Peter McGinn

This is one of those classic films I would never put on a ten-best movie list, but I do include it in my ten favorite comedy movie list. (Favoritisms, not Best.) I read the book it is based on, written by Richard Russo. I thought the first half of the book was great, with witty dialogue, some of which is in the movie. But the second half of the book dragged for me. Not so with the movie. They didn’t take their ending to the same place, and I can’t fault that choice. Paul Newman is effortlessly great in this, and he has a superb supporting cast. Jessica Tandy, Melanie Griffith and Bruce Willis head up the ensemble cast. They even have a young Philip Seymour Hoffman, in my opinion one of the best actors ever at disappearing into a role. And since it fun to have a movie take place in New England that isn’t a Stephen King story?! You know, the thing about writing reviews on these great movies from the past is that it makes me want to see them again.