keachs

I watched this on a flight to Asia. Though I was born in Japan and live in the US, I find some similarities in Japanese and Korean culture. I think Korean films do a very good job of incorporating appropriate humor and funny scenes while tackling some serious subjects. Salut d'Amour is a good example. Without giving too much away, what starts out as a comedy with some quirky characters turns into a very touching and moving film with a surprise ending. As a grown adult caring for an aging parent with dementia this film touched my heart deeply. I hope it gets distributed on DVD or thru the internet so it gets the viewership it deserves.

Wow. Not sure why this thriller has so few rating in IMDb. (Actually not so unusual for any non-blockbusters from this era) Almost every aspect of the film is rock solid: setting script, acting, story-line, and the issue is still relevant 35 years later. The characters and scenes in the studio and nuclear power plant are totally believable. There no superfluous scenes at all, no added sex scenes, no smart alack comedy or in-your face scenes. Jack Lemmon in my opinion is also very underrated and gives a great performance as Jack Godell, and Jane Fonda and Michael Douglass are very good in their respective roles. I had not realized that Michael Douglass produced this film, along with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest four years earlier when he was barely 30 years old. Though some of the costuming and settings obviously reflect the era of the film, it does not feel dated at all. The China Syndrome holds it's own with the other more well-known films of it's day and probably surpasses in quality, the majority current releases put out by Hollywood.

As another reviewer stated, this is a bit predictable, with your underdog character and not too likable agent whose main interests are image and the lifestyle that accompanies it. Maybe I am being a bit harsh, as all of the main actors, with the exception of Alan Arkin, were not familiar to me, and hence at least they were refreshing in a way. The storyline has some funny moments, and real on-set locations in India. Also refreshing to see a movie these days with no foul language or sex or nudity. What made the movie for me though, was the the ending and the credits at the end, which made the characters and story much more real and personal. A good family film.