Speechless

Michael Keaton and Geena Davis star in this harmless but unmemorable romantic comedy as speechwriters for opposing candidates in a statewide election in New Mexico. She's an idealist with a flawed underdog candidate, while he's a former sitcom writer hired to punch up the speeches of the glib frontrunner. They meet over a bottle of sleeping pills in the hotel drugstore on a sleepless night, and are—of course—instant soul mates, bantering about politics and pop culture, even after they discover that they are working for opposing campaigns. The usual complications arise: her former fiancée (a charming but egotistical combat reporter played by Christopher Reeve) shows up, while his boss just happens to be his ex-wife (when a leak causes a scandal, he's convinced that she betrayed him). The political dirty tricks are decidedly mild in this supposedly hardball campaign and the cynicism is too generic to carry much weight. Ron Underwood directs with a soft touch, but while the leads are amiable, the film itself lacks much in the way of engaging personality. Watch for cameos by comedian Steven Wright and Spinal Tap member Harry Shearer as sitcom stars who appear in a campaign spot. Optional. (S. Axmaker)