BootDigest
Such a frustrating disappointment
MusicChat
It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.
Scarlet
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
imbluzclooby
Charles Grodin is no stranger to playing dorks, dweebs, creeps or nerds. In fact he did it so often that many of us are lead to believe he truly is the character he has portrayed so many times. We all know this tale too well. A young salesman meets a nice Jewish girl in a bar and marries her. When off to their honeymoon to Miami, he discovers that she is perpetually annoying and irritating from eating Egg salad sandwiches, talking during intercourse and stubborn about his pleas for her to put on sunscreen. Enter the Flirty Cybil Shepard and all plans go to hell. I understand that much of comedy is rooted in pain and discomfort and Neil Simon understood this very well. But The Heartbreak Kid is a plot that is so aggravating and cringe-worthy that at times we really don't see the humor. Each character becomes a cliché. Jeannie Berlin's performance is admirable, but the Stereotypical Yenta is taken to its most annoying extreme. You wonder if the writer had a deep seated hatred for new York girls. Charles Grodin is far too annoying and wimpy to even relate too. When he lies to Lila in the Hotel room, trying to cover up his escapades, it's just too implausible for anyone to take seriously. It was moments like that that made this movie frustrating. Lila gets hurt, dumped and cast by the wayside. Cybil Shepard becomes the symbol of female perfection to Grodin. And the final 40 minutes is about how he pursues her shamelessly despite her father's disdain for him. I'm not sure why women would find this humorous in the least, because it casts a very negative light on their intelligence, integrity and value. I guess a guy can see the surface humor in Grodin's actions, but if you think about how truly pitiful and reckless his actions are, there's no humor at all. It's a sad tale about a man with shabby and selfish desires and the consequences of his actions. This is not comedy. This is tragedy.
thejcowboy22
Wedding day for Lenny (Charles Grodin) and his blushing bride Lila (Jeannie Berlin)where a wedding reception is taking place in a New York City living room complete with two sets of relatives. Not extravagant yet the scene captures your attention as the cold cuts are going fast. Next, the two newlyweds are speeding south to Miami Beach in Lenny's sports car. The first day the couple goes through the usual motions of checking in to their hotel room and off to the beach where Lila becomes well-done in the sun. Back at their hotel room Lila applies saves and creams as her husband suggests she stay in her room till the swelling goes down. Lenny goes down to the hotel bar and is instantly smitten to Blonde goddess Kelly Corcoran (Cybill Shepard) who is on holiday with her parents from Minneapolis. Kelly starts to flirt with Lenny as he quickly forgets his circumstances. Kelly asks if he'll be down at the beach tomorrow? Lenny couldn't wait to get up and leave his crispy Wife behind.Conjuring up lies and excuse's to leaves a clueless Lila alone in her room for days as Lenny and Kelly have fun on the beach and boat excursions with her wealthy parents. Kelly's Father Mr. Cocoran is a Minneapolis bank President played by Eddie Albert. Mr. Cocoran has disdain for Lenny who is not a charismatic person to start with. Lenny admits he's on his honeymoon to Kelly. Her response shocked me as she continues to tease and consume Lenny's time away from the dreaded hotel room in which his wife is convalescing with creams and aloe. Most woman would balk at the idea of interfering with a Honeymoon couple but I think it was an ego booster for the blonde Honeymoon wrecker. Charles Grodin plays the insensitive,affect-less groom to perfection as if the wedding back home never happened . It's on to bigger territory and to pursue the lovely Kelly. Meanwhile Lila's swelling is down but Lenny has a dinner planned complete with a slice of pecan pie as he announces his emancipation to his brief spouse of three days. Humble pie was gone and thrown into the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean days ago as Lenny was chasing the voluptuous blonde around the beach. It was as if Lila was quarantined by her cold Husband. Lenny lied to Lila for days telling her that he met an old army buddy or sick friend. Lila in anticipation to make some semblance of her disrupted honeymoon puts on her pretty dress,has her hair made up fancy for this special evening with her callous Husband. Lenny escorts Lila to the crowded restaurant where the tables are so close. I often question why Lenny would break distressing news like that in a crowded place? I guess for the sake of comedy as Jeannie Berlins performance is so natural it earned her an Oscar nomination in a supporting role. The waiter tells Lenny that there out of pecan pie.That scene was memorable as Lila would be happy just being out and not stuck in a room all day putting creams on her blistered skin as Lenny demands pecan pie and not blueberry. Lenny's trying to soften the blow and wants the pie to ease Lila's pain when she hears the news. This scene is priceless as Lenny tries to tell Lila that the marriage is over and Lila thinks Lenny's terminally ill. When the pie arrives the reality of the marriage hits Lila like a crowbar to the chin.She is hysterical as on-lookers gaze in shock as Lenny puts Lila's crying face against his chest as if it's no big deal. Lila looks like she's ready to throw up. Lenny tries to play the hole thing down and to re-assure her good faith, Lenny offers all the wedding gifts to Lila and his sports car just so he can follow Kelly back to frigid Minnesota and ask for her hand in marriage.The only thing I admired about the ruthless Lenny was his honesty as he faces the Cocoran's head on and not prolonging his predicament explaining about love at first sight for their Daughter and quashing his first Marriage only a few days after his wedding. The scenes with the Cocoran's and Kelly's Mother (Audra Lindley)at the dinner table. Most parents would react by saying or demanding that they get the hell out of their home breaking up a three day Honeymoon. But Mrs. Cocoran just looks clueless as Lenny rambles on creating some balderdash comments about honest vegetables. Mr. Cocoran states to a determined Lenny in their mano y mano conversation, "I don't hand out my Daughter for Newlyweds!" The screen writing of Neil Simon was sheer genius as a dark situation made me at times, laugh out loud. You don't like the protagonist in this film but you want to see how the story plays out. We can only wonder who Wife number three looks like?
John Brooks
There are many things this film does really well.First of all, the acting is superb throughout. Grodin is brilliant as ever in a very demanding, heavy acting responsibility - had he been average at it, the film easily loses heaps of its ability. Jeannie Berlin (the wife) does really well, as does Eddie Albert (the father) and for a 22 year old beaut youngster Cybill Shepherd is solid also.Next: this isn't a generic superficial comedy. It's got that peculiar element about it. The humor isn't easy over-the-counter drivel, it's in fact uneasy, almost awkward and difficult to digest. It's about the little annoying details with people, invading personal space, being pathetic without noticing it...in a very real way, all of those things !Finally, the film holds up very nicely in its one hour forty-five minute frame, with not one moment too many or too few, has a well thought out structure to it that isn't obvious at first, and there's this sort of itchy, awkward anti-morality morality at the end of it that is just as weirdly charming and anti-heroic as its main character.8/10.
Petri Pelkonen
Lenny Cantrow and Lila Kolodny are a newlywed Jewish couple.During their honeymoon in Florida he meets this tall blonde, Kelly, and realizes he's made a terrible mistake.Now he wants to have an instant divorce and get together with this attractive gentile.Another problem is the girl's father who can't stand this guy.Elaine May, the former sidekick of Mike Nichols is the director of The Heartbreak Kid (1972).Its writers are Bruce Jay Friedman (story) and Neil Simon (screenplay).What a wonderful and funny comedy this is! Charles Grodin does a performance of a lifetime as Lenny.Same thing with Jeannie Berlin as Lila, who's Elaine May's daughter.Cybill Shepherd portrays Kelly Corcoran in a memorable way.And so does Eddie Albert as her father.Audra Lindley is wonderful as her mother.Doris Roberts does a small role as Mrs.Cantrow.Grodin's character is somewhat likable even though he acts like a real jerk.You can't help but feel sorry for this man.I mean, this gorgeous college girl wants him! But still, what he does is wrong.Leaving his wife, his beautiful and sweet wife like that is just wrong.But in the last image of the film you can see some kind of regret on the man's face.He's just married Kelly and he starts humming Close To You, that was played on his wedding with Lila.This movie made me laugh several times.Like the time Lenny lays out all his cards for Kelly's dad wanting to marry his daughter.Guess twice how the old man feels about that.The Heartbreak Kid is a real treat.Everybody should see it.
