And by date movie, I don't mean it's a movie you'd take a date to; it's a movie about a date. Two twenty-somethings (though Short was pushing 40 when the movie was made) on their third date. The Montgomery Clift impersonation is memorable, and the only real flash of Short's comic genius. The extended gratuitous nudity is also memorable, in a very different way. Everything else is tepid and flat. Short's character is at best mildly charming but not at all interesting. O'Toole is breathy and a little spacey and certainly attractive but not at all interesting. At one point she pulls one of those trashy woman's magazine "quizzes" out of her purse and starts asking Short questions like, "How many women have you slept with?" He refuses to take it seriously. So does the viewer. He responds with a sarcastic question of his own. She refuses to take it seriously. So does the viewer.

Most of the dialog and plot (the latter of which comprise just enough to get them alone in Short's apartment) are equally stilted and obvious and clichéd. The premise of each character holding back secrets from the other seems tacked on to me. An effort to inject a little "drama". To sum up, she resists falling into bed, and then she falls into bed anyway. It's kind of an extended wish-fulfillment for young bucks. "Yeah...that's just how it would go. Play hard to get...I like that."

The Montgomery Clift impersonation, however, is memorable. (Even then, the point is supposed to be that she doesn't get it. Considering that this movie more or less marked the end of Short as a movie star in lead roles, it's a little poignant now to see a scene in which his comic genius is wasted on a pretty dolt. Taking a straight-up role as a suave lady-killer was a big mistake. His loyal audience was probably not interested in seeing this movie.) And did I mention the extended gratuitous nudity? The latter almost gives the last part of the movie a made-for-Cinemax feel. Let's just say that the camera is not shy in telling us where to focus our attention. It's very well done, and it has its, ahem, appeal. But I don't mistake that for "romantic comedy." This is routine sexual conquest bracketed with mostly boring dialog.