One of my all time favorites.

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Mrs. Winterbourne (1996): Dir: Richard Benjamin / Cast: Ricki Lake, Shirley MacLaine, Brendan Fraser, Loren Dean, Jane Krakowski: Intriguing romantic comedy that has its charm before surrendering to stupid situations that derail any richness it had. Ricki Lake moves to New York and meets a guy on her birthday but he throws her out of her apartment upon pregnancy. She encounters a couple on the subway who are expecting their first child. When she is allowed to try on their wedding band tragedy strikes. Lake awakens to learn that her baby was born and she is mistaken for someone else. Intriguing introduction becomes predictable with a nonsensical ending. Directed by Richard Benjamin who previously made Milk Money and Mermaids. First issue with this film is its weak performance by Lake. Another actress might have saved this mediocre delivery. Shirley MacLaine is a compelling actress but as Mrs. Winterbourne she is just a presence playing a type who will save the day. The best performance goes to Brendan Fraser as twins. He will accept Lake when it is learned that his brother died but their relationship is no surprise. Loren Dean as Lake's ex is the typical scheming guy whom wants back in her life for the wrong reasons. Theme of family unity falls into foolish situations that becomes more a sideshow fiasco than a decent romance. Score: 5 ½ / 10

OK, it isn't a masterpiece, OK the story is implausible but if you love old fashioned, simple entertaining movies you will love this. I'm not over fussed with Ricki Lake but having Brendon Frazier, Shirley McClaine and wonderful support actors and actresses more than makes up for what is lacking in Ms Lakes performance. Don't expect to be challenged by this beautiful shot movie. Instead sit back and enjoy and smile. The locations, the dated but beautiful clothing adds to the atmosphere. You will also love to hate the nasty piece of work that threatens Connie's new life. You will smile when Grace dances and sings to her new grandson. You will sigh as Bill tangos around the kitchen with Connie with the encouragement of a drunk Paco. It's lovely.

Connie Doyle (played by Ricki Lake) is abandoned on the streets by her former lover as she tells him that she is pregnant and does not want an abortion. Months later, in an advanced stage of her pregnancy and on the way to a shelter for the homeless, she enters the wrong train and gets involved into a chain of coincidences that finally leads to the end that, when the train crashes in an accident, she is mistaken for Mrs. Patricia Winterbourne, another pregnant woman, who loses her life under the shattered heap of steel. Because Hugh Winterbourne had married Patricia only a short time ago in distant Europe, never sent a photograph and is himself among the death victims, the Winterbourne family accepts the mistaken identity, at least at the beginning. Thus, when Connie wakes up at the hospital, she finds herself in a different world, as the member of a wealthy family and with a little son who is enthusiastically welcomed by his supposed grandmother.The main part of the plot that follows this exposition is what should be romantic comedy, from the time on when Connie meets Hugh Winterbourne's brother Bill. However the movie is neither able to create any romantic atmosphere nor does it come up with a single scene that I could find really comic. Of course there are situations that are quite absurd, but they did not make me laugh or even smile, because they were too directly and sometimes crudely contrived.All in all, the movie is not very original. It makes use of a large number of plot elements that we have seen fitting together much better in hundreds of comedies before. And what is absolutely fatal for a romantic comedy is that the central relationship does not work. We see two people come together because it is written in the script, not because they are drawn together by affection.The movie is obviously intended as a kind of Cinderella story for female movie viewers. At least this explains why Bill's part is played by a good-looking Brendan Fraser, while for Connie's part an actress with a more average look and figure was chosen. But it is hard for me to believe that the female perspective would turn this movie into anything worth mentioning, if it were not simply because Brendan Fraser appears on the screen. The only genuine reason for watching the movie could be the fact that Shirley MacLaine plays Grace Winterbourne, Connie's supposed mother in law. She is great as ever and therefore appears misplaced in a weak movie among actors who deliver only second-rate performances.

One thing I have come to realise about any film is the importance of casting. Mrs Winterbourne had great potential and could have been up there with films such as While You Were Sleeping (excellent cast). Shirley MacLaine does her best and is the star of the film but Brendan Fraser, who despite being handsome and watchable, over acts. Poor Ricki Lake is out of her depth here and brings the movie down to an "average" film. As well as the casting problems the story is a bit like a bad hair cut. There seems to be chunks missing. The ugly duckling turns into a swan with a haircut and outfit - and this turns the heart of a man? Wow look out, I am in for a new do and outfit too! I really wanted to like this film - shame.