It's a very simplistic movie in its setup; a man, his girl, his family, his friends. Those are the things that sum up this movie and is all this movie basically features and needs. There is of course a whole lot more to it but the movie at all times remains a humble and deliberately small one, that never exaggerates with any of its drama or characters.
It's the more realistic sort of drama, that shows not everything is black and white in life. You don't just either are in love with a girl or not and you don't just get along with your family or not. There are ups and downs and pluses and minuses about certain situations and persons. That's what I love about this movie. It shows how things truly are in life and I also just love that Jack Nicholson has always continued to make movies like this. More recent movies such as "As Good as It Gets" and "About Schmidt" for example are all movies that can be placed in the same category as this one, in my opinion. Realistic drama's, about real people with a twist of irony and comedy to it as well.
The realism helps to make the movie its story and characters easy to relate with. It makes the movie very pleasant to follow, despite that it's still mostly being a drama of course. But it really never gets anything too heavy or melodramatic and whenever the movie threatens to become too serious, there is a funny moment to balance things out again.
Of course the movie also definitely gets uplifted by its performances. Jack Nicholson is a great leading man and the movie further more stars a whole bunch of other persons who later in their careers became established and well known names, such as Sally Struthers, Karen Black en Lois Smith.
You of course need to be able to appreciate a good drama but when you do, this is definitely a great, little, hidden gem to watch!
8/10
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