The Goodbye Girl

I had never seen this film until now and I must say it is a very good movie! Considering there are only three people in the majority of the film, it's amazingly engrossing. Dreyfuss has never been more likable and so full of energy! It's smart, funny and not too sweet. The DVD transfer looks very good, but not much in the way of extras.

3.5 stars. I wanted to really love this film instead of just kinda liking it. I generally like the premise and I think Richard is just adorable, but there are times when the movie feels long and I generally don't like it when heroines are portrayed as being wishy washy or highly irrational. Even with that said this is still an entertaining film if you want to brush up on your classics.

This is one of my all time favorite chick flics. It's one of those movies you can watch over and over and not grow tired of it.

Paula (Mason) and her 10 year old daughter Lucy (Cummings) have just returned from a shopping spree. They're bubbly and excited because they're going to live in California. Then, Paula discovers a note. It seems her actor-boyfriend, Tony, has dumped her and is going to Italy instead.

The bad news just keeps rolling in. At midnight, Paula gets a call from a strange man. It seems Elliot Garfield (Dreyfus) is an actor who's sublet the apartment from Tony and he wants to move in.

While possession may be nine-tenths of the law, Paula knows that the law is really on Elliot's side since he has the signed lease. So they negotiate an arrangement that they'll be roommates.

This is not a likely pairing. Paula really hates actors now since she's been dumped on them more than once. But, as time goes on, the three bond.

Some really hilarious scenes here where Elliot gets stuck playing Richard III as a flaming queen instead of a King. But the best lines are from young Quinn Cummings, who steals the show from the two veteran actors.

Well done movie and one of Neil Simon's absolute best.

Rebecca Kyle, April 2008

This is an oldies but goody. Mason and Dreyfus were magic here. David Gates' title song didn't hurt either.