars to the characters in the radio soap opera. And oh Peter Falk was at his best showing his many talents for comedy. The chemistry between Keanu Reeves and Barbara Hershey was right on target with her cynical life view and Keanu's innocent and naïveté of life. Great acting on his part and Barbara Hershey. It was so great to come across a movie made with such love and enthusiasm. Wish Hollywood made movies like this again instead of all these CGI movies made for the younger generation. I guess they think only kids go to the movies nowadays. I loved this movie so much I added it to my DVD collection to watch over and over when there is nothing at the theaters to see or anything on TV except reality shows. Recommend this movie for pure total enjoyment and fun.
romantic!
freak_girl209222 June 2006
i have never seen such a romantic movie ever. this movie has it all. laughs, love, keanu reeves and sorrow. i love this movie~~its so lovely, enchanting and dreamy. in a few sentences of summery about this movie: martin falls in love; but this love is wrong. trying to keep their relationship-he will do anything~~perhaps even kill??>>but one thing is for sure>they live happily ever after~~. i really enjoyed this movie because it shows us the ones who have fallen out of love> someone else is out their waiting for them-no matter how old you are love will come but you just got to be patient!i would also like to recommend the movie: a walk in the clouds also stars keanu reeves.
One of the best films and I still enjoy seeing it again each time
david-14819 October 2017
This film as also from the book where it came from is a true masterpiece. Not only in its wording but the characters, the acting and the storyline and its tongue in cheek poke at radio writers of that era (i.e. the 1950's). If you don't have a writer background or have lived the era of radio plays you might not get the humour or the subtle below the belt jokes embedded in the play. But I strongly suggest you to watch and learn - this movie took a long time to make and is well worth seeing.
Still brilliant 30 years after the first watch
ejayb-9292426 January 2021
I watched this when Keanu was young and so was I; I loved it then and I still do. It gets at some very uncomfortable truths about prejudice and I genuinely doubt anyone would feel able to make it now in case the audience couldn't be trusted to see the sub text.
The love story is perfect and the setting feels like a quiet character in the background. Peter Falk is brilliant in his role as the omnipotent writer taking no responsibility for the 'reality impacting' in the wake of his storytelling.
Funny and fierce yet beguiling and warm; give it a go.
Peter Falk Raises Up the Film to "Worth Watching" Status
leftbanker-15 October 2020
My love for this movie is mostly thanks to how much I adore the novel La Tía Julia y el Escribidor by Nobel Prize winner, Mario Vargas Llosa. Just like in the novel, the whacko Shakespeare of soap operas, Pedro Camacho (Pedro Carmichael in the film) steals the show. Peter Falk plays the writer who is only partially sane to begin with, then descends completely into the deep end as his prolific workload makes him blur his story lines.
Keanu Reeves should never have been permitted to attempt a Southern accent, and this is no criticism of Reeves. It's the director's fault. Accents are really difficult and an America Southern accent is more often butchered than not in Hollywood. It almost always just sounds like someone faking an accent. Few actors have the ear to pull off any sort of accent, and the failed attempts often destroy films.
Keanu Reeves should never have been permitted to attempt a Southern accent, and this is no criticism of Reeves. It's the director's fault. Accents are really difficult and an America Southern accent is more often butchered than not in Hollywood. It almost always just sounds like someone faking an accent. Few actors have the ear to pull off any sort of accent, and the failed attempts often destroy films.
Worth watching unless you're a sensitive Albanian
foxion21 October 2001
"Tune In Tomorrow" is a near miss. It's a movie that is funny in moments but unfortunately these moments are few and far between. Peter Falk is enjoyable as is the story of the effects of a radio serial on those involved with its' creation. The movie just never clicks. Much of the blame has to go to Keanu Reeves. It is almost worth watching the movie to see how bad an actor can be. I don't know if he's just horribly miscast or maybe it was just a bad day at the office for him but he is awful. The funniest portions of the film have to do with the fictional radio serial Peter Falk's character has created. The insults against the Albanians are laugh-out-loud funny. With a little more work this could have been a very funny movie.
Quriky humorous movie
mark_r_oneill27 May 2005
This is a fun little story. The story is cute and keeps you just interested enough - but you watch for the humor. The humor is very dry and satirical.
The story revolves around Peter Falk -- he's a fantastically crazy writer and director of a radio drama in New Orleans in the 1920s or 30s. He causes chaos wherever he goes and he's bringing it to Keanue Reaves and Barbara Hershey.
I watched it years ago and I still remember some of the jokes and laugh at them, especially the switch to persecuting Norwegians at the end.
It drags every now and then. But it is still fun.
Keanue Reaves cannot act. Oy Vey! PeeYeew!
The story revolves around Peter Falk -- he's a fantastically crazy writer and director of a radio drama in New Orleans in the 1920s or 30s. He causes chaos wherever he goes and he's bringing it to Keanue Reaves and Barbara Hershey.
I watched it years ago and I still remember some of the jokes and laugh at them, especially the switch to persecuting Norwegians at the end.
It drags every now and then. But it is still fun.
Keanue Reaves cannot act. Oy Vey! PeeYeew!
horrible
dcornibe7 June 2002
This movie is so typical of Hollywood's treatment of New Orleans' language and culture. I am a native of New Orleans, and neither I nor anyone I've known down there has that extreme southern drawl that is depicted in this movie (and in many others, such as JFK). Keanu Reeves' accent was especially bad. I can't believe John Larroquette sold out and faked his accent as well. He's from New Orleans, and he didn't sound like that on Night Court. If anything, Barbara Hershey's character was closer to the New Orleans accent. Depending on the section of New Orleans, some residents sound much like New Yorkers. Watching this movie was like watching Gone With the Wind, without the same caliber.
I am also offended by the plot itself. It presupposes that all New Orleanians or Louisianians are inbreeders (as depicted by Aunt Julia and Martin's love affair), furthering an unfair stereotype.
I was disappointed by the deletion of a few scenes I saw filmed at my college, Loyola University. That was the main reason I wanted to see this movie.
I am also offended by the plot itself. It presupposes that all New Orleanians or Louisianians are inbreeders (as depicted by Aunt Julia and Martin's love affair), furthering an unfair stereotype.
I was disappointed by the deletion of a few scenes I saw filmed at my college, Loyola University. That was the main reason I wanted to see this movie.
fun old-timey radio show
ksf-223 January 2023
It's a period peice, for 1951. Martin ( keanu reeves) works at a radio station, where they still put on soap stories. With a wacky station owner, who pretends to be two different people, so that one can be the good brother, and one can be the mean brother. And who keeps calling in the bomb threats?? When they want to juice up the ratings, they hire pedro carmichael (falk), who is really good at turning real life events into his on air "stories". When martin falls for aunt julia (hershey), the whole story is captured on microphone for the listening audience. It's all done tongue in cheek, but would probably be considered offensive now; it was made at a time when the audience was given credit for getting the joke; now, just saying the lines as written would probably be considered offensive and not given the green light. Poor martin is so in love with julia, and she seems to crave the excitement from the guys in the big city. This is really good! It runs kind of like an old fashioned woody allen film. Good mix of story and humor. It makes you willing to completely buy into the story as shown. Which is all completely over the top. But it's exotic and fun, so you don't question things. Directed by jon amiel. Got a bafta for "the singing detective", a brit series.
Keen to watch again but video/DVD stores don't exist anymore
melfrankblack30 August 2023
This movie keeps popping into my head. I remember it being very funny and quirky. I love movies about sorry telling and the business of story telling. I remember laughing at Peter Faulk's character. I really want to watch it again, but I can't find it on any streaming service or online. This is what sucks about the lots of video/DVD stores. When there was a massive library of weird and wonderful movies to discover from various studios and production companies, from around the world and across the ages. Ironically, this movie covers the impact of tv on the radio business. Change happens, but we all lose something in the process.
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