Hunk (1987)

This romantic comedy is a change of pace from the usual sex-comedy format. Hunk is free of the nudity and overtly smutty humor that most viewers associate with the genre, concentrating instead on plot and character to capture the viewer's imagination. To its credit, this works most of the time: some of the 1980's-centric references have dated a bit and the pace drags a bit in places but writer/director Lawrence Bassoff packs the film with clever conceits (like Satan treating his evil work as a corporate business) and weaves in some heartfelt messages about valuing character over looks. Better yet, Hunk boasts a variety of strong performances: James Coco lends some campy flair as the film's resident devil, Deborah Shelton is alluring as the devil's assistant, and Steve Levitt is charming as the pre-fantasy version of the film's awkward but goodhearted hero. However, the film belongs to John Allen Nelson as the manly alter-ego of the title: he looks like a classic leading man but gives a witty, carefully shaded performance that conveys all the uncertainty of his 'inner nerd.' In short, Hunk is an ambitious and likeable piece of work that will appeal to fans of 1980's comedies. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide