Eva (Shirley MacLaine) is a retired 10th-grade social studies teacher who, after her husband dies, accidentally receives a $5 million check from his life insurance policy, instead of the $50,000 she expected. Her first impulse is to return it, but then her best friend Maddie (Jessica Lange), whose husband has just left her for his young secretary, suggests that she endorse and deposit the check immediately so that they can travel to an exotic place and have some well-deserved fun. As soon as the check clears, Eva and Maddie take off for Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in the Spanish Canary Islands, where they happily settle into the posh presidential suite, ready to pamper themselves with food, drink, and extravagant resort clothes. To their delight, Chandler (Billy Connolly), a rather mysterious Scottish businessman, takes an immediate liking to Eva, while adventurous Maddie catches the eye of twentysomething Chip (Jay Hayden). Meanwhile, the insurance company dispatches Vespucci (Howard Hesseman), a ready-to-retire agent, on a mission to retrieve their money. Arriving at Eva's house, he meets her disbelieving daughter Crystal (Demi Moore) who agrees to go with him to Gran Canaria. Ably playing off one another, MacLaine and Lange are believable as close friends, but these veteran actresses deserve better material than this predictable, cliché-riddled film that is superficially directed by Andy Tennant. Optional, at best. (S. Granger)
Wild Oats
Anchor Bay, 86 min., PG-13, DVD: $19.98 Volume 32, Issue 1
Wild Oats
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