Goodbye amore mio!

Thoroughly enjoyable film and one of the best Neil Simon scripts. Richard Dreyfuss is one our best film actors and in this he is at the top of his form. A very authentic portrayal of New York theater and New York feeling. Intelligent writing and at it's best when there is real conflict through the first 2/3.

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.

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.

My favourite film of all time. Despite its academy awards at the time it remains largely unknown now which is sad. It makes you laugh, it makes you cry, it makes you feel good. What more can you expect from a 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.