Where to watch Once Upon a Crime…
1 1/2 Stars
Phoebe and fellow American Julian Peters meet in Rome, find a lost dog, and agree to return it to Monte Carlo to split the five thousand dollar reward. Discovering the dog’s owner dead, they panic and become fugitives. Other victims of misfortune also become suspects, as the plot twists and luck and judgment desert everyone.
Once Upon a Crime is a throwback to the madcap star-filled ‘who-dunn-it?’ genre. The manic energy necessary to execute this tricky filmmaking feat is present on-screen from the performers under the direction of Eguene Levy. Six principle characters comprise the eclectic mix of personalities that populates the Charles Shyer and Nancy Meyers script. What starts out as a rambunctious and appealing comedy turns into a frantic film with a meandering storyline. This film makes the critical mistake of allowing Richard Lewis and Jim Belushi to wildly overact while sidelining the more amusing John Candy character for large chunks of the movie.
In the early to mid-1990’s, there were a number of film projects (Blame it on the Bell Boy, Four Rooms) that tried to revive, or at least pay homage, to the screwball romps of the past eras. Peter Bogdanovich’s output during the 1970s came closest to capturing the long-forgotten golden-age spirit. Unfortunately, Eugene Levy isn’t the powerhouse storyteller that Bogdanovich was, and Once Upon a Crime, while never flagging in energy, becomes a bore.
Directed by: Eugene Levy
Written by: Rodolfo Sonego, Giorgio Arlorio, Stefano Strucchi
Starring: John Candy, Jim Belushi, Cybill Shepherd