The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989)
TOMATOMETER
AUDIENCE SCORE
Critic Consensus: Its story is nothing special, but The Fabulous Baker Boys glows beneath luminous performances from its perfectly cast stars.
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Movie Info
Cast
as Jack Baker
as Susie Diamond
as Frank Baker
as Nina
as Monica Moran
as Lloyd
as Charlie
as Eddie
as Ray
as Henry
as Background
as Girl in Bed
as Vince Nancy
as Earl
as Kid in Veterinarian's Office
as Theo
as Hotel Masseuse
as Laughing Bar Patron
as Waitress
as Man with Cleaver
as Bathroom Attendant
as Veterinarian
as Doorman
as Bad Singer
as Bad Singer
as Bad Singer
as Bad Singer
as Bad Singer
as Bad Singer
as Background Voice
Critic Reviews for The Fabulous Baker Boys
All Critics (24) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (23) | Rotten (1) | DVD (5)
The fun part is seeing it all play out, thanks to a standout cast and first-time director Steve Kloves' skill in handling them.
Much of the credit must go to the actors, with the Bridges brothers making a superb double act.
It's a film specializing in smoky, down-at-the-heels glamour, and in the kind of smart, slangy dialogue that sounds right without necessarily having much to say.
The Fabulous Baker Boys is like a beloved movie from the glory days of Hollywood. It transports you. It's an American rhapsody.
A thoroughly enjoyable entertainment that should play just about everybody's strings right. Kloves proves to be quite a plucker.
This is one of the movies they will use as a document, years from now, when they begin to trace the steps by which Pfeiffer became a great star.
Audience Reviews for The Fabulous Baker Boys
The use of the real life Bridges brothers aids this film tremendously as they compete for the affections of Michelle Pfeiffer. Is it intentional that the less talented brother happens to be Beau who is truly far less talented of an actor than brother Jeff? It works.
Super Reviewer
An alluring singer joins piano-playing brothers around the nightclub circuit. The highlights of this film are the performances by the Bridges brothers and Michelle Pfeiffer, who is sultry and has a fantastic singing voice. First-class direction by Steve Kloves also captures some beautiful images, especially Pfeiffer's character, Suzie Diamond, walking down smoky, back-lit stairs and the numerous nightclubs in which the threesome play. The film's story could have come earlier. The first forty-five minutes -- maybe even hour -- is essentially exposition. The brothers play gigs and discover Suzie, and they play more gigs and travel places. We get that Jeff Bridges's character, Jack, is unhappy, but there is no indication where his happiness comes from until the second act comes too late. Then, the film becomes about a man denying himself his own happiness, the excuses he tells himself to rationalize his fear of success or satisfaction. The film finds its center in Jack; from there, it's a strong character study, and Jeff Bridges give a quiet, subtle, and captivating performance. The exposition itself isn't hard on the eyes. As I mentioned earlier, Pfeiffer's singing voice and the film's musical numbers are great, especially for those who like classic jazz. Overall, the film has a mild structural problem, but the strengths of the film make it well worth the time.
Super Reviewer
Whatever minor quibbles I have with the story are completely made up by the remarkable chemistry of the three leads. The film is as smooth, slow, and understated as the lounge songs performed in the movie.
Super Reviewer
The Fabulous Baker Boys Quotes
| Jack Baker: | Frank this is paint |
| Jack Baker: | Frank this is paint. |
| Frank Baker: | Its not paint. It's a magical sheath which simulates a dazzling head of hair. |
| Suzie Diamond: | I figure if you're gonna be sticking something in your mouth you may as well make it the best |
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