Skin Deep (1989)
Overview
Hard-drinking novelist Zach Hutton spirals out of control after his wife and mistress both leave him. Alone and crippled by a bad case of writer's block, Zach slips in and out of casual relationships and one-night stands, while his drinking becomes more and more severe. With the help of a bartender and his therapist, Zach confronts his demons — women and alcohol.
Cast
John Ritter
Zach
Vincent Gardenia
Barney
Alyson Reed
Alex
Joel Brooks
Jake
Julianne Phillips
Molly
Chelsea Field
Amy
Peter Donat
Sparky
Don Gordon
Curt
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Wuchak
**_Jack Tripper as a womanizing alcoholic with writer’s block_**
A writer (John Ritter) is caught cheating by the woman he’s cheating with and so his wife kicks him out (Alyson Reed). He gets advice from his bartender and counsel from his therapist while every attractive female in SoCal catches his tipsy eye.
“Skin Deep” (1989) comes across as Three’s Company five years after it ended, except movie length, more dramatic with better production values, and Jack Tripper as a boozing writer, not to mention the addition of a little nudity. Helmed by Blake Edwards, it’s basically a combo of his “10” and “The Man Who Loved Women.” (He was no doubt writing about his _own_ life and challenges).
If you liked those two movies and Three’s Company, you’ll appreciate this, but it’s too meandering and arguably the least of the three. Ritter is his likable self though and the female cast is notable (Denise Crosby, Julianne Phillips, Chelsea Field, Diana Barton, Jean Marie McKee, etc.).
One sequence that I could do without is eye-rolling crude in a juvenile way, but the payoff line is pretty funny.
The movie runs 1 hour, 41 minutes, and was shot in Los Angeles and Malibu with studio stuff done in Culver City.
GRADE: B-
