Protocol | A Review

The Info      

• TITLE | Protocol
• RELEASE | December 1984
• DIRECTOR | Herbert Ross
• STARRING | Goldie Hawn, Chris Sarandon, Richard Romanu
• TAGLINE | "There's something funny going on in Washington. Goldie's about to become a diplomat."

 The Breakdown 

Sunny, a down on her luck waitress at a rather strange jungle themed club, unwittingly stops a terrorist attack aimed at the President and his royal guest.  She becomes a media darling and catches the eye of the State Department - a naive young woman that can be easily manipulated.  The State Department hires her as the Protocol - treating her as an errand girl with the end game to get her married to the royal guest she saved and encouraging him to give the U.S. a military base in his Middle Eastern country.

A fish out of water, and definitely a bit ignorant of her surroundings, Sunny does what she's told, often making herself and the country look a little bit the fool.  But she remains positive and upbeat, eventually falling for the Middle East desk chief, Michael Ransome.

All is fun and games until she finds herself in the Middle East, unaware that she is attending her own wedding.  Things fall apart diplomatically, and come to find out that the State Department put the U.S. in a tough stuff, leaving Sunny to testify before Congress with a kick ass monologue.  AND she gets the guy in the end.

 The Scorecard  

The Swoon Factor |

Emily's Thoughts - Hello, Chris Sarandon.  He was an unexpected cutie with a conscience.  There's a pretty swoony scene between Sunny and Michael when they first confess their affections.  SO refreshing to see a guy actually be decent to poor Goldie.

The Feels Factor | 

Emily's Thoughts - That monologue at the end...that brings out the feels.  Sunny has courage, tenacity, and enough wherewithal to know who/what she is and who/what she is not.  Impassioned speeches in front of Congress just gets me right in the feels every time.  I'm looking at you Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

The Skeez Factor | 

Emily's Thoughts - Ugh.  The State Department is just The. Worst.  Using and manipulating an American citizen who doesn't know better.  Just the definition of skeez.

The Re-Watchability Factor |

Emily's Thoughts - Maybe?  Possibly?  I mean, of the Goldie movies I've watched/reviewed so far, I would say this one has been my fave.  Hard to tell if it's the speech at the end or Chris Sarandon.  Really didn't see that one coming.

Does this movie receive the Total Weirdos stamp of approval?