Touchstone and Beyond: A History of Disney’s “Two Much”

Antonio Banderas can do anything, but can he play twins dating two sisters and get away with it? Time to find it with a look back at the Touchstone Pictures romantic comedy Two Much.

Logline

Art is a struggling gallerist in Florida. When he meets Betty, they have a fast relationship which leads to a very quick engagement, and soon Art meets Betty’s sister Liz. Enamored by his soon-to-be sister-in-law, Art invents his own twin brother Bart, so that he can date Liz.

To add to the complicated relationship, Betty’s ex-husband Gene wants to win back Betty, and hates Art. This makes life for Art difficult. He struggles to keep his identity straight while also fooling Betty and Liz.

Now with Gene back on the scene, Art has competition, and someone who wants him out of the picture. As Art and Bett’s relationship progresses and the wedding draws near, the groom is having a crisis.

Unsure of what to do, he must soon decide which sister he loves the most. The only problem for Art is that he needs to come clean and tell the truth about his ‘brother’.

High Praise

Antonio Banderas is quite funny in this screwball comedy. There is something sweet to his performance that only Banderas could make likable. Art is not a good guy. He’s a swindler and is duping Betty and Liz because he can’t be mature enough to be honest. However, Antonio Banderas makes the audience like Art because it’s impossible to not like Antonio Banderas.  

Daryl Hannah was a great addition as Liz. She is charming and interesting, and it would be easy to see how Art would fall for her, even though he is dating Betty.

Danny Aiello is always great. His work as Gene is funny, threatening, and a perfect match for Griffith’s character.

Joan Cusack. That’s all I have to say. She is magnificent as Gloria, and the only character who is willing to hold Art accountable for his own stupidity.

What Were They Thinking

There could have been more for Eli Wallach. He is a brilliant actor, a legend, and his role as Art’s dad is nice, but he needed more of an arc which could have given a little more relevance to the father son dynamic with Banderas.

Backlot Knowledge

Critical Response

{Snub-Skip this Film, Overexposed-Desperate for Something to Watch, Money Shot-A Perfect Film For Any Device, Magic Hour– You Must Watch This Film on a Big Screen, Award Worthy– This Film is Cinema.}

Two Much is a lovely little silly romantic comedy which we hardly see anymore in cinema. There is nothing serious to the story, just a guy who is immature, and tries to date two women at once.

What makes the film enjoyable to me is the actors. I never paid attention to the Razzie Awards, and they are wrong in their criticism of Hannah and Griffith. I found myself laughing along while enjoying the Florida scenery and liking one sister more than the other.

Two Much is not a great film, but it’s the perfect movie for any device, and that’s why I give it the Money Shot award. The movie may have been a box office bomb, but if you are sitting in the deep freeze of winter, not only will you laugh but the sunny Florida scenery will be a nice break from the dreary depths of eternal cold.

Call Sheet

Production Team:

Directed by Fernando Trueba

Produced by Touchstone Pictures / Interscope Communications / Polygram Filmed Entertainment

Written by Donald E. Westlake / Fernando Trueba / David Trueba

Release Date: March 15, 1996

Budget: $24 million

Domestic Box Office Gross: $1,141,556

Coming Attractions

Next week, a look back at the Robin Williams drama Bicentennial Man.