Making Mr. Right is one of director Susan Seidleman's funniest movies, perhaps even funnier than Desperately Seeking Susan. Plus, I love Seidleman's style, with such goofy situations always set in beautiful atmospheres with bright, art deco settings and neo/retro (60s with an 80s modification) wardrobe for both female and male characters. They were part of what made her movies so interesting.
Once again, Seidleman has directed another great romantic comedy with a terrific cast. Ann Magnuson is Frankie Stone, a woman who works in high class advertising. She has taken on a new project to help find the proper advertising angle for a new creation that is going to change the future--an android named Ullyseus (Malkovich), designed by a seriously detached scientist named Jeff Peters (also Malkovich). A scientist and an identical, eager android is already destined for great laughs as the situations lead to a few wild misunderstandings.
To Peter's dismay, Stone's quality time with Ullyseus (so she can figure out a successful advertising campaign) starts to make the android more human. And, ironically, he gains more human emotion than his identical creator, Jeff Peters, who gradually sinks into something more like an emotionless, android state. But Ullyseus wants to know what true love is all about (and Stone wants to know if such a thing is even possible).
It is a sweet movie, as Seidleman's movie often are, mostly because all the actors (and their respective characters) work so well together. In particular, this is a great demonstration of Malkovich's talents. It is one of the few comedies I have seen him in. And, it's fantastic to seem his try to act like an android acting like a human. Also, Laurie Metcalf (who was in Desperately Seeking Susan), as usual, is one of the funniest characters in the whole movie (just wait till you watch the scene with her and Ullyseus at the mall). It is a great romantic comedy, and one that I think 80s fans are sure to enjoy. Plus, Chaz Jenkel (who did some of the music for 'Real Genius') adds some great synthesizer/bongo drums music for this movie.
