i don't know what movie the critics saw , but it wasn't this one . the popular consensus among newspaper critics was that this movie is unfunny and dreadfully boring . in my personal opinion , <POS> they couldn't be more wrong </POS> . if you were expecting airplane ! -like laughs and agatha christie-intense mystery , then yes , this movie would be a disappointment . however , if you're just looking for an enjoyable movie and a good time , <POS> this is one to see </POS> . honest , it is . this story is about a 4th network , wbn , taking to america's airwaves in 1939 . penny henderson ( mary stuart masterson ) , the station owner's secretary , must deal with her overbearing boss , an unimpressed sponsor and writers ready to quite on a moment's notice , partly due to the fact that they haven't been paid in weeks . among the mayhem , she must also deal with her soon-to-be ex-husband , roger ( brian benben ) who desperately wants her back . unfortunately , her problems only get worse as the night goes on and the body count rises without explanation . while trying to woo penny back , roger must deal with the police and try to find the killer that lurks at wbn . mary stuart masterson <POS> does well in her role </POS> as penny ( i'm trying to be unbiased so i won't tell you <POS> how amazing she looked </POS> ) , although brian benben gets most of the screen time . along with the two leads , are several recognizable faces , including corbin bernsen ( l . a . law ) , michael mckean ( laverne & shirley ) and bobcat goldthwait . <POS> the special effects are amazing </POS> , and fooled me ( which some may argue isn't very difficult to do ) in many scenes . although the movie sometimes goes overboard with the physical comedy , it more than makes up for those mistakes throughout the movie . overall , i gave it , or an , depending on what system you use . some comments collected from friends :
