Rating: 
Summary: MOOSEPORT is Nice to Visit, But You Wouldn't Want to Stay
Review: Two funny guys, one predictable movie. Although the film offers solid laughs, you can pretty much see the twists coming. This falls primarily in the "been there, done that" category. However, if you are looking for a clean comedy, this would be the one. Whoops, I forgot about the old naked man.
Rating:
Summary: Ray Barone by another name
Review: WELCOME TO MOOSEPORT is the perfect example of a small screen release with pretensions.Gene Hackman is Monroe "Eagle" Cole, a just-recently retired and immensely popular (85% approval rating) U.S. President, who decides to take up residence at his summer house in small-town Mooseport, Maine. Perhaps part of his popularity stemmed from his divorce, while still in the White House, from his grasping and infuriating wife (Christine Baransky). Cole is immediately petitioned by Mooseport's city council to run for mayor. The election is only days away, and the current mayor, running unopposed, has suddenly died. Against the best advice of his long-time political advisor, Grace (Marcia Gay Harden), "Eagle" accepts. After all, his ex can't force him to sell the summer cottage as part of the settlement if it's his mayoral home. Anyway, unaware of Monroe's decision, local Mr. Fixit and hardware store owner, Handy Harrison (Ray Romano), also files for candidacy at the last minute. At first, he's willing to withdraw in favor of Cole, but then it becomes a testosterone-fueled, mano-a-mano contest after the latter makes a play for Handy's girlfriend, Sally (Maura Tierney), who's already frustrated at the absence of a marriage proposal from Harrison after a 6-year courtship. Romano's role would have been perfect for actor Tom Hanks in his younger days. As it is, Ray is no Tom. Handy's persona is simply a transplanted Ray Barone from television's "Everbody Loves Raymond", and, while this series has garnered the comedian several major awards, Romano is out of his league on the Big Screen, especially in the company of the accomplished Gene Hackman. There are several good scenes, as when Cole's rejected attempt at a good night kiss from Sally after their first date is given world-wide media coverage, and when the escalating cost of Cole's mayoral campaign affects his architect's plans for the Presidential Library. And, overall, the escalating debacle of Monroe's decision to enter the mayoral race and subsequent campaign is plausibly presented. It's hard to tell which actor, Hackman or Romano, is the film's male lead. WELCOME TO MOOSEPORT is cute - perfectly suited as a Sunday night, prime time, made-for-television comedy that's ideally tailored for Romano's talent level. Left to the Small Screen, I'd award at least four stars, perhaps five. But you're going to pay Big Bucks to watch the film on the Big Screen, a venue in which I can award only three. Wait for the DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Ray Barone by another name
Review: WELCOME TO MOOSEPORT is the perfect example of a small screen release with pretensions. Gene Hackman is Monroe "Eagle" Cole, a just-recently retired and immensely popular (85% approval rating) U.S. President, who decides to take up residence at his summer house in small-town Mooseport, Maine. Perhaps part of his popularity stemmed from his divorce, while still in the White House, from his grasping and infuriating wife (Christine Baransky). Cole is immediately petitioned by Mooseport's city council to run for mayor. The election is only days away, and the current mayor, running unopposed, has suddenly died. Against the best advice of his long-time political advisor, Grace (Marcia Gay Harden), "Eagle" accepts. After all, his ex can't force him to sell the summer cottage as part of the settlement if it's his mayoral home. Anyway, unaware of Monroe's decision, local Mr. Fixit and hardware store owner, Handy Harrison (Ray Romano), also files for candidacy at the last minute. At first, he's willing to withdraw in favor of Cole, but then it becomes a testosterone-fueled, mano-a-mano contest after the latter makes a play for Handy's girlfriend, Sally (Maura Tierney), who's already frustrated at the absence of a marriage proposal from Harrison after a 6-year courtship. Romano's role would have been perfect for actor Tom Hanks in his younger days. As it is, Ray is no Tom. Handy's persona is simply a transplanted Ray Barone from television's "Everbody Loves Raymond", and, while this series has garnered the comedian several major awards, Romano is out of his league on the Big Screen, especially in the company of the accomplished Gene Hackman. There are several good scenes, as when Cole's rejected attempt at a good night kiss from Sally after their first date is given world-wide media coverage, and when the escalating cost of Cole's mayoral campaign affects his architect's plans for the Presidential Library. And, overall, the escalating debacle of Monroe's decision to enter the mayoral race and subsequent campaign is plausibly presented. It's hard to tell which actor, Hackman or Romano, is the film's male lead. WELCOME TO MOOSEPORT is cute - perfectly suited as a Sunday night, prime time, made-for-television comedy that's ideally tailored for Romano's talent level. Left to the Small Screen, I'd award at least four stars, perhaps five. But you're going to pay Big Bucks to watch the film on the Big Screen, a venue in which I can award only three. Wait for the DVD.
Rating: 
Summary: Now Serving Decaf At The Mooseport Diner
Review: Welcome To Mooseport should be a better movie. It's got a solid cast, a surehanded director, capable of making a good comedy, and an interesting premise as a starting point. It's too bad that all of that potential is surpressed by a weak and predictable script.
After completing his two terms in the White House, former President Monroe Cole (Gene Hackman) decides to settle down in the small coastal New England town of Mooseport, to write his memoirs and enjoy his retirement. He's soon asked to run for the office of mayor of the town however, local hardware store owner, Handy Harrison (Ray Romano) is running against him "just to keep things honest". The president's life-long experience of political campaigns leads him, however, to accelerate the competitive nature of the race, to the point that he even tries to woo Harrison's longtime girlfriend Sally (Maura Tierney).
Director Donald Petrie, is forced to play it safe here, thanks to Tom Schulman's surypy script. He is not allowed to really give the film any pazzaz. I love Hackman in almost anything he does, but here, the usual glint in his eye is faded...The characters are remarkably bland. Not even the great Christine Baranski as Charlotte Cole is allowed to be REALLY funny. Anyone expecting ribtickles ala Petrie's Miss Congeniality will be disappointed. Where's Candace Bergen and William Shatner for some scene chewing fun when you need them?? Everything unfolds nice and neatly as you would expect--nothing outrageous is allowed to happen and mischief is kept at bay.
Petrie's audio commentary connects the dots as it should but is underwhelming and I epected better from him. The 6 deleted scenes, complete with optional director's commentary, wouldn't have improved things at all and were wisely cut from the film. The outtake reel is a watch it once kind of thing. An ad for Soova Brands and two menu hidden easter eggs top off the DVD.
I have never really taken to Romano's tv gig--but his and everyone else's talants are wasted. What a disappointment.
Rating: 
Summary: Welcome to Snoozeport
Review: Welcome to Mooseport was a pure letdown. Many of us love Everybody Loves Raymond and can't see how Ray can go wrong. Unfortunately the writers let him down in Mooseport. The movie has potentially good plot but is ruined quickly by some bad acting, lines, and slooow story. ZzZzZzZz...
If you really need to see Mooseport then rent it. Definitely do not purchase this DVD, with the amount of bordem you feel throughout this movie, you will not want to experience it again.
Rating: 
Summary: Very cute
Review: Yeah, it's silly, and unrealistic, but it made me smile. It's a light comedy, one very much worth seeing. Ray Romano makes the jump to the big screen with the same goofy charm he shows on TV. Gene Hackman, is as always, Gene Hackman, but even he shows some humor. Don't expect anything great, just a mildly entertaining time. Hey, anything that mocks politics has my vote!
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