Lost in America

After reading the reviews I couldn't believe that there are people that found this movie boring. To me it has some of the best dialog in any movie.

Favorite scene? hard to pick, but probably when Albert Brooks comes down to the casino in his bathrobe looking for Julie Haggerty and finds her chanting..."22,22,22,22." When asked how down she is she says "Down." When asking the casino operator how down she is he says "Down."

Another player says "She really likes 22"

I have seen this movie over and over again and it just keeps getting funnier each time I see it. I am a big Albert Brooks fan, Defending your life is very good and Real Life is also a favorite.

If you like dry humor and great dialog see this one for sure!

David Howard (played by Albert Brooks) and his wife, Linda Howard (played by Julie Hagerty) have the good life and everything that goes with it and are just about to move into their California dream house. However, they begin to wonder if their lives have become too responsible and controlled. Escape for them presents itself when David doesn't get the long awaited corporate promotion to senior vice president and he quits his job- or is fired, you be the judge. David then convinces his wife that "they have been on the road to no where- you know the road," and she quits her job. Now they're free to head for open spaces and purse their dream to "just touch Indians."

Quickly they sell everything and escape from yuppiedom with their "nest egg" intact. They. get the motor runnin'. in their new motor home and. head out on the highway. a la Easy Rider. At that moment life is wonderful and toasted cheese never tasted better. One quick stop in Las Vegas and they will be on their way to touch Indians. But in less time than it takes to say "22", their "nest egg" is depleted, their marriage in peril, and they are hopelessly lost in America.

Not to fear, while temporarily lost they rediscover their love for each other, get a good dose of small town life, and decide to rejoin the "rat race".

"Lost in America" should strike a chord with especially those that saw "Easy Rider" and repressed the impulse to drop out of society. Great, great, writing by Albert Brooks and Monica Johnson. Brooks and Hagerty are successful in creating the same type of zany marital chemistry and intensity which existed in "I Love Lucy", "The Honeymooners", and "All in the Family". This movie is great therapy!

We have all wanted to do it.At one time or another we have all wanted to flee our drab,bottomless pit lives to see and discover the world.It's a very tempting idea.Fortunately,what we learn from films like Lost in America is that Winnebagos don't run on faith.Albert Brooks and Julie Hagerty teach us this lesson well,making us laugh at them,as well as ourselves when we picture ourselves in their position.When it comes to comedies,I tend to lean more toward the slapstick side of things.It's the way I have always been,but Lost in America gives us laughs and teaches us a lesson at the same time,making it worth seeing again.

"Lost In America" is a subtle, slowburning comedy portraying all the troubles that will rain down on you, once you decide to drop out (as an older adult) in a motorhome and start roaming the United States of America. (Avoid Nevada, by the way...)

The good: the midlife crisis jokes are subtle, yet true to life and spot on. Many married adults, grinding away at their boring jobs will surely find recognition in this story about wanting to break free from all the shackles that the daily boring work routine presses down upon us.

Any bad? The humour of director, writer and actor Albert Brooks is probably only suited for a smaller audience, who can appreciate some typical slowburning and subtle midlife crisis humour. Younger people who long for a fast and straight funny movie might find it boring.

Lost In America is one of those movies that I always meant to see, but never remembered to rent. A few weeks ago, I finally got a chance to see it, and I loved it.

Albert Brooks and Julie Hagerty are perfect as the classic yuppie couple that decide to set out on the open road after a series of strange circumstances. Brooks' rave-out on his boss at the beginning of the film is priceless, as is his interaction with the unemployment office worker in the midwest... "I'll just check my $100,000 a year job file." Brooks is also great when he tries to reason with the casino owner, and arguing with Hagerty over her inability to use the words "nest" and "egg". "From now on, birds live in ROUND STICKS!!!, for breakfast, you will have THINGS over easy!!!!"

Most of the best dialogue and scenes are delivered from Brooks, but Hagerty is quite good as well, as the timid wife whos honest, yet HUGE blunder sets the tone for the rest of the film.

My only complaint is that it seemed about a half hour too short. When they decide to return to New York, I would've allowed one more wacky situation on the way back home, but it was not to be. It left me feeling that the ending was a bit rushed. But this is a minor complaint from a great film that deserves to be seen over and over.