October 1, 1989
MR. DESTINY
Screenplay by James Orr & Jim Cruickshank
Synopsis by Brian Aldrich
LARRY BURROWS, 35, regrets his whole life. He has a crummy job, lives in a crummy house, has a crummy car, and a rotten relationship with his wife, ELLEN. He blames it all on single-handedly losing the championship baseball game in high school. He missed the final pitch by a half-second and struck out. Everyone he runs into remembers this and reminds him. He works for a big company where it seems everyone else in his life and in the town also work. His best friend, CLIP, is a dopey co-worker. His wife is the union organizer. His childhood rivals NILES PENDER and LEWIS FLICK are executives with the company. The company is run by JACKIE EARLE BUMPUS who was a rival athlete who married the gorgeous cheerleader, CINDY JO, whose father owned the company. Larry always wished he had made advances towards her. As a matter-of-fact, Larry wishes he had done a lot of things differently. Presently, it is his birthday and no one has remembered. His father, HARRY, who also works at the company, is concerned about the recent layoffs. He asks Larry to look into it. Larry sneaks into Niles' office and finds some papers about a merger with a Japanese company. Niles catches Larry and Larry is fired. Going home, Larry's car breaks down and he goes into a bar to call a tow truck. He vents his frustrations to an empathetic bartender named MIKE who gives Larry a special potion that changes Larry's life.
Larry emerges from the bar a changed man. He quickly finds out that he won the baseball game, married Cindy Jo, became the CEO of the company, and lives in a huge mansion with his sexy wife and kids. He even has a mistress. At first, Larry enjoys his new life. But, he soon learns that most people hate the boss and that means him. Clip is a nervous gofer who is afraid of being fired. Ellen is still the union person, but she is married to someone else who mistreats her. She strongly dislikes the boss. Larry wants his friends and his wife back. He decides to try to make some changes. However, everyone thinks he's crazy. He gives all the concessions to the union which pleases and confuses Ellen. His executives Niles and Lewis think Larry is trying to keep the profits from the Japanese deal for himself. His actions finally get to Ellen who begins to want him. He finishes it with his wife and mistress and makes plans to be with Ellen. Cindy Jo gets her father, LEO, to fire Larry. Niles and Lewis plot to murder Larry, but their plans go awry and it appears that Larry has attacked Leo. Larry runs from the police. He finds Ellen reconciled with her husband. He runs back to the bar and pleads for his old life. He gets it back. He goes to Leo and tells him about the plot to sell the company out form under him by Jackie, Niles, and Lewis. Larry returns home to find a surprise birthday party organized by Ellen and Clip. Leo and Cindy Jo show up to reward Larry with a new job as Vice President. The guy that threw the pitch years ago shows up at Larry's door delivering pizzas. Larry's a happy man.
Summary Criticism: No surprises here, this is a contemporary remake of "It's A Wonderful Life" with an 80's narrative structure and yuppies.
Mr. Destiny (1990) - imdb
Mr. Destiny (1990) - wiki
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