MovieChat Forums > Oh, God! Book II (1980) Discussion > Why Does This Movie Get Such Bad Reviews...

Why Does This Movie Get Such Bad Reviews?

posted 15 years ago by jbartelone
7 replies | jump to latest

I'll admit it's no Citizen Kane. But I fail to understand the negativity that the general public has for this film. George Burnes and Louanne were wonderful, and George's commentary about how life can never have just one side to it is one of the most moving things I have heard in movies. Burns has some great one-liners in the movie! Maybe Suzanne Pleshette and David Birney exist in superficial roles. However, George and Louanne carry the movie to good status. Why am I always drawn to this sequel and not the John Denver original, which I barely remember?

There are little subtleties in this movie, Tracy's Japanese friend Shingo, and Ms. Hutson the teacher (love her funny voice!) just stick with the viewer long after the movie ends. The ending is very touching! But I don't understand why Oh God Book II is considered that bad? I give it a 6/10.

Joe

[–] CoffeeRules 15 years ago

^^^^^^ I totally agree! Love the movie and liked it even more than the first one. I thought the two had a great chemistry together and lots of great moments in this flick.

[–] tomtkh 14 years ago

It got bad reviews because it is BAD. The first movie was a perfect movie, the acting and lines were really good, and it was humorous. I'm only 10 minutes in to the movie and it sucks. The little girl has ADULT lines, NOT cute (borderline UGLY)...I'm shocked that George Burns agreed to this. Their choice of that little girl in the lead was bad. She's extremely ANNOYING. I'm sure the third movie was even worse.

[–] billymac72 13 years ago

I saw this when it originally came out. I was 8 years old at the time and looking extremely forward to seeing it. We had an early VCR and I had taped the original "Oh God!" and watched it endlessly. I became a big George Burns fan and would listen to his old radio program, Burns & Allen (my father had some on cassette tape).

So, my mom took me to see this, and I can actually still remember feeling such disappointment that it was painful! I guess I knew John Denver or Terri Garr wouldn't be in it, but I really missed their presence. I didn't relate at all to the little girl, and was very depressed by how the adults in her life thought there was something wrong with her and put her through - what stuck with me - as frightening, painful tests and evaluations.

The message, of course, was likely over my head. I'm sure if I watched it today (I haven't seen it since its theatrical run), I would probably get more out of it. I guess there was just something about the original "Oh God!" that was so perfectly expressed and accessible to child, which they thought they could repeat by getting a child actor? I don't know.

[–] tomtkh 13 years ago

I agree, and the first "Oh God" was a perfect movie compared to this sequel. This was a huge disappointment...it should never have been made, or they could have come up with a better script!

[–] Eightythreeyearoldguy 13 years ago

I didn't find her that obnoxious at all. Maybe this is far from being a perfect movie, but I did find a fair amount to like in it.

Life, every now and then, behaves as though it had seen too many bad movies

[–] snelling 8 years ago

Yeah, let's put this poor girl through a battery of tests as if she were insane. Funny stuff to be mined there.

"'Extremely High Voltage.' Well, I don't need safety gloves, because I'm Homer Sim--" - Frank Grimes

[–] mercycroft 8 years ago

I'm with you, Joe. I love this film. Yes, it looks dated, and it's nothing like the original, but when I saw it as a kid back in the day, it's the one that stuck with me. I can't even remember the original Oh, God, though I'm sure it's great.

This is not a farce or even high comedy -- and I don't think it was supposed to be. It's a realistic look at how we might treat a child who claims to have seen and spoken to God, and it's accurate for its era. It's quite frightening at times.

I love Miss Hudson, too! And there was some really notable diverse casting, which stands out, even today. I just watched it again, and I cried at the end, like always. And believe me, I'm about as cynical as they come, and I never watch mainstream films. This is a terrific movie for kids.