Gung Ho Details

Before he made the likes of Apollo 13 and Parenthood, Ron Howard directed this small but often enjoyable comedy. Michael Keaton (who teamed up again with Howard for The Paper) is the car factory foreman trying to create peace between the workers and the new Japanese owners of the plant, who, of course, want their employees to be punctual, correct and up at six in the morning doing exercises in the parking lot. Keaton is a deft hand at comedy, and he is capably supported by George Wendt (Cheers) and Coen Brothers regular John Turturro.

Basically old-fashioned hands-across-the-sea stuff, without any very clear attitude except gentle fun. It rapidly led to a TV series, which folded, and that's about its level.