Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

My Chauffeur Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 19, 2017

Following up her starring role in 1983’s “Valley Girl,” actress Deborah Foreman makes more of a lateral move with 1986’s “My Chauffeur.” Keeping the Southern California quirkiness, Foreman ups her bubbly personality for the romantic comedy, remaining alert and attentive to the needs of the screenplay, which attempts to summon a screwball mood with broad antics and finger-snap timing. Writer/director David Beaird has a vision for “My Chauffeur,” just not the clearest idea on narrative progression, often stopping the feature to highlight shenanigans that have little to do with the plot. However, he does have Foreman and co-star Sam J. Jones, who create passable chemistry and play off each other well, giving the movie a nice boost of brightness when it comes to character interactions, supporting the endeavor whenever Beaird has an idea that pulls his attention away from the rest of the picture.

A young woman without job prospects, Casey (Deborah Foreman) is summoned to the Brentwood Limousine Service for a chance to join the drivers, offered steady employment by the owner of the company, Witherspoon (E.G. Marshall), for reasons not immediately understood. Surrounded by the older, chauvinistic drivers of the company, including her boss, McBride (Howard Hessman), Casey isn’t welcomed into the driving tradition, struggling to make her own way using her innate moxie and emerging professionalism. Dealing with feisty riders all over Los Angeles, Casey finds a particular challenge with Battle (Sam J. Jones), an overworked financial prince who doesn’t know how to deal with people, including loved ones. With his stuffiness snapped by Casey’s free-spirited ways, Battle begins to soften around his chauffeur, falling instantly in love with her, which freaks out Casey, challenging her go-with-the-flow attitude as she makes inroads at Brentwood, becoming their star employee.

Faced with a movie industry that was churning out teen-centric horndog extravaganzas, Beaird sets out to achieve something a bit different with “My Chauffeur.” While bits of nudity and salacious encounters remain, the feature plays as a homage to comedies from the 1940s, transforming Foreman into a Judy Holliday-style lead, blending cheery daffiness with street smarts, creating a memorable character out of a caricature, finding the actress immensely appealing in the role. Foreman also shares amusing energy with Jones, who portrays the stiff workaholic, often playing the straight man to Foreman’s more exaggerated behaviors. The pairing works, giving Beaird something to focus on besides toplessness and pranks, as most of “My Chauffeur” remains on the opposites attract arc of romance between Battle and Casey, working in snappy lines and speedy staging to gift the endeavor pace, which is its greatest attribute.

While Casey has to wrestle with her curiosity concerning Battle’s true self, she also has to deal with the boys at Brentwood, staring down practiced drivers who not only reject a new hire, but can hardly believe a woman has been allowed into the business. Misogyny plays a big role in “My Chauffeur,” and while Beaird doesn’t provide a radical depiction of a woman on the rise, he introduces it, which wasn’t common for B-movies in the 1980s, empowering Casey through trial and error and her bright personality, which McBride attempts to smother as the picture unfolds, with his crusty ways facing a different gender in the business, which only adds to his misery. It’s not riveting conflict, but it’s the best antagonist “My Chauffeur” can come up with, watching Casey befuddle her boss with her beaming presence, also confusing the newspaper-fingering, cigar- chomping good old boys in the backroom, who also share McBride’s disgust with the addition of a female.

“My Chauffeur” is episodic at times, often wandering away from Battle to focus on Casey’s driving gigs, where she meets a variety of ill-tempered customers, including rocker Cat Fight, who refuses to travel to a critical gig, more interested in retrieving the panties off an obese woman walking her dog in a local park. More problematic is a late-inning encounter with Penn and Teller (in their movie debut), who join the picture as a hustler and a Middle Eastern diplomat, taking a joy ride into the night to visit clubs and collect women, exploiting the foreigner’s wealth in the back of Casey’s limo. Penn and Teller are terrific entertainers, but their appearance in “My Chauffeur” is screen death. Beaird lingers far too long on shapeless antics, perhaps trying to pad a film or fill it with self-aware gratuitous nudity. Either way, it’s a comedic dead end, taking time away from the elements of the feature that do work, including interplay between Foreman and Jones, who disappears for long sections of the effort.

My Chauffeur Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "My Chauffeur" is sourced from a 2K scan of the original camera negative, permitting the viewing experience a chance to achieve a decent amount of sharpness, which helps with the decorative aspects of the picture, along with strong facial particulars. While the feature does offer some softly shot sequences to give mansions a heavenly glow, the majority of the movie looks clear and fresh, while distances are distinct. Color arrives as expected, finding period fashion coming through most memorably, offering ruby reds and baby blues. Greenery is precise, along with skintones, which remain natural and welcoming. Delineation is secure, preserving evening antics and dense costuming. Source is clean, without overt points of damage. Grain is fine and filmic.

My Chauffeur Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix retains the pop-filled atmosphere of the picture, keeping soundtrack selections inviting with healthy instrumentation and percussive presence. Music is a key component of "My Chauffeur," but songs never step on dialogue exchanges, which retain their comedic snap and personality. Atmospherics are simple but effective, including trips into nightclubs.

My Chauffeur Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary #1 features writer/director David Beaird and actor Leland Crooke.

• Commentary #2 features production assistant Jeff McKay.

• "License to Drive" (15:59, HD) is a conversation with star Deborah Foreman, who initially shares her story of discovery, getting work as a model to help make her big leap from Texas to California. Foreman has a few interesting details to share about "My Chauffeur," including a rehearsal period for the production, and she's upbeat about her time with Beaird and Jones, highlighting their kindness and professionalism. Foreman sobers up a bit to discuss a deleted rape sequence from the picture, and she quickly mentions how Crown International fudged opening weekend numbers on "My Chauffeur" to claim the top spot at the box office. Sensing something fishy, Steven Spielberg (defending "The Color Purple") called for an investigation, with the ensuing embarrassment forcing the cancellation of high-profile publicity stops for Foreman. That subject alone is worth its own documentary. Foreman also shares bits of information from her time on "April Fool's Day," one of many "yummy" moviemaking experiences she's enjoyed.

• Promotional and Behind the Scenes Still Gallery collects poster art and personal snaps for display, ten in all.

• Isolated Soundtrack is presented.

• Three T.V. Spots (1:37, SD) are offered.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:41, HD) is included.

My Chauffeur Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A few hiccups aside, "My Chauffeur" is amusing, representing the mid-eighties through its restless soundtrack and fashion choices, while its overall tone is more retro than expected, working hard to match the rhythms of a classic comedy. Emerging in a marketplace that was far more interested in mouthbreathing distractions, "My Chauffeur" shows periodic taste and pluck, making it appealing, and fine showcase for Foreman's thespian talents.