You won't be disappointed!

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Directed by Martin Ritt, "Murphy's Romance" stars Sally Field as Emma Moriarty, a middle aged woman who travels with her twelve year old son to Eunice, Arizona. Here she fixes up a ranch and falls in love with an elderly widower, played by James Garner.Ritt conveys a certain cosy, small town atmosphere, and packs his film with a number of neat little moments (bingo games, family meals, local dances etc), but this is largely a formulaic and easy flick. The film ends with the arrival of Emma's ex husband, which leads to a muted love triangle.Incidentally, Ritt's films tend to take place exclusively in Arizona or around the Deep South. Such films include "Long Hot Summer", "Hud", "Hombre", "The Sound and The Fury", "The Great White Hope", "Sounder", "Conrack", "Norma Rae", "Back Roads" and "Cross Creek".7/10 – Ritt's pleasantly easy-going direction struggles to elevate the material. Worth one viewing.

This little unobtrusive film made 27 years old is about a romantic love story between a divorced woman and an elderly widower, its western scenery might has already lost its vigor as time goes by and pretty much old-fashioned from our current maxim of aesthetics to define a must- see classic, it certainly has its appeal for a joyful evening viewing even just for some light entertainment with two beautifully all-over-the-place leading performances.An older-man-with-younger-woman romantic is nothing new and still now it has been considered a preferential relationship mode for our society to endure the time erosion (MODERN FAMILY is the role model here), but its morally self-consciousness could endanger the audience's acceptance and fortunately MURPHY'S ROMANCE has made itself a paradigmatic model against the 27-years age difference. Two Hollywood old timers take on the leading roles, Sally Field, a two-times Oscar winner (for NORMA RAE 1979 and PLACES IN THE HEART 1985) in her heyday (who might not suffer from the same magnitude of deprecating panning like the limitedly-talented Hilary Swank), gives another passionate performance on which she tags a shade of sincere comedic flavor. James Garner, who has earned his first and only Oscar nomination so far, levels off as a constant warmth and charm generator, contrast to Brian Kerwin's viciously good looking ex-husband, which occasions a feasible option for Field's character and also minifies the happy-endings' corny predictability. Also the gone-too-soon Carey Haim is a gem in the film, in a world copious of repellent children, he is so adorable and rare to be seen on the screen nowadays.

Single mom (Sally Field), still hesitantly attracted to her ex-spouse (Brian Kerwin), finds love with an older gentleman (James Garner) in a rural Arizona town. Sally Field radiates so much good will, you like her here even after you realize she doesn't have much of a character to play. Veteran director Martin Ritt has always been exact at finding subtle nuances in backwater towns, yet Ritt is curiously uninspired with this modest, scratchy-and-smooth material; it's a sufficient-enough piece of filmmaking, despite a gratuitous bit from a slasher movie and a horrendously-written tryst in the hay barn. Field (once again caught between two paramours, as with "Kiss Me Goodbye") works nicely with Garner--and if the rest of the film had been as well-crafted as their last scene together, this might have been a more heart-rending picture. It has some ambling charm, but no center, and no driving force. **1/2 from ****

This is a fabulously entertaining movie. Note that practically everyone reviewing it quite accurately describes it as 'feel good'. And it's not just a chick flick! My husband loved it and I'm hoping to get hold of it for my 18 year old son to watch.It's not your typical comedy romance, with two attractive young stars dating in a traditional manner or having sex shortly after the opening credits. The romantic leads are both wonderful in this unusual tale, with Sally Field engaging as the young divorcée, Emma Moriarty. The amazingly charismatic James Garner plays the older widower, Murphy Jones, an affable, laid back pharmacist 30 years or so her senior. Emma has just moved to Murphy's small town to set up a horse ranch nearby with her teenage son, Jake. Murphy gives Jake a part time job at his drug store to help out the young widow, tries to send business her way, and even recommends some eligible town gents for her to date (though he clearly has his eye on Emma himself).Barely has an attraction begun between Emma and Murphy when there's 'trouble in paradise'. Emma's sexy but ne'er-do-well ex-husband, Bobby Jack, shows up, convinces Emma to let him stay with her & their son for awhile, and tries to rekindle the fire, so to speak. Of course Jake wants his dad back, so pressure is put to bear on Emma. Meanwhile, right in front of the ex, Murphy is carrying on a rather unusual courtship of Emma! He ends up staying for supper with the 'happy little family of three' nigh on just about every night, even joins them for a hand or two of cards. Bobby Jack is naturally not pleased with this turn of events, and the competition between the two of them for Emma's affections makes for some pretty witty dialogue and amusing scenes, especially at a local square dance. Also, the contrast between the two men in terms of their inner character gives Emma cause for reflection...the charming but cheating, good for nothing Bobby Jack versus the easy going but hard working, caring, and principled Murphy. You're going to absolutely love Murphy's Romance! You just can't help it.