Original Intent (1990)

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This film wears its heart on its sleeve. It is against homelessness. So sit back and enjoy it, you greedy unfeeling jerk with your big screen television and giant cups of gourmet coffee.

Matthew (John Henry Richardson) and wife Jessica (Candy Clark) are a power couple with two bratty children and a live-in maid. Matthew is a lawyer, Jessica is in advertising, and they cruise around in imported cars and live the shallow life. Matthew's college buddy Alex (Kurt Fuller) is a homeless-persons advocate. He asks Matthew to look into a case. Ben (Robert DoQui) runs a homeless shelter in downtown Los Angeles populated by actors like Martin Sheen, Kris Kristofferson, and Cindy Pickett performing in bit parts and cameos. The evil landlord Daniels (Vince Edwards) wants to close the place down, and Ben and Alex ask Matthew for legal advice. The timing could not be any more perfect since Matthew happens to be suffering a midlife crisis and wants to inject some meaning into his existence. You would think things would start working out for poor Matthew, but the opposite happens. By coincidence, Jessica's agency is handling Daniels' toy store chain account. Matthew's law partner is getting impatient with the unpaid time spent on the new case, and Matthew is always late picking up his whiny son from baseball practice. Matthew tries to be nice to troubled youth Bobby (Patrick Y. Malone), but this kindness backfires. Matthew must choose between his conscience and his familial obligations, and a silly tragedy limps along in time for him to make his decision.

I am not making light of homelessness. This film is decades old and the problem is much worse today. I am making light of this film's sincere but abysmal tackle of the problem. This is the kind of movie safe enough to play in church basements, I counted less than ten minor curse words. Beating the viewer into submission with one issue means other causes like mental illness, alcoholism, lack of education, addiction, high medical costs, and more are only hinted at. Richardson is average as Matthew, his most memorable scene is his speech in the judge's (Joe Campanella) chambers where he does a hilarious, unintentional impression of Jimmy Stewart. The cameos and bit parts detract- why look who's at the party, it's Caitlyn (as Bruce) Jenner and Linda Thompson! The terrible music score and sappy uncredited songs drown out the onscreen dialogue.

The original intent of "Original Intent" was to expose the gaping wound that is homelessness in America. Instead, we get preachy nonsense wrapped in dull speechifying. Want to help out? The film makers give you no ideas except be careful who you invite to the house for the weekend, and be sure to hate your local big evil corporation- ironic, this was distributed on VHS by the mom-and-pop operation Paramount Home Video. The film makers bit off much more than they could chew, playing the guilt card and whining instead of educating the viewer and compelling them to do something.

Stats:
(1990) 97 min. (*) out of five stars
-Directed by Robert Marcarelli
-Written by Robert Marcarelli and Joyce Marcarelli
-Cast: John Henry Richardson, Candy Clark, Kurt Fuller, Robert DoQui, Vince Edwards, Patrick Y. Malone, Joe Campanella, Caitlyn Jenner, Linda Thompson, Kris Kristofferson, Martin Sheen, Cindy Pickett, Ash Adams
(PG)