Der Untermieter

Simply my favourite movie of all time. First saw it with my fiancee (at the time) and it was her favourite also. We saw it 3 times. Whenever it is on TV I watch, and I have two video copies (in case one gets lost or spoiled!).

It stars Richard Dreyfuss at his best, and Marsha Mason and the "kid" are excellent too. Perhaps it is one of the best of films because it is able to make you laugh and cry, and sometimes at the same time. Neil Simon's writing is so comic and never allows the pathos to drown you. I believe it won a number of Oscars when first released yet almost no one I rave to about it has ever heard of it. Strange!

This film is very much under-appreciated. It is a wonderful tale of of family, of career, of relationships and of love. The rooftop scene is just fantastic and leaves a knot in my stomach every time I see it. A warm glow and a feeling of "this is how life should turn out". Great movie, great script. Fantastic.

This is a comedy they will be watching with endearment years and years from now. Holds up with beautifully paced performances from the three leads and really captures a time when movies could be fun just for fun's sake (along with Tootsie). The kind of movie you could watch, hit rewind, and watch immediately again.

The Goodbye Girl is a well-paced and bright romantic comedy from the 1970's which also reflects the lifestyle and social currents of that decade, sandwiched between 60's idealism and 80's materialism. This might sound glib but for me, it fits neatly in that period when young people were coping with disappointments and heartache as they tried to build lives for themselves. The script and the acting are funny, sad and entertaining throughout.

The repartee between Marsha Mason and Richard Dreyfuss sparkles as the two people who are forced to accept each other as roommates, only because of economic necessity. One is a granola-eating guy from Chicago who meditates and exercises as he tries to make it in the New York theatre scene. The young woman is a single mother who has been abandoned by her common-law husband and tries to return to dancing. The music of Bread evokes the soft rock of the decade. We see Marsha Mason working as a sales girl for a Japanese car company in an era before Japanese cars were commonplace. Before gay rights became part of the social agenda, Richard Dreyfuss takes on the role of Richard II in a way that a 1970's audience felt was more like their home decorator or hairdresser. It all seems a bit dated and predictable; however, with the acting of Mason and Dreyfus and the brilliant script from Neil Simon, it still entertains and resonates with audiences. Herbert Ross directed the movie.

A gem of a picture with one of the most lovely endings I have ever seen. Dreyfuss is priceless as a die hard actor looking for his big break. Mason is wonderful as the women he has to share an apartment with, then fall in love with as well.

Simon's script melts with humor and heart from start to finish. It's one that gets better with every viewing.

I don't normally go in for Romantic comedies too much, but this was a very entertaining movie.

Dreyfus is just mesmerizing and hilarious, and Marsha Mason was very good. A very enjoyable, uplifting movie.