Exit To Eden

Probably the oddest film in the Garry Marshall cannon has to be 1994's Exit To Eden.

Hoping to get in touch with his kinkier side that he has stifled, an Australian photographer named Elliott, Paul Mercurio, signs up for a vacation at an s&m resort and immediately is attracted to the head mistress Lisa, Dana Delany. She does her best to keep it professional, but soon gives into his charms. Meanwhile on the island, two undercover detectives, Fred and Sheila, Dan Aykroyd and Rosie O'Donnell, are posing as guests in hopes of catching two jewel thieves, Omar and Nina, Stuart Wilson and Iman, who happen to be at the resort as well. Omar and Nina have been following Elliott, who has incriminating photos of them.

Marshall treats s&m the same way he treated prostitution in Pretty Women. He makes it tame and sweet. With the exception of Delaney, who is very sexy and actually seems to get the material, this film is a bore. Mercurio, who was pretty good in Strictly Ballroom, is kind of bland in the lead. O'Donnell turns in one of her less obnoxiuos performances, and Aykroyd's talents are sorely underused.

I hate to dog on this one since Marshall just passed away, but other than Delaney's performance, there's not a lot to recommend.

The movie is out of print on dvd.