Overboard: A New Take On A Classic

2018 has a lot of great comedies on the way, and we’re really looking forward to OVERBOARD. The quirky romantic comedy hits theaters next month, with Anna Faris and Eugene Derbez in the lead roles. OVERBOARD follows Leonardo, a wealthy and self-centered playboy, who meets Kate, a carpet cleaner and working-class mom, when she comes aboard his yacht.
Leonardo isn’t a nice guy. He turns abusive and ruins Kate’s cleaning equipment, leaving her with nothing. When the guy falls off his own yacht, and suffers amnesia as a result, Kate takes advantage of the opportunity to convince Leonardo that they’re married. With a great story concept and a wonderful cast, OVERBOARD looks like a great time at the movies. And it’s actually based on another film!
Overboard Is Based On An ’80s Comedy
OVERBOARD is actually a remake of a 1987 comedy which starred Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, directed by the legendary Gary Marshall. The premise is essentially the same, too. The ’80s classic follows Joanna Stayton (Hawn), a rich woman with more money than sense. Before long, she gets into a feud with her carpenter Dean Profitt (Russell). After Joanna falls off her yacht, she is left with amnesia and is unable to remember who she is. So, you guessed it: Dean takes advantage of the situation by masquerading as her husband. We won’t spoil the ending, just in case it inadvertently spoils the conclusion of the upcoming remake.
OVERBOARD opened to a mixed response from critics back in 1987, but it performed pretty well domestically. Since the time of its release, it has earned a dedicated following, in part because of Hawn and Russell’s real-life partnership. (They started dating in 1983 after working together on the film Swing Shift.)
Despite sharing a lot of ideas with the original, the upcoming remake has one pretty big (and obvious) difference.
The Original Roles Were Different
The big change made to the OVERBOARD story for the new film is that the main roles are reversed. In the ’80s classic, it’s Hawn’s character that is wealthy, and Russell’s character who struggles financially. The upcoming remake will have Derbez portraying the narcissistic rich protagonist, while Farris plays the character that is struggling with money. So the roles have been changed, giving the new film a chance to explore the scenario from a different angle.
While some fans of the original OVERBOARD could be a little skeptical, this adjustment to the story is a good thing. It sets the remake apart from the original, and offers a fresh feel. We’re excited to see the remake — especially because of this difference. But, excitement aside, one thing is for sure: the remake has some pretty big shoes to fill.
OVERBOARD is due out for release on May 4.