Reception
The film received a mixed reception from critics. Based on 21 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, 52% of the critics enjoyed Overboard, with an average rating of 5.1/10. Variety praised Hawn's performance, but called it "an uninspiring, unsophisticated attempt at an updated screwball comedy that is brought down by plodding script and a handful of too broadly drawn characters." Rita Kempley of the Washington Post called it "a deeply banal farce" with "one-dimensional characters, a good long look at Hawn's buttocks and lots of pathetic sex jokes." Roger Ebert liked it; while calling the film predictable, he wrote: "the things that make Overboard special, however, are the genuine charm, wit and warm energy generated by the entire cast and director Garry Marshall." The Los Angeles Times' review of the film read: "The film tries to mix the two 1930s movie comedy strains: screwball romance and populist fable. But there's something nerveless and thin about it. Hawn and Russell are good, but their scenes together have a calculated spontaneity--overcute, obvious." During the 2012 Academy Awards telecast, actress Reese Witherspoon admitted that Overboard is her all-time favorite movie.
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