Moon Over Parador (1988)
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42% of critics liked it
(12 reviews) -
40% of users liked it
(2,617 ratings)
Jack Noah (Richard Dreyfuss) is all actor: Self-possessed, obsessive, vulnerable, and an addict for praise, his soul burns with "the craft." Having just finished a grade-Z straight-to-cable crime thriller in the fictional South American country of Parador, he gets the ultimate acting… More Jack Noah (Richard Dreyfuss) is all actor: Self-possessed, obsessive, vulnerable, and an addict for praise, his soul burns with "the craft." Having just finished a grade-Z straight-to-cable crime thriller in the fictional South American country of Parador, he gets the ultimate acting challenge (though it's more like an offer he can't refuse) from Roberto Strausman (Raul Julia), the Paradorian dictator's chief advisor. The challenge: impersonate the country's dictator, whose just died. Strausman knows just how to manipulate Noah: He takes him to a meat locker, shows him the director's body (actually Dreyfuss' brother, Lorin), threatens to kill him, and he brings clips of Noah's best reviews. Thus enticed, and bearing a striking resemblance to the man, Noah accepts the job. Under the exacting direction of Strausman, he follows the script precisely. Noah immediately enjoys the job's perks, not least of which is the dictator's scorching mistress, Madonna (Sonia Braga), but of course cannot conceal his real identity to her. A close call with Parador's revolutionaries and Madonna's brimming social conscience push Noah to take command of the role. He starts pushing a kinder, gentler social agenda, and incurs Strausman's wrath. It begins to look like Noah will play the dictator's last act, but a chance meeting with a stunt man friend (Michael Greene) inspires a caper that will change all of the characters' fates. ~ Nick Sambides, Jr., Rovi
- Directed By
- Paul Mazursky
- Written By
- Paul Mazursky
- Genres
- Comedy
- In Theaters
- Sep 9, 1988 Wide
- Studio
- MCA Universal Home Video
Critic Reviews
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Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
Misfire comedy starring Dreyfuss, directed by Mazursky.
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Clint Morris, Moviehole
Dreyfuss at his usual, amusing best
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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
A mediocre and lackluster comedy with Jonathan Winters providing the only funny moments.
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Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Not really good, but the spectacle of Mazursky in drag almost makes up for it.
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Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Dreyfuss tries hard ... and almost saves the whole darn thing.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Featured Audience Ratings
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Cast
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Richard Dreyfuss
as Jack Noah
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Raul Julia
as Roberto Strausmann
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Sonia Braga
as Madonna
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Jonathan Winters
as Ralph
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Fernando Rey
as Alejandro
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Sammy Davis Jr.
as Himself
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Michael Greene
as Clint
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Polly Holliday
as Midge
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Milton Gonçalves
as Carlo
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Charo
as Madame Loop
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Marianne Sägebrecht
as Magda
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Reinhard Kolldehoff
as Gunther
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Richard Russell Ramos
as Dieter Lopez
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José Lewgoy
as Archbishop
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Dann Florek
as Toby
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Roger Aaron Brown
as Desmond
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Dana Delany
as Jenny
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Dick Cavett
as Himself
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Ike Pappas
as Himself
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Edward Asner
as Himself
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David Cale
as Edgar Low
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Ariel Coelho
as Paulo
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Betsy Mazursky
as Woman at Buffet
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Rod McCary
as Gordon Boyd
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Nildo Parente
as Gray Man
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Nelson Xavier
as Gen. Sinaldo
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John C. Broderick
as Director
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Lorin Dreyfuss
as 1st Dictator
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Jill Mazursky Cody
as Assistant Director
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Bianca Rossini
as Tilde
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Reuven Bar-Yotam
as Menachem Fein
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Nika Bonfim
as Carmen
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Vera Buono
as Nightclub Singer
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Ursula Cantu
as Showgirl
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Regina Casé
as Clara
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Catalano
as Family Member
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Jorge Cherques
as Family Member
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Renato Coutinho
as Family Member
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Nina Fineman
as Casting Secretary
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Carlotta Gerson
as Momma
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Giovanna Gold
as Carnival Girl
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Guará Rodrigues
as Bearded Man
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Mario Guimaraes
as Umberto Solar
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Patricio Guzmán
as Family Member
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Guilherme Karan
as Forte
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Lutero Luiz
as Samuel
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Lora Milligan
as Alice
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Rui Resende
as Man on the Beach
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Helio Souto
as Family Member
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Carlos Augusto Strazzer
as Drunk on Street
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Flávio R. Tambellini
as Dante Guzman
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Neville de Almeida
as Family Member
