That was an excellent one.

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

David Basner (Tom Hanks) is a lovable cocky successful Chicago ad exec who just got promoted returning from vacation. He wants his boss Charlie Gargas (Hector Elizondo) to make him partner. Then his mother (Eva Marie Saint) leaves his father (Jackie Gleason). He must shuttle between his stubborn crass father, and his mother who is happy with her new found freedom. Donna Mildred Martin (Bess Armstrong) is his best friend and high school sweethearts. He is trying to land a big airline account and uses his charm on the owner Andrew Woolridge (Barry Corbin). He sleeps with the media director Cheryl Ann Wayne (Sela Ward) who turns out to be Woolridge's daughter. His father does nothing but complains and is struggling. Then he gets fired from his salesman job.This movie tries too hard to be jokey. Director Garry Marshall is allowing Hanks to clown around a little too much. The broad comedy doesn't quite fit seeing how he's suppose to be a professional sweet talking the client. He is playing strictly as a wild creative ad exec who jokes around. The broad jokes don't fit either when the movie tries to move into more serious territories. The serious stuff has a bit more heft and that's due to genius of Jackie Gleason. He and Hanks have pretty good chemistry. I also have a minor problem with the over-use of montages to drive the story forward. It's lazy writing.

"Nothing in common" is truly a movie about relationships. It has so many interesting characters that are so important to each others. I have seen thousands of movies and the relation between the characters of Tom Hanks and Bess Armstrong is the most beautiful i have seen in a movie. Bess armstrong is so charming and beautiful, she brings sensibility and beauty to every scene she is in. We can see that she and tom loves each others but there are so many things that separate them. The beautiful song of Carly Simon "if it wasn't love" playing with images of the movie showing the people evolving with each others, and only by looking to their faces we see so many feelings of care and tenderness. It is a magic moment in the movie. Especially when Bess turns around and gives a touching look at Tom before going away with her bicycle, she tells him only with her eyes that he is letting her go.She is so expressive and touching in the expression of her love. It is also very touching to see the character of tom hanks, confronting but also caring for his father and his mother. This movie gives a very important message that we should talk to the people we love, tell them how we feel and tell them that we love them. And also, that we should create more happy and important moments with the people we love . It is a very underrated movie. It is very unfair that this movie has a 5.9 rating.

NOTHING IN COMMON was a smart and sentimental comedy drama that offered a pre-Oscar'ed Tom Hanks one of his best earlier roles. Hanks plays David Basner, an advertising executive whose lightning-quick advancement at his company becomes hampered when has to start taking care of his father (Jackie Gleason, in his final film role)who has become completely helpless after his wife (Eva Maria Saint) has left him. This comedy takes some pointed and effective jabs at the advertising industry and still manages to be a warm family story as well. Hanks beautifully walks a fine line between comedy and drama in one of his better and nearly forgotten performances. Gleason is abrasive as the dad, but Saint is lovely as the mom. Sela Ward, Bess Armstrong, and Barry Corbin are also effective in supporting roles and the ending has been known to produce a few tears. An intelligent and heartwarming look at the choices that we sometimes have to make regarding career and family.

This is a great movie. It combines several emotional aspects of the human condition. Classic Tom Hanks humor, emotionally touching realism as well as some serious drama.Over the years since it was released I have watched this dozen's of times. I never get tired of it. I am moved as David Basner is forced to face the reality of his parents divorce and tries to build an individual relationship with each of his parents.I think this is much better than Splash, probably on par with BIG. Of course, just about anything with Tom Hanks is great simply because he is able to carry the load.