Throw Out The Anchor

Throw Out the Anchor has the feel of a Disney movie to me (though made on a far lower budget and probably with more alcohol). Now that may be just because I watch so few Disney movies that any feel-good family kind of adventure would feel like that, but still, the comparison feels right to me.

It's about a family: Jon, a single dad, his teen son and his kid daughter. They're looking for a vacation on a boat at sea, but when they get to the marina they find it a place in shambles with no boat to offer. To avoid legal complications the family that runs the place offers to fix up a beater of a boat they have. It'll take some time but will fulfill their obligation to Jon's family.

To speed up the repairs Jon and crew help out with the boat. The families become pals so when businessmen threaten the continued existence of Cuppers Corners in favor of a road construction project Jon is the first one to start planning a resistance movement even when the locals think he's being an idiot for it.

It's not that strong of a story, offers up a lot of cliches, and never gets into anything too complicated. There is always a simple answer to problems and never any legal repercussions. Jon just happens to meet a single lady his age in this random place to hook up with, and his son immediately starts dating a local teen girl.

The acting is less than impressive though not the worst I've ever seen. I kind of liked the old Jewish lawyer even if he did seem a bit stereotypical. I didn't like some of the romance aspects, and the shady business deals aren't as clever as they seem to think they are.

The comedy is cute I guess. I chuckled a few times but never laughed out loud. This just really isn't my type of story or my brand of comedy.

MORALITY:

This is a G rated movie so that ought to tell you there's very little to worry about. There's a little bit of mild profanity.

There's a lot of drinking with one guy in particular being an over the top drunk.

There's some smooching but nothing sexual and no nudity although one guy surprises a girl who has her top off (we only see her from the back).

SPIRITUALITY:

The heroes generally have good morals. They are the type of people with whom nobody could have a problem. The villains are greedy control freaks. The good do good and the bad do bad; that's pretty much the extent of the story.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

There's nothing wrong with Throw Out the Anchor if you're looking for a cutesy family comedy as long as you don't mind a low-budget feel to it. At the same time there's nothing here that calls out to be seen.

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