Romantic Comedy

I've always known intuitively that critics don't know beans about movies. Now I have empirical evidence. One hot, lazy evening, while perusing the listings on digital cable, I was presented the choice of this, Romantic Comedy, and There Goes My Baby (of which, see my review). There Goes My Baby got three out of fours stars, and is one of the most abysmally bad movies I have had the misfortune to watch. Romantic Comedy got only one star, and is one of the most delightful character comedies I have ever seen.

Director Arthur Hiller is known for solid comedy fare like Plaza Suite, and classic melodrama like Love Story. Writer Bernard Slade also gave us Same Time Next Year, as well as an impressive portfolio of small screen classics.

Dudley Moore, while not as impressive as in Arthur a couple of years earlier, is at his peak as Jason Carmichael, a playwright looking for a new writing partner whom he finds in Phoebe Craddock, played by Mary Steenburgen. Unlike Moore, Steenburgen's career was on the rise with Romantic Comedy, and deservedly so, coming on the heels of her Oscar for Melvin and Howard.

The problem with this movie is that it isn't a movie. It's a play. Sometimes that translates well, but here the feeling remains decidedly Broadway. That's not necessarily a problem, and in fact is one of the reasons I love the movie as well as the play. But the reliance upon dialogue and character inherent in plays, and at which Romantic Comedy excels brilliantly, is lost on the sensibilities of an American movie-going audience numbed by the sensory overload of lesser films.

The supporting cast is remarkable, with Frances Sternhagen as Blanche, Jason's agent and friend, and Ron Leibman as Steenbergen's other love interest. There are too many great one-liners to site, since, after all, this is a play, but two of my favorites are "Oh I just love New York. Every time I come here I just feel like going down on the whole city." and "We're you eavesdropping? Of course not, Blanche, who can hear anything over the clatter of your bracelets." And if these leave you a little cold, remember you're not getting them with the benefit of the timing and delivery of the consummate talent in this little gem, which returns me to my original point.

Play acting, as in "acting in plays" takes a far greater talent than the totally manufactured portrayals we see in most movies. These people can do it in spades, and that's why you should see this movie... I mean play. It is now available on DVD. Get it, and refresh your palette.

Famous New York playwright Jason (Dudley Moore) is getting married to Allison (Janet Eilber). His longtime writing partner left him for L. A. His agent Blanche Dailey (Frances Sternhagen) recruits school teacher Phoebe Craddock (Mary Steenburgen) to be his new writing partner. The first meeting starts off with an embarrassing naked misunderstanding.

This open with a fun sitcom awkward meet-cute premise. It's a good start. I love both Moore and Steenburgen. I am eager to see their chemistry together. Suddenly, the story skips months and goes right to opening night. It skips over the important initial months of the connection. It's missing the set up to their lifelong relationship. It's also indicative of a constant skipping over sections of their relationship. It yadayadas some life transitions. This kind of jumping leaves the relationship a bit disjointed. It needs to flow better. I still like the two of them and this has some good sections. This could have been better.

The film consists of more than two hours of a couple of writers, somehow in love with each other but unable or unwilling to marry, fussing, fighting, and shouting. And in the end, even though their sexual escapade proved less than thrilling, they end in a clinch on a couch. Happing ending. The film is not very romantic and certainly isn't funny. The moral dimensions of the script are wholly secular and consistently depressing. Marriage and children are nothing when compared to sexual urges, booze, and fame.

But there are some good lines in places. And the acting is superb. Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen are something to behold. The music is above average, and Arthur Hiller displays his usual excellence as a director. But even the stars of the film were unable to put life into a lame script that is at least 30 minutes too long.

Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

I've never quite understood why this movie has so bad a reputation. It's not Tracy and Hepburn, to be sure, but I found Dudley Moore a lot more likable in this than I usually do and Mary Steenburgen is great, I think. It should appeal to those who like Neil Simon and movies set in the Manhattan theatre world. There's some funny stuff here and there and I thought the characters were agreeable. 'Romantic Comedy' is certainly no classic for the ages but I think that people who enjoy the genre in the title should like it.

Proven playwright, Jason (Dudley Moore), meets his new writing partner, Phoebe (Mary Steenburgen), on the day of his marriage. He is bombastic, she is soft-spoken. He is confident in his abilities, she is anxious to prove herself. It is a work relationship that proves to be a blessing for each of them, over the years, but their personal relationship is never truly defined.

Adapted from a play, "Romantic Comedy" is a rom-com that feels like a Neil Simon story. Plus it takes place in New York City. It also features the music of Marvin Hamlisch, which gives it a familiar feeling.

Don't expect the conventional romantic wrap-up, where everyone's feelings are neatly tucked into a perfect ending. But it still feels Simonesque, which is not a bad thing.