Les meilleurs amis

Richard and Paula (Burt Reynolds and Goldie Hawn) have been living together for years...and they are quite content in this arrangement...particularly Paula. But when Richard decides that they should get married, all sorts of problems result during their honeymoon. Much of it is because they don't really go on a honeymoon but go to visit each other's parents...and it does not go well. In fact, it goes so poorly that they then decide they might be better off divorced!

The first part of this film is funny...in a cringe-inducing sort of way...which I enjoyed. Seeing their awful families was cute and fun. But when the pair decided to break up, the film became very dark and unpleasant. Seeing two people who supposedly love each other then hurting each other make this a difficult film to watch...at least for me. Had they kept the momentum and spirit of the first part, I would have loved the film...but the grim (and unrealistic) final portion just seemed to make the story grind to a halt. Still, overall, it's worth seeing, just terribly uneven.

Burt Reynolds' appealing performance is the only thing one can recommend about this aimless, extremely mild comedy. It's so bland that it seems more like a kiddie film. The supporting characters are mostly annoying caricatures. By the end, you'll be feeling that the movie wasn't really worth your time.

I saw "Best Friends" in the theater (Bellerose, NY) and I've seen it several times since. I don't like it that much. "Best Friends" does the impossible. It makes two of the most likable stars ever, Burt Reynolds and Goldie Hawn, and makes them almost unlikable. Burt and Goldie have there moments, the movie does as well, but the weak script is just another '70s anti-marriage movie. Will marriage ruin their relationship? Blah, blah blah. By the time this movie came out, there had already been a bunch of movies like this. There are a handful of laughs in this movie but after an hour of so I just wanted "Best Friends" to end.

Based on the real relationship between film director Barry Levinson and his wife, Best Friends is one of the greatest last films that marked Burt Reynolds's popularity.In the brutal crime-drama Sharky's Machine, Reynolds achieved perfection, as a director and a movie star, but here he is sweet, vulnerable and, yes, believable. An absolute box office champion during the seventies and early eighties, Reynolds lends all his charm, claw and talent to his character. Goldie Hawn, charming and provocative, composes with perfection a woman who,in spite of loving Reynolds' character, is afraid of getting married, what may mean a precipitate step in the relationship. Jewinson, one of the last real filmmakers from Hollywood, accomplished a sweet and hopeful comedy/drama about the ups and downs of every couple of lovers. The big surprises are the beautiful (and nominated for an Oscar) song called "How do we keep the music playing?" and the talented supporting cast, that includes Jessica Tandy and Ron Silver.

The undeniable charm of its stars, at the peak of their popularity, is the only thing that makes BEST FRIENDS slightly watchable. This paper-thin story centers on a pair of Hollywood screen writers named Richard Babson (Burt Reynolds) and Paula McCullen (Goldie Haw), who after years of living together, decide to marry, though they both have always felt marriage would destroy their relationship. There's nothing new or interesting here and the thrust of the film is when the pair make a trip to visit each other's parents. Jessica Tandy and Barnard Hughes are wonderful as Goldie's parents, Audra Lindley and Keenan Wynn also have their moments as Burt's parents, but the whole thing just plays like a hastily written sitcom. The film is driven purely on star power and has this whole "been there done that" air about it. I think Burt and Goldie must have needed the money.