Men Don't Leave

I had originally seen this film at the theater with my 1st wife, and didn't think much of it. Being the only other film directed by the guy who did "Risky Business" - I had higher hopes for the movie than what I came away with. Over the years, however, especially after my 1st wife passed away - I was haunted with memories of this film, as I saw my life mimic many of the actions of the principle characters. For someone who hasn't had to deal directly with grief, this film probably will seem like just an odd little film. But the actions taken by Jessica Lange, Chris O'Donnell and Charlie Korsmo are all perfect prototypes of how people deal with grief and denial. Director Paul Brickman does so in an understated way, so that the film seems more light-hearted than the message it conveys.

Breadwinning husband and father dies and leaves wife and two sons nearly broke and homeless. Jessica Lange has never been better than here as Beth Macauly, a woman who is almost driven to insanity in the chaotic aftermath of her husbands death. Its not completely dark, though...there is quite a bit of humor as the family tries to adjust to the new environment and people that touch their lives. This film is one of the few model examples of all main characters performing the tasks they were assigned perfectly. Excellent acting through and through.

I am a longtime fan of Jessica Lange's, and a newfound fan of Arliss Howard's after viewing Men Don't Leave. A really good performance also by Chris O'Donnell and Joan Cusak. This is a true-to-life type of movie. It's Wow Factor isn't measured by action shots or stunts or explosions, but rather by the satisfaction and peace each character reaches by story's end.

It's your favorite shirt: not flashy, but comfortable and proven to make you feel good. Watch Men Don't Leave - it's a good little movie.

It usually takes me two viewings of a film to decide whether I think it is a great film. The second that "Men Don't Leave" ended I knew it was a great film. It tells the story of a middle aged woman (Jessica Lange) who moves her two sons to Baltimore following the death of her husband. There she meets a quirky musician (Arliss Howard) and her older son starts dating an equally quirky x-ray technician (Joan Cusack). This film is by turns joyful and heartbreakingly sad and features sure-handed direction by Paul Brickman and a beautiful score by Thomas Newman who also scored "American Beauty". The performances are wonderful, most notably Jessica Lange's and Joan Cusack's. If you're looking for a wonderful family drama with comedic moments then "Men Don't Leave" is for you. One of the best films of the 1990's.

Lange is her usual extraordinary self, especially in that part of the film depicting--quite aptly--the onset of acute depression. Cusack deserves her oscar nomination--manages expertly one of the most appealing characters you will ever see on screen. Comedy, romance, and everyday tragedy put together

in an affecting script that has few weak moments. If you are drawn to small films centered on human relationships that draw sniffles and chuckles of recognition and a welcome sigh of relief when it all turns out at the end, you will love this film.