I lived my childhood in the 1980s. When it comes to movies, TV, music, haircuts, and girls, it's lovely decade indeed. For all the previous reasons I loved the 1980s. And as for Three Fugitives, it's an additional reason.No doubt it's wonderful and unforgettable movie. However, the no wonderful and so forgettable is its third act. Suddenly, the hunt – of the police and the other criminals – is finished, and the end is abrupt; as if there was some greediness for a sequel. I don't know why the script didn't extend the storyline of the hunt, by the police and other criminals, for longer ?! Hence, lines like "Dugan is on our tails." near the end sounded strange, especially when (James Earl Jones) vanished after the end of the second act. Speaking about strange lines; (Nolte)'s line to the kid in the orphanage "I'll take care of you like you took care of me." reminds you of another point of weakness which is the relationship of those 2 characters. I have always thought that it needed more to it in the second act; so they may fall in love appropriately and more convincingly. I believe these points are what caused the awful fate of "received with mixed reviews" !So, it's 2/3 classic. The detailing is fascinating; the first 10 minutes is a very good example. The music score, by (David McHugh), is one of the best I have ever heard to say the least. The image is smooth and romantic. (Haskell Wexler), the director of photography, won 2 Oscars for (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – 1966) and (Bound for Glory – 1976). His cinematography can't be bypassed in other movies like (The Thomas Crown Affair – 1968) or (The Man Who Loved Women – 1983). For reasons like that he's one of 6 cinematographers to have a star on the famed "Hollywood Walk of Fame".The cast did their top. See how (Nolte) walks, how (Short) moves, or how (Jones) reacts to understand that well; it's rare to find a performance like this in a comedy. And when it comes to (Sarah Rowland Doroff), then we're talking about the movie's treasure. Casting her ensured this movie the immortality. OH MY GOD, every time I saw her; my heart just melts. She's too fragile to make you cry. It's apparent that (Francis Veber) directed her so well to an extent of feeling how she lost the nomination for the Oscar unfairly that year. (Veber) enjoyed us utterly, with exquisite adorable cadres, aesthetic lighting sometimes, and striking sense of comedy. He, as a writer, only lacked some balance in the last 20 minutes, and a satisfying finer climax. This movie has a philosophical side. Review with me : you have to be a criminal to raise a child correctly these days, love makes us fugitives in this world, and it's eventually a tale of 3 fugitives who get home by belonging to each other in some kind of family; with a serious stout father (Nolte), a helpless clumsy mom (Short), and a weak child (Doroff) who messes her father and mother. They all need a getaway to run from crimes they whether didn't commit or were pushed to commit lousily. The movie showcases that family obviously at the disguise by the Canadian borders. I love the 1980s and this movie too. With little fixing, it could have been "received with great reviews". Unfortunately, the matter of mixed reviews this round was a prove of wrong; it mirrored something uneven about it. But anyway, it's hilarious, thrilling, so sentimental, and a classic in my book.

I won't say this is a perfect movie, but I liked it. It was funny, enjoyable and well-performed. One or two moments may drag and the sentimentality is not quite kept at bay, but overall I really liked Three Fugitives.Three Fugitives is beautiful to look at certainly, the sumptuous cinematography and beautiful scenery really gives the film a lovely look to it. The music is good too, as is the direction. The script is very funny and quotable and the story is believable with good action, while the pacing on the whole is secure enough. The acting also helps elevate, Nick Nolte and Martin Short's chemistry mayn't be an immediate classic, but it is believable and both men do really well in their roles especially Short who has plenty of slapstick laughs. And it was a delight to see James Earl Jones again, a great actor with a wonderful, dignified presence and rarely disappoints in his films and this is no exception.In conclusion, an enjoyable film and worth watching at least once. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I have a personal bias against American remakes of foreign films. They seem to exist to be made only because an English/American audience doesn't relish the idea of having to read subtitles while watching a film. And not many of these remakes work anyway. Look at the dire likes of True Lies and Three Men and a Baby.Three Fugitives was no doubt inspired by the recent success of TMAAB. They're both American remakes of French comedies, and Touchstone even took the precaution of importing the director and writer of the original version, Francis Veber. I haven't seen Les Fugitifs so I can't debate how closely Veber sticks to his own material, or if he makes any drastic changes, but as it is, Three Fugitives is an amiable caper, if one that never bursts out with gut busting laughs.Lucas (Nick Nolte) is an ex-con who's decided to go straight. But on the day of his parole, he walks into a bank and right into the middle of a hold-up. Ned Perry (Martin Short) is an incompetent bank robber who wears a nylon stocking for a balaclava. And when the robbery takes much longer then planned, that gives the police enough time to surround the place. In desperation, Ned takes Lucas hostage. But the police, who know of Lucas' track record for armed robberies think he's the robber, meaning these two mismatched men must go on the run together.I admit to enjoying Three Fugitives far more than Three Men and a Baby. They are quite similar films at heart. Both Touchstone financed American remakes of French originals, and the plots both revolve around a youngster. In this case, Ned's mute six-year old daughter Meg. It turns out Ned pulled the robbery because he needed money to send Meg to a special school after being laid off from his job as a sales manager. Meg hasn't spoken a word since her mother died two years ago.Three Fugitives has its funny moments. Ned's bank robbery is so hopeless it gets funnier just watching it all go wrong around him. Like when he shoots the ceiling he gets showered in plaster, his disguise splits open, and when a bank teller throws him the bag full of money, it lands in a ceiling fixture. I also liked the scene when Lucas gets accidentally shot by Ned, and Ned has to take him to a vet to get treated (like a dog!).Its the bits in between that don't really work. All the funny parts come in isolated moments, and Francis Veber's direction isn't fast or frantic enough so the film moves in fits and starts. It seems to take too long for the film to get to anything good. The inclusion of Meg to the plot also seems a miscalculation, and suggests something of the tweeness that capsized Three Men and a Baby.It never really boils over, even if it lacks credibility. But its not helped by Sarah Rowland Doroff's rather flat performance. Even as she begins to open up, she's just as blank in the second half as she is in the first. Nick Nolte and Martin Short have they're amusements, even if they don't exactly have cracking chemistry. They're only paired up together just to play off of each other's obvious differences. So in other words, you're typical buddy movie.Three Fugitives still feels a bit shapeless. It just moves from one spot to the next. Some funny (like Lucas getting a job as a locksmith!). Some cringeworthy (like Ned dressed up as a woman to bypass a border check). And the film doesn't end. It just sort of stops without any real attempt at an ending. Sporadically funny. Forgotten the next day.

It's one of those excellent comedy movies to come out which keeps you laughing..As the story goes, Nick Nolte is the convict just released from prison, (Alcatraz?) and he jokes that he is out to rob a bank to the cop releasing him.. When he goes to the bank to encash his jail pay cheque, he is swung into a robbery..Martin Short is the bank robber who is too short to even pass the bag across the counter. With the public trying their best to help him with the robbery, he manages to push the bag across the counter. The cashier in turn gives him a few hundred dollars all in 1 dollar notes... (It's actually a funny scene to watch right from the bank robbery to the the car crash) However by this time the cops are all around the bank, and Martin needs a hostage.. He sees Nick as the ideal hostage after shooting him. The cops think it is Nick who is the bank robber even with Martin putting the gun on Nick's head/ Martin slowly realises that the cops think that Nick is the bank robber and passes the gun along to Nick.Anyway they escape from the bank and are involved in a car crash (with the bomb intact) As Martin takes Nick to a veterinary doctor and the doctor seems to see all humans as dogs.. (Poor doggie) The doctor helps along with Martin's daughter(Sarah Rowland Doroff a sweet little thing and the third fugitive) However even though he tries to shoo away the kid left to look after Nick, he is emotionally blackmailed to help her out. The scenes where she follows Nick down the basement are very touching.. And she starts speaking because she is attached to Nick.. This means that no money is required for treating her in the first place. (The reason Martin tried to steal from the bank) Finally Nick takes the responsibility of getting them across the country to Canada.. How they get across the border and by making Martin a pregnant woman is the rest of the movie.Nick Nolte as theex convict taking up the job of a Locksmith is pretty innovative. Convenient for the story at least..