Modern Romance (1981)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Albert Brooks

Writers (WGA):

Albert Brooks (written by) &
Monica Mcgowan Johnson (written by)

Release Date:

13 March 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Robert was madly in love with Mary. Mary was madly in love with him. Under the circumstances they did the only thing they could do... they broke up.

Plot:

Albert Brooks directs himself as a successful film editor with far too many issues that affects the relationship between he and his remarkably patient girlfriend.

Plot Keywords:

Comedy Of Manners | Human Relationship | Satire | Film Making | Obsession

Cast

Albert Brooks	...	Robert Cole
Kathryn Harrold	...	Mary Harvard
Tyann Means	...	Waitress
Bruno Kirby	...	Jay
Jane Hallaren	...	Ellen
Karen Chandler	...	Neighbor
Dennis Kort	...	Health Food Salesman
Bob Einstein	...	Sporting Goods Salesman
Virginia Feingold	...	Bank Receptionist
Thelma Leeds	...	Albert Brooks' Mother (as Thelma Bernstein)
Candy Castillo	...	Drugstore Manager
James L. Brooks	...	David
George Kennedy	...	Himself and Zeron
Rick Beckner	...	Zeon
Jerry Belson	...	Jerry

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:PG | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Idyllwild, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The director of Robert Cole's films is James L. Brooks, who would later direct Albert Brooks in Broadcast News (1987).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Albert is high on Quaaludes, he puts on a record album and the disco hit "A Fifth of Beethoven" comes on. But watch the needle on the turntable - you can see the arm retracting and returning from the spindle while the music is playing.

Quotes:

Robert Cole: [stretching before his first jog after breaking up] One, two, three! And I don't even miss her, two, three! One, two, three! And I don't even miss her, two, three...!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World (2005)

Soundtrack:

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

Albert Brooks: His best and my favourite

I'll come straight out with it: This is my favourite film of all time.

Albert Brooks is consistently the finest Writer, Director and Actor when it comes to the character driven comedy. And this is his finest moment.

Robert Cole (Brooks) is a middle-aged, neurotic film editor, who continually breaks up and rekindles his relationship with Mary Harvard (Kathryn Harold).

The film opens with a typically Brooksesk scene in a restaurant when he informs his girlfriend that things aren't working out. It is, perhaps, a measure of just how funny Brooks is that he even manages to be funny ordering an omelette; not intentionally, but funny nevertheless.

What follows is the most brutal portrayal of what being insecure and neurotic can really do to you, and the empathy I experienced for Brooks' character is possibly unmatched by any other.

I can appreciate that non-fans of Albert's might not fully appreciate this film - because it is so unashamedly Brooks - but I think most people will find something here to laugh-out-loud to, I know I laughed all the way through, and still do after dozens of replays.

Make no mistake, watch this film today, and start to appreciate a genius who is under appreciated. Long live Albert.