Touches You

Too much of everything

Admirable film.

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

I used to watch television's "Growing Pains." It was an awful little show, almost as bad as "Full House," but nevertheless fun to watch. But this TV reunion is just plain awful. I mean, it puts the "pain" in "painful." Kirk Cameron (now a Christian and part of the "Left Behind" series) is not as naughty as he was in the show; maybe because he is a Christian and feels it isn't right to show the old Kirk. Don't know, but he is different. TV legend Alan Thicke, who did the voice of a robot in "And You Thought Your Parents Were Weird!" is just about the only cast member worth watching, sadly. I believe the guy playing Ben is gay; he always seemed gay in the show and this movie shows the actor grown up (he's gotta be a homo). He is different from the old Ben, not worth watching.Everyone is different, the gags are not there, we are left with a typical, sentimental, feel-good movie that doesn't make one feel as good as it does...well...in pain. Maybe it's just growing pains. But I think it's just pain.

I admit it. I grew up watching Growing Pains, thought Kirk Cameron was THE cutest thing in the world, never missed an episode, and can tell you where I was the night Chrissy Seaver was born. I was a stereotypical Growing Pains lover who wept during the last episode and thought to myself, "Gee, they ought to have a reunion of some sort."So I waited years. None came. Until one day I was watching television and flipped to The Wonderful World of Disney, where they were previewing next week's WWOD: "Next week on the Wonderful World of Disney..." and to my total happiness, it said: "Look who's all grown up: The Growing Pains Movie." Let me tell you, as an all grown up "kid" who still thinks of Kirk Cameron as the cute one he was back in 1985, I must have gone a little crazy.And the reunion movie? I'll get to that in a second... it was great! Other than the magically 17 year old Chrissy (only giving it a reason to air in 2005, too!), I must say it was a great reunion movie. It showed me my smile again!

The Seavers are back. Everyone, take cover. Mike and Kate have adopted needy children, Carol holds takeovers in her spare time, Benjamin runs a "business" and slacks off, and Chrissy was magically aged to seventeen. Maggie runs for Congress against the boss who fired her, and Alan rallies the family for the campaign. Most people are wondering what happened to Luke, that homeless kid the family took in. Well, he won't settle for television, made too much money for his own good in 1997 with a certain boat movie, and is the type who won't admit to doing a sitcom in his early days of stardom. If you don't know what I'm talking about, I suggest you find a rerun of the original series. Better yet, only a true fan of the original would completely love this one.

I wasn't sure about this movie when it started,but now I can say that I wished I had taped it because it was great! Mike is still the schemer,Maggie is still hot,Chrissy is now a babe herself,Jason is still hilarious and Ben is still my favorite, but Carol now looks and sounds like Linda Blair [she still looks great though]. Maggie decides to run for senator or something like that and her family supports her as only they can.This movie had all the nuance and charm of the original series.I could see it picked up again just to see the trials and tribulation of Mike and Carol as parents and Ben and Chrissy as an uncle and aunt.You need to see this movie just for Ben's junk mobile! Ten Stars for charming!