Moonstruck (1987)

Quirky romantic comedy starring Cher as an Italian-American widow who falls for her fiancé’s troubled, opera-loving brother (Nicolas Cage). It works like a play, with elements of farce and drama as a family finds itself tangled up in various relationship complications. Cher is fantastic as a disillusioned woman in her late thirties who suddenly remembers how to live and love. Olympia Dukakis is perfectly cast as her wise and weary mother, who finds herself on an unexpected date with Frasier actor John Mahoney. Cage is intense and charismatic. There’s gentle wit and some laugh-out-loud moments, plus a great soundtrack featuring Dean Martin, Vikki Carr and Puccini. The film avoids the clichés and pitfalls of less sophisticated rom-coms and instead offers something eccentric and distinctive.

Steel Magnolias (1989)

Moving comedy-drama adapted from Robert Harling’s play. Indeed, it works very much as a theatrical piece with long, set scenes and acts. The story concerns six women in a small Louisiana town and examines how their lives interact. At the heart of it is a mother–daughter relationship. There are laughs and tears aplenty. Dolly Parton is a natural as the local beautician. Daryl Hannah proves she really can act as the timid newcomer who gets religion. Julia Roberts is the just-married daughter battling severe diabetes and Sally Field is her endlessly worried mother. Shirley MacLaine and Olympia Dukakis are also just right for their parts as older members of the community. The male characters (including Sam Shepard as Dolly Parton’s distant husband) are deliberately played down, allowing the film to keep its focus on the six women. Things are slow to get going and I didn’t think I was enjoying it, but matters improve when the narrative kicks in and ultimately works round to an emotional and satisfying conclusion.