BLIND DATE BS2

I saw this flick at a sneak preview double-feature back in the day. Probably born out of my mancrush on David Addison and teenage crush on Kim Basinger. I didn't remember much about this movie, except that it started well and ended poorly. It seems like a good remake candidate, as THE DATE FROM HELL is pretty good conceptual fodder and this one just isn't a very good execution.

It's fun to go back to movies that I knew as a 15-year-old didn't work and then see where they fail in screenplay 101 terms. Maybe there's something to this!

MONSTER IN THE HOUSE
MONSTER: Kim's Nadia -- The DATE FROM HELL.
SIN: Bruce gives Nadia a drink after being warned not to. You break the rules, you pay the price in a MITH.
HOUSE: The Date

OPENING IMAGE:
This movie starts with one of the biggest cliches in screenwriting -- the 'alarm clock wakeup'. Mitch(Bruce Willis) jolts out of bed and rushes to work.

SETUP:
At work, it's clear, Bruce is a nerdy-workaholic(weird casting) who was at work until 3am the night before while his slicky-boy coworker was out partying and enjoying life. Even the boss is embarrassed by Bruce and tells him "image is important in this business". Tonight there's a big banquet...and

THEME:
Living life worried about what other people think of you leads to a loveless and lonely life; but making life choices based on love & passion leads to satisfaction and romance.

CATALYST:
Bruce visits his brother to see if he can lend his wife to him for the evening -- but she's busy. The brother has another idea -- a BLIND DATE!

DEBATE:
Bruce doesn't want to get a date from his brother, his brother always sets him up with weirdos and psychos. But he has no choice. Bruce calls the brother and the brother agrees, just one thing DON'T FEED HER AFTER MIDNIGHT...err...wrong movie...don't let her drink...she gets WILD!

Bruce goes to pick her up, and guess what -- she's gorgeous! And seems normal. And sweet. A bit shy.

With some time to kill they head off to an art-exhibit and there they meet DAVID, Nadia's ex-boyfriend. Crazy jealous. He almost immediately attacks Bruce. Bruce and Nadia escape.

BREAK INTO ACT 2:
Bruce takes Nadia to a music studio. He used to play. But not anymore. He grew up and works now. He opens a bottle of wine. Nadia knows she shouldn't but things are going so well.

She drinks. Kisses Bruce. Uh-oh.

B-STORY:
A tough one, as this story pretty much sticks to an a-story. It could be psycho David...but as you'll see in a second the story about Bruce's job/boss abruptly comes to an end almost before it gets started.

FUN & GAMES:
The promise of the premise. They head to the big office banquet. Nadia is drunk. Talking loud. Insulting people. She causes Bruce's sleazy office buddy to get in hot water with his fiancee. Then she goes over to the BIG CLIENT Mr. Yakomoto and his Geisha girl wife. She's out of control. And the scene ends with lots of torn jacket pockets. Mrs. Yakomoto looking for a new job. And most importantly BRUCE gets fired.

NOTE: And here lies the big problem -- the story that we've setup is done. The moment you'd expect as an ALL IS LOST happens almost immediately. The House -- ie -- the Date is essentially over. Bruce could just ditch the woman who destroyed his life, but he doesn't. And it's not clear why.

So, they're in the car and Bruce is pissed and he wants to drive her home. Bruce pulls over to talk and David attacks. Problem two, David keeps attacking randomly coming out of nowhere. It's very slapstick and farcical and redundant. All physical attacks. All similar. Boring. Bruce ditches him. Drives off, as David crashes into a pet-store.

And here is another problem, Nadia suddenly sobers up -- she seems to alternate between drunk and sober whenever the plot needs it.

Kim cries. They pull over at a gas station and Kim sneaks off to a disco to use the bathroom. Bruce follows her. They end up slow-dancing. Kissing. And then David shows up again for some slapsticky-fun. They escape again. Bruce just wants to take her home. She gives the address of her friends house.
It's a shady neighborhood where the house gets dragged away, Bruce's car gets stripped, and Bruce gets a gun to his head from some gals in leather. Cops come and break it up...give him a sobriety test.

MIDPOINT:
Sober again, Nadia just wants to go home. Explains she has a chemical imbalance/alcohol allergy. But BAM! David smashes into their car. They escape again, but this final duel-of-cars pushes Bruce over the edge.

NOTE: This movie is so episodic, and never really narrows focus...it's hard to determine a midpoint(which only underscores its episodicness). Getting fired would've made a good midpoint if it didn't happen in the first third of the film. The reason I'm picking this as a midpoint, is because it's a change-up in Bruce's behavior. He's had enough...and now he's going to get revenge. It breaks up the episodic a bit...but really, this script might be midpointless.

BAD GUYS CLOSE IN:
Bruce is insane! He takes Nadia to the party she talked about earlier. Now it's his turn. He turns the stuffy party on its head. Being loud, drinking, insulting people. Nadia just wants to sleep...she feels ill and is sick of Bruce.

Crazy David shows up again. Bruce and him get in a huge fight that ends with Bruce pulling out a gun that was left in the car and shooting at David.

ALL IS LOST:
The Police show up and arresst Bruce.

DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL:
Bruce's brother picks Bruce up from jail. The news is not good. Bruce could get 2 years in prison. Bruce's brother tells him Nadia bailed him out.

Bruce marches over to see Nadia. She's hungover and they argue.  She tells him she drank because she thought Bruce was special.

NOTE: I think this is Bruce's VERY LATE Moment of Grace. Someone thinks he's special. Maybe it's time to focus on important things instead of work.

Nadia goes to David -- a defense attorney --  and makes a deal, you get Bruce off the charges, and I'll marry you.

BREAK INTO ACT 3:
David shows up at Bruce's hearing and gets his charges dismissed(David's father is the judge). But David mentions that Nadia is going to marry him.

FINALE:
David sells his guitar and heads to Baton Rouge to stop the wedding. After a lengthy screwball 'sneak into the estate scene' that has no real payoff...David hides in the house. It's the wedding day, a package of alcohol laced chocolates arrives(sent from Bruce). Nadia eats them all.

Just as they're about to exchange vows, Nadia goes all drunk. Refuses. Bruce appears and they rush into each others arms and the pool