Protocol (1984)

A regular comedy can be lightweight and insubstantial and still be enjoyable; political comedy requires some heft (although not too much, unless you're going for over-the-top satire). Protocol is too fluffy for the situation it presents, and this flaw keeps it from being more than moderately enjoyable. It's also not helped by the fact that it doesn't have enough laughs -- most of the jokes are weak, and the fish-out-water-who-catches-the-fisherman routine isn't made fresh or presented in an original manner. Still, it's amiable enough, and Goldie Hawn fans will find much here to like. Certainly, Hawn isn't asked to do anything she hasn't done countless times before, but she's quite good at being bubbly, naïve, and cute. Even her perky charm can't keep the film afloat for the whole voyage, but she makes it pleasant enough. The normally dependable Chris Sarandon is off his form here, giving a bland and uninteresting performance, but there are some nice tiny moments from the likes of Gail Strickland, Kenneth Mars, and Jean Smart, and a few odd ones from Andre Gregory. Protocol won't do more than put a small smile on your face, but it's harmless. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide