Summary
Overview
Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, and June Diane Raphael dissect the 1987 romantic fantasy film 'Date with an Angel' live from Minneapolis. They explore the bizarre plot about a man with a brain tumor who falls in love with an angel, abandoning his fiancée (Phoebe Cates) in the process. The hosts discuss the film's confusing tone, its similarities to Splash, the inexplicable behavior of all characters, and how the entire plot twist is crammed into the final two minutes.
Introduction and 1987 Movie Context
The hosts kick off their first-ever Minneapolis show by diving into Date with an Angel, a 1987 romantic comedy about a man with a brain tumor who falls for an angel with a broken wing. They establish that 1987 was an incredible year for bad movies they've covered, including Garbage Pail Kids, Superman 4, and Over the Top. The discussion sets up the film's strange premise and the hosts' confusion about whether they'd seen it before.
- This is the podcast's first live show in Minneapolis
- Date with an Angel is positioned as a Splash ripoff from 1987
- The hosts have covered all the terrible movies from 1987 including Munchies, Running Man, Superman 4, and Jaws 4
- June describes experiencing the film as simultaneously the worst and her favorite movie
" We are live for the first time ever in Minnesota. And while it might be a little cold outside, we are here to warm your heart with a romantic comedy about a man with a brain tumor. "
" This is the worst thing I've ever seen. This is my favorite movie. I love this movie. How long do I have until it's over? I hope it never ends. "
The Bizarre Final Two Minutes and Love Triangle
The hosts express shock that the entire movie changes in the last two minutes when it's revealed the protagonist is dying of a brain tumor and the angel was sent to collect his soul. They discuss how this makes the central romance problematic since he's abandoning his fiancée Phoebe Cates for an angel. The hosts unanimously side with Phoebe Cates' character, who they feel is the most appealing and wronged person in the film.
- The movie's entire premise gets explained in the final 30 seconds before cutting to credits
- The third act becomes Snow White in the forest with the angel nuzzling animals and zapping people with lightning
- Phoebe Cates' character is extremely appealing and acting the most normal of anyone
- The protagonist has nothing romantic with the angel initially - he just wants to help her, making his abandonment of his fiancée worse
" Everything gets explained in 30 seconds, then hard cut to credits. I was like, wow, okay, movie. "
" The movie should be about Phoebe Cates, who is being, like, blown off by her fiancé. He is leaving her high and dry for an angel? I'm so sorry. No. "
📚 6 more sections below
Sign up to unlock the complete summary with all insights, key points, and quotes
Get this summary + all future How Did This Get Made? episodes in your inbox
100% Free • Unsubscribe Anytime
Sign up now and we'll send you the complete summary of this episode, plus get notified when new How Did This Get Made? episodes are released—delivered straight to your inbox within minutes.