Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

If you love Drew Barrymore you absolutely have to get this movie she is so cute in this movie. I've really never forgotten this movie. Other than the far fetched conceit of a little girl trying to divorce her famous parents, it's a very clever story, well written and funny. It's a thinly veiled recounting of the rise and fall (and rise) of director Peter Bogdanovich and his first wife Polly Platt. Ryan O'Neal and Shelley Long both give strong performances. Also the talent behind the camera is amazing. This film also has a brilliant comedic performance by Sharon Stone. It was one of her first roles. In fact I became a fan of hers because of this film. I also have the poster of this film hanging on my wall. The movie was funny and enjoyable to watch. The one nude scene is surprising in a movie of that era. It was brief and unexpected. You might miss it if not paying close attention.Overall rating: 8 out of 10.

...and oversized glasses. First of all, this may have worked (at least a little better) if the story was told in chronological order… instead of starting near the end and continually using flashbacks to lame scenes of the past during the overly sweet testimony of Drew Barrymore. Which was almost enough to cause diabetes.Worst yet was the casting. Okay, I get Drew Barrymore as the overly sweet cute little kid. But Shelley Long and Ryan O'Neal? By the way, what's up with her left eye? It seems as if it's on delay and always takes a second to align with where her right eye is looking.At first I thought, wow she's not even close to his league. How could they cast them as a couple. But after seeing their "wake up after a reunited one night stand" scene, and seeing that apparently Ryan O'Neal had no nipples, I realized maybe they are a good match. Defects in common.Finally, how could anyone in the 80's find Shelley Long's hairstyle attractive. It looks like she cut it herself, with dull scissors and her eyes closed.One of the worst films I've seen. Annoying flashback script, bad casting, sickening sweet kid and an unbearable haircut. But at least now the world knows Ryan O'Neal has no nipples.

This "movie" movie is cleverly written and well-constructed by writer-director Charles Shyer (with co-writer Nancy Meyers). Humour and drama are balanced with alacrity.Ryan O'Neal and Shelley Long play off each other well, and you always believe them. Drew Barrymore is as cute as a button as she provides the sub-plot concerning family affairs and parenting. Also stars Sam Wanamaker, Allen Garfield and a very young Sharon Stone.It is hard to understand why Meyers and Shyer felt it necessary to provide the moral ending. I guess it was too obvious too omit.Tuesday, April 13, 1999 - Video

Say what you will about the Shyer-Meyers team ("Private Benjamin", "Father Of The Bride", "Baby Boom"), they know how to craft a movie, often exploiting every ounce of sentiment from their scripts. "Irreconcilable Differences" is somewhat of a departure for them however, a depiction of neurotic movie people, denizens of Hollywood, who have hardly any good points. As soon as the young couple finds success, it's a rich road downhill. The plot set-up has youngster Drew Barrymore trying to emancipate herself away from her famous mom and dad, and the H-Wood high-life is shown as both cause and effect. A terrific sequence involving Sharon Stone in a quasi-musical version of "Gone With The Wind" is satiric comic genius, yet the movie is so hard on its players, so brittle and tough, it's difficult to shake off the bad vibes even as the third act winds down to a sunny conclusion. Perceptively, the screenplay includes many awful (and awfully funny) truths about marriage, money and careers, but the cynical undermining of the picture may put fluff-oriented viewers off. ***1/2 from ****