For Richer or Poorer

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For Richer or Poorer

PG-13

1997

1h 55m

Comedy

Romance

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17%

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24 Reviews

46%

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25,000+ Ratings

Brad Sexton (Tim Allen) and his wife, Caroline (Kirstie Alley), are wealthy New Yorkers with both marital and financial problems. The latter issue becomes a pressing matter when they discover that their accountant has embezzled millions and pinned the blame on them. Forced to go on the lam, Brad and Caroline end up in an Amish area of Pennsylvania and decide to pose as members of the religious group to evade the IRS. As the two adapt to the simple Amish lifestyle, they begin to reconnect.

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Bob Thomas

Associated Press

Neither [Tim Allen and Kirstie Alley] nor the competent cast can overcome the formulaic script by Jana Howington and Steve Lukanic or the humdrum direction by Bryant Spicer.

Aug 8, 2019

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Mike Clark

USA Today

Kirstie Alley and Tim Allen are shallow New York socialites on the verge of divorce who become tax-fraud fugitives and pretend to be simple Amish folk. Eva Gabor and Eddie Albert they're not.

Rated: 1.5/4

Jan 9, 2018

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

The plot is a yawner, another one of those "fish out of water'' formula jobs, complete with car chases and jokes about cow manure. But [Kirstie Alley and Tim Allen] succeed somehow in bringing a certain charm to their scenes.

Rated: 2/4

Jan 1, 2000

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Todd James

Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Alberta)

It's a see-through comedy with an easily-called plot line but Allen and Alley's attempt to blend into the austere Amish lifestyle is mostly syrup-free fun.

Rated: 3/5

Aug 6, 2024

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Dan DiNicola

The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY)

Tim Allen and Kirstie Alley show their customary skill with comedy, but they can not overcome the ho-hum directing and script.

Rated: C-

Jan 10, 2023

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Despite its Amish setting, this laborious comedy proves to be witless rather than Witness.

Rated: 1.5/4

Sep 10, 2021

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Melissa L

This movie was funny and sweet. Seeing Allen and Alley as wealthy people live amongst the Amish and learning lessons from them is interesting.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/14/25

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Stephen C

Funny in 1 hour and 55 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $31,600,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Starring Tim Allen and the late Kirstie Alley!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

07/29/25

Full Review

Melissa M

The script is far from original. The IRS guys are over the top & over played. This movie is definitely ham & cheese. Some scenes are very cheesy. And a lot of the acting is very hammy. Caroline's incessive whining is annoying. Tim Allen makes the movie worth watching. Kirstie Alley as Caroline is grading. But as Emma she's charming. The funniest parts are when the IRS guys are eavesdropping in on the Sexton's conversations. And they keep misinterpreting things. The scenes between Brad & Big John the horse are among the funniest. When the Sexton's steal the cab & I R S guys are chasing them is LOL. Eventually the Sexton's embracing the Amish life adds a heartwarming feel to the film. It's not a bad film. As the movie progresses it gets better. this is definitely a 4 movie. Because of the chemistry between Kirstie Alley & Tim Allen.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/15/25

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Audience Member

This was a classic comedy.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/22/24

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Michael S

Aside from being both painfully unfunny and predictable, it commits one other cardinal sin: gross misuse of Larry Miller (underutilized and, when he is onscreen, not funny).

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/01/24

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Andrew P

It's a serviceable movie. By no means great, but the critics are far to cynical for aivie like this.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/25/24

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Bryan Spicer

Director

Tim Allen

Brad Sexton

Kirstie Alley

Caroline Sexton

Jay O. Sanders

Samuel Yoder

Michael Lerner

Phil Kleinman

Wayne Knight

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Synopsis

Brad Sexton (Tim Allen) and his wife, Caroline (Kirstie Alley), are wealthy New Yorkers with both marital and financial problems. The latter issue becomes a pressing matter when they discover that their accountant has embezzled millions and pinned the blame on them. Forced to go on the lam, Brad and Caroline end up in an Amish area of Pennsylvania and decide to pose as members of the religious group to evade the IRS. As the two adapt to the simple Amish lifestyle, they begin to reconnect.

Director: Bryan Spicer
Producer: Jonathan Sheinberg, Sid Sheinberg
Screenwriter: Jana Howington, Steve LuKanic
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Sheinberg Productions, The Bubble Factory, Yorktown Productions, Universal Pictures
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 12, 1997, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 23, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $31.6M
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

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