The uncomfortable premise of this mid-'80s sex farce sees middle-aged married man Matthew Hollis (Michael Caine) succumbing to the advances of his best friend's infatuated teenage daughter Jennifer (Michelle Johnson), blaming his scandalous actions on Rio's impulsive atmosphere. This rather tasteless plot, which also sees Matthew's wife Karen (Valerie Harper) conducting an affair with Jennifer's father Victor (Joseph Bologna), allows for lots of broad comedy, with Caine's character squirming awkwardly as he desperately tries to pretend that nothing untoward has occurred. It's reasonably funny to watch, but wildly inappropriate, making the film something of a guilty pleasure, even more so given that its young but well-developed star, Johnson, happily flaunts her naked body at every opportunity.Those who opt to fly down to Rio with Caine and Co. will also be treated to an early appearance from Demi Moore as Matthew's daughter Nicole, who also briefly goes topless, and the unforgettable sight of Michael Caine's incredibly massive spectacles (blame THEM on the '80s!).

All film fans must question the usage of names of famous cities as titles of films which have been controversial due to their explicit sexual content.Film fans can cite examples of films like "Last tango in Paris" and "Blame it on Rio".One can wonder what have reputed cities got to do with films wherein characters have indulged in highly irresponsible behavior.Veteran American director Stanley Donen's film "Blame it on Rio" is one of those rare films which legitimizes irresponsible behavior.It is a mystery that it has been classified as a romantic comedy.This must come as a shock to those fans who consider it as a drama film exploring somewhat taboo themes involving bizarre characters who make it a point to outshine each other over matters related to unfaithfulness and sexual misconduct.Apart from Brazilian city Rio De Janeiro,British actor Michael Caine in two different yet fascinating avatars is this film's major attraction.He is good as a narrator but somewhat dorky as an actor.This is fine for critics but would not deter interested daddies to enjoy this film with their nubile daughters.May be they would learn a thing or two from "Blame it on Rio".

Why blame it on Rio? Blame it on the scriptwriters, who should have realised that a storyline about a teenage girl who goes on holiday to Rio de Janeiro and ends up having an affair with her father's best friend, a married man more then twice her age, would need to be handled sensitively if it were not to end up as little more than barely legal kiddie porn. Sensitivity, however, is a commodity in short supply in this silly sex comedy, which is just as trashy and exploitative as it sounds. Although it is ostensibly a comedy, wit and humour are nowhere in evidence either.Blame it on Stanley Donen. Donen was perhaps a director who hit his peak too soon, directing his greatest film "Singin' in the Rain" while still in his twenties. Although he made some other good musicals and comedies in the fifties and early sixties, he was left looking like a figure from the past by the decline of the Hollywood musical and the cinematic revolution of the late sixties and seventies. There were other directors around this time who were also left looking like dinosaurs, but most of them were a generation older than Donen who was only in his early forties when that revolution began. Although he is still alive more than a quarter of a century later, "Blame It on Rio" was to be his last film as both director and producer, and I doubt if it is the one he wants to be remembered by. (His penultimate offering, "Saturn Three", was pretty awful too).Blame it on Michael Caine. He has always had the ability, infuriating to those like me who admire for his best work, to move effortlessly from the sublime to the ridiculous and back again. Every film star, however eminent or talented, has at the back of their wardrobe what I think of as a "silver chalice" (after Paul Newman's disastrous screen debut, which he later publicly disowned). Sir Michael has a whole shelf full of silver chalices on public display. Which explains why he is the star not only of fine movies like "Alfie", "Get Carter" and "Hannah and her Sisters" but also of "The Swarm" and "Blame It on Rio". Here he plays Matthew, the middle-aged businessman who ends up being seduced by the amorous and hormonally overactive Jennifer. The only explanation for this bizarre choice of role is that, after all the hard work he had put in on "Educating Rita" and "The Honorary Consul" (two more of his best films), he felt that he was in need of some rest and relaxation, and could think of nothing more restful and relaxing than spending time with a beautiful near-naked teenage starlet in the tropical sunshine. Donen borrows the device used by Lewis Gilbert in "Alfie" of having Caine speak direct to camera, but that is about all the two films have in common. In terms of quality they are miles apart.Blame it on Joseph Bologna, who plays Jennifer's father Victor. Certainly, any character who takes as obsessive an interest in his daughter's love life as Victor does in Jennifer's is bound to seem somewhat creepy, but Bologna makes Victor creepier than he need be. His fury on discovering that Jennifer has an older lover seems less like parental over-protectiveness than like jealousy.Blame it on the lovely Michelle Johnson as Jennifer. Blessed with the angelic looks of a Brooke Shields (albeit with a more voluptuous figure than Brooke's slim, boyish one), Michelle was, before the film came out, hotly tipped for stardom. After it came out, she wasn't. Although she was happy to display her charms to the world, modesty obviously compelled her to keep her acting talents well hidden. The film also introduced another lovely young actress, Demi Moore who plays Nikki, Matthew's daughter and Jennifer's best friend. Demi, however, survived the wreck of this film much better than Michelle, probably because hers was only a minor role, and did indeed go on to become a major star.Blame it on the director, the producer, the scriptwriters, the actors. Blame it on whoever wrote that irritating theme song. Blame it on anyone who had anything to do with this lousy movie. But don't blame it on Rio. Why should the blameless citizens of that fair city be held responsible for the crimes against art and good taste which are committed in their name? 3/10

Michael Caine simply never gets asked about his involvement in this film and that is a shame. In his career he has had limited success in comedies but this is the exception. Caine and Bologna make a terrific double act and I laughed myself stupid from start to finish.Admittedly the concept is rather weak but it is carried off brilliantly. Bologna steals the film for me with his protective father routine and is a joy to watch. The inclusion of just a few other cast members is very clever with each one delivering killer lines as the plot unfolds. The best scene in the film is when Caine employs a woman to use her skills in the occult to make his desires go away. One of the very best comedies I have seen . One tip if you like the film buy it on DVD as it is very rarely shown on television.