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Local Plumber Ruins Retiring President's "Welcome to Mooseport"

Review by Kam Williams

The sleepy town of Mooseport, Maine gets a wake-up call when the outgoing President of the United States, Monroe "Eagle" Cole (Gene Hackman) decides to retire there. Even a popular ex-President still travels with a sizable entourage of advisors, assistants, Secret Service agents and press, especially when he's still going through a messy divorce with a vindictive former First Lady (Christine Baranski).

Although Monroe's initial plan was to end his career of public service by disappearing gracefully to write his memoirs, his soft slippers are put on hold after he is coaxed by a coterie of town elders to run, presumably unopposed, for mayor of their idyllic community. But the move to Maine is quickly complicated when Cole steps on the toes of his own new plumber, Handy (Ray Romano), by unknowingly asking the man's veterinarian girlfriend, Dr. Sally Mannis (Maura Tierney), out on a date.

When flattered Sally accepts because her long-time beau has never bothered to pop the question, suddenly-possessive Handy responds by jealously announcing his own candidacy for mayor, too. And the battle between the President and the plumber is on, both for the job and for the woman. Meanwhile, a meddling media circus ensues, which keeps the entire country well informed of all of the above.

This is the delightful premise of “Welcome to Mooseport,” directed by Donald Petrie, a proven master of the romantic comedy genre with his finger on the pulse. Though his last two movies, “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” and “Miss Congeniality,” each pulled in over $100 million at the box office, this latest offering doesn't quite measure up to either of those relatively intriguing adventures.

Despite the presence of a stellar cast in Hackman, Romano and Marcia Gay Harden, this lackluster production fails to generate much in the way of tension and less in the way of merriment. The front story unfolds like an uninspired, over-extended TV sitcom against an Anywhere, USA backdrop, which looks more like a plastic Hollywood fabrication than what it might really mean to be from Maine.

One problem is that none of the movie was shot in New England, but rather on location in Toronto, Canada and on fake-looking sets in Hollywood. Director Petrie, unable to capture any authentic accents or regional charm, expects his audience to be satiated by an abundance of quirky, two-dimensional characters.

We've seen all these colorful, local yokels before: The hard of hearing elder who always shouts, the ample-bottomed, sassy soul sister, the meddling gossip, the solicitous, and “top heavy” town tramp, the nerdy pencil-pushing bureaucrat with the squeaky voice, etc. These readily recognizable archetypes could just as easily have been rolled out for a story situated in any other region of the country.

Sure, some scenes elicit a few chuckles, but the laughs don't come frequently enough for this flick to rate a high recommendation. Indulge at your own risk. 

Good (1.5 stars)
Rated PG-13 for Brief sexual comments and nudity. 

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