Cousins [DVD] [1989]

Larry (Ted Danson) and Maria (Isabella Rossellini) meet at a family wedding. Unfortunately so do their spouses who disappear into the bushes to start their affair. Sean Young and William Petersen are superbly cast as the spouses with a performance that makes it incredibly easy to hate them.

Larry and Maria however become good friends and try to get revenge on their partners by plotting to pretend to be lovers. However, as you can guess, things get complicated when they become best friends and find it increasingly difficult to be apart from one another.

Any film staring Ted Danson is always a success and as usual he plays a wonderful character that you could easily run off with yourself. Isabella Rossellini absolutely graces the screen with her gentle beauty and the pair of them convince you that they are a match made in heaven.

The main comedy elements are supplied by all the other various members of the family, including Larry's Son and Father; and Maria's Mother, lending some hilarious moments to the film.

Sounds like a chick-flick? I promise you it's not. This film is total escapism and one that you will watch again and again.

Larry (Danson) and Maria (Rossellini) have philandering spouses who pop out for a quickie during the first wedding reception where Larry’s father is marrying Maria’s mother. The following day Maria tracks down her new cousin by marriage and amidst an instant friendship decide to revenge themselves on their spouses by pretending to have an affair.

There is excellent chemistry between Danson and Rossellini as they gently progress towards love, with fine counterpoints of antagonism from their spouses Tom (Petersen) and Tish (Young).

The sub plot between Larry’s father (Bridges) and his son Mitch (Coogan) provides comedy relief, sharing Play Boy magazines and with a great scene where Mitch prepares his grandfather for a date.

This is a gentle romantic comedy with a fine soundtrack that leaves you with a good feeling at the end.

At the same wedding Danson's wife played by Sean Young meets Rossellini's husband, handsomely portrayed by William Petersen, he of CSI fame. An affair ensues and it is only a matter of time before their respective spouses find out.

But when Danson and Rossellini do find out they decide on a perfect revenge. They pretend that they too are having an affair. This is done gently, with great humour and many funny moments, like when Danson buys Rossellini a hat because her husband "hates them" and Rossellini does the same with boxer shorts and it's not long before their philandering partners are getting a taste of their own medicine.

Add to this Danson's crotchety father ably played by Lloyd Bridges who turns up when his brother dies of a heart attack, as well as Danson's teenage son who wants to be a horror movie director, and you have a delightful comedy filled with great moments that leave you chuckling away whilst at the same time wiping away the occasional tear from your eye.

The story line could be complicated but isn't though it might take you a few minutes to sort out who is related to whom in the film! It is a nice love story about how two people who fall in love and have to make up their mind whether they stay together or try to make their marriages work. As well as this you have the blossoming love between Rossellini's mother (now widowed) and Danson's father, watch the scene when Danson's son helps his grandfather get ready for his first date, it's hilarious. All in all this is a great film and the music score is absolutely brilliant. So for a film that is gentle, funny and touching don't look any further, "Cousins" is all you need.