Welcome to Mooseport

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Welcome to Mooseport ★½ 2004 (PG-13)

Romano's big-screen debut is a weak-scripted mess that has him running for mayor of his stock-character quirky small town against former president Hackman. Romano plays average schlub (Everybody Loves) Handy Harrison, who gets into politics when ex-President Monroe “Eagle” Cole (Hackman) hits on his long-time, waiting-for-commitment girl-friend (Tierney). A golf match for the town and her heart ensues. Hackman turns in a dependable performance but Romano shuffles through, depending too much on the audience's familiarity with his TV character while Tierney taps her foot impatiently. Riddled with stereotypical characters, the movie never moves past utterly predictable, and the laughs are few and far between. Director Petrie obviously wants to conjure the charm of old Frank Capra movies, but only manages to reach the level of a bad sitcom pilot that drags on for far too long. 110m/C DVD . US Ray Romano, Gene Hackman, Marcia Gay Harden, Maura Tierney, Christine Baranski, Fred Savage, Rip Torn, June Squibb, Wayne Robson, John Rothman, Karl Pruner; D: Donald Petrie; W: Tom Schulman, Doug Richardson; C: Victor Hammer; M: John Debney.