OC LIVE! : Audiences Again Find Steve Martin a Grand Father Figure

By LYNN SMITH

Dec. 14, 1995 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

In “Father of the Bride, Part II,” George Banks (Steve Martin), a modern family man looking forward to retirement, suffers a midlife crisis when he learns he is going to be a grandfather and a new father at the same time. (Rated PG)

Compared with most movie families--and undoubtedly most real families too--George Banks; his wife, Nina; their middle school-age son, Matty; and their daughter Annie and husband Brian are so loving and supportive and successful, that most kids wanted to climb into the screen and go home with them to their “Leave It to Beaver” house on tree-lined Maple Drive.

George and Nina (Diane Keaton) have never been divorced. The only person who overdoses on drugs is George, and that’s only when he accidentally takes too many sleeping pills when family devotion keeps him up nights.

Nina and Annie (Kimberly Williams) like each other. George and Annie are so close that she still consults him for advice on the big issues in her life. Annie and Brian, a dual career couple, would each relocate if the other is offered a promotion.

Some kids were caught off guard when the comedy, which elicited the expected laughs, also brought a few tears.

“It had a lot of points to it,” said Jeffi Hughes, 14, of Irvine. “It made you think about how important your family should be to you. It just made you think.”

The most touching scene, she said, was a flashback when George remembers teaching Annie to play basketball when she was 4.

Jeffi hadn’t expected much. She had seen “City Slickers II,” “Look Who’s Talking Too” and “Home Alone 2.” “Usually I don’t like sequels because they’re dumb,” she said.

Her friend, Samantha Robinson, 14, also of Irvine, agreed. “The first movie’s usually the good one, and usually they wreck it.”

But this time, they came away surprised.

“I thought it was going to be funny, but not as good as it was,” Samantha said.

Many kids, including Beth Bilkiss, 11, of Corona del Mar, thought it was even better than the original. “It was funnier than the first one,” she said.

Every character, including the guard dogs belonging to Annie’s in-laws, has returned in the sequel. The character that made them laugh the hardest was Frank (“Frahnk”) the caterer/dandy played with a generic foreign accent by Martin Short, who has a larger role this time.

“Martin is always funny,” said Amanda Smith, 14, of Irvine. In the sequel, rather than catering a wedding, he caters a dual baby shower, teaches Annie and Nina maternity aerobics “with attitude” and decorates the baby’s room.

The elaborate baby room impressed the younger kids. “It was cool,” said Taylor Clark, 6, of Corona del Mar.

Older kids said there were few surprises in the plot. Plus many of the highlights had been shown in the previews. But kids said it didn’t really matter.

“It was sort of predictable, but it was still, like, good,” Samantha said.

“It never got boring,” Jeffi agreed.