James L. Brooks was at the apex of his spectacular
run as a TV showrunner when he penned his first theatrical feature, Starting Over. Adapted from a novel by
Dan Wakefield, the movie is shot through with the same funny/sad humanism
Brooks brought to his award-winning TV shows—The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi,
etc.—so even though Starting Over
features a trio of brand-name actors and was helmed by A-lister Alan J. Pakula,
the movie is primarily a showcase for Brooks’ sharp observations about human frailty.
(Brooks and Pakula co-produced the picture.)
Stepping way outside his comfort
zone and scoring with a charming performance, Burt Reynolds plays Phil Potter,
a magazine writer who is abruptly dumped by his wife, Jessica (Candice Bergen),
a beautiful narcissist embarking on a new career as a singer-songwriter.
Suddenly thrown back into the dating scene, Phil takes solace in the company of
his amiable brother, Mickey (Charles Durning), a touchy-feely psychiatrist.
Mickey introduces Phil to divorced schoolteacher Marilyn Holmberg (Jill
Clayburgh)—this happens during a funny scene involving mistaken identities and
foul language—and they become a couple after a few false starts. However, their
second-time-around romance is complicated when Jessica decides she wants Phil
back.
Sensitively examining the complexities of relationships during an era of
shifting gender roles, Starting Over
is smart and touching, with likeable people riding the amusing currents of
confusing situations. Brooks’ dialogue is incisive, and his ability to shift
the tone of a scene from ominous to promising and back again is spectacular;
although Starting Over is one of
Brooks’ lightest efforts, essentially just a romantic comedy made with
exemplary skill, the movie is filled with insights and wit.
It’s also filled
with great acting. Reynolds ditches his usual macho swagger to play an everyman trying to find his way through life without
hurting anyone—thereby ensuring he causes lots of inadvertent damage—while his female counterparts play to their respective strengths. Bergen revels in humiliating herself for the sake of a joke,
especially when giving cringe-inducing performances of her character’s songs,
and Clayburgh takes neuroticism to a Woody Allen-esque extreme. The women also
create distinctly different personas, so it’s easy to see why Phil’s torn. Durning makes a great foil for Reynolds, and supporting players
Frances Sternhagen, Mary Kay Place, and Austin Pendelton enliven minor roles.
Starting
Over: GROOVY
2 comments:
I was thinking Starting Over the other day when I was watching Trainwreck because they similar locations at the end. In particular how much I liked the ending of Starting Over versus the terrible and unrealistic ending of Trainwreck
One great moment is the end of that dunking booth scene, and the way the "F-word" is worked into it. It's a real lesson in how that word can be used in a WITTY way, instead of just being TROTTED OUT in a comedy scene.
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