“Tootsie”- a delightful film that captures the hardships of being an actor in New York- is a movie that is sure to provide a lot of laughs and the perfect amount of quirky charm. The movie begins with a brilliant, but stubborn actor, Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman) down on his luck hoping to raise 8,000 dollars, and fast. Hoping to have better luck without his horrible reputation of being hard to work with he makes the decision to become Dorothy Michaels, a hard headed actress with a determination to raise the money. Troubles arise when Michael falls for his co-worker, Julie (Jessica Lange) and is courted by her widowed father, Les (Charles Durning). After all the chaos and the reveal of a lifetime, Michael decides that being a woman has made him a better man and has helped his acting in the long-run.
“Tootsie” won six academy awards, and was nominated for four more. As one of the best comedies of the 80’s I was surprised when I found the movie funny. It has humour that can translate over many decades which is why it is such a good film. I enjoyed the constant humour even at seemingly serious parts. However, at some points there seemed to be filler or unnecessary scenes, but they only took away the enjoyment for a second. All characters are played perfectly by an all-star cast and the script is golden. Some mature language made the film a little less than family friendly, but it’s the perfect movie for teens and adults alike. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and I would recommend it to anyone from fifteen to ninety. Overall, I highly recommend “Tootsie” because of high paced comedic moments and a brilliant script and screenplay.