The Goodbye Girl (2004) (TV)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Richard Benjamin

Writers (WGA):

Neil Simon (1977 screenplay)
Neil Simon (written by)

Release Date:

16 January 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

A story about love at first fight.

Plot Keywords:

Remake | William Shakespeare | Single Mother | Bathtub Scene | Dancer

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jeff Daniels	...	Elliot Garfield
Patricia Heaton	...	Paula McFadden
Hallie Kate Eisenberg	...	Lucy McFadden
Lynda Boyd	...	Donna Douglas
Alan Cumming	...	Mark
Richard Benjamin	...	Oliver Fry
Sharon Wilkins	...	Mrs. Crosby
Zak Santiago	...	Dance Class Instructor
Marco Soriano	...	Ronnie Burns
Woody Jeffreys	...	Eddie, Ronnie's Assitant
Panos Grames	...	Pianist
Jessica Van der Veen	...	Stage Manager
Emily Holmes	...	Rhonda
John Shaw	...	First Gentleman
Jack O'Connell	...	Salesman- Liquor Store

Also Known As:

Neil Simon's The Goodbye Girl (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Turner Network Television (TNT)

Movie Connections:

References Inherit the Wind (1960)

Remake of the 1977 film, falling short of the original.

Jeff Daniels ("Dumb and Dumber." 1994) and Patricia Heaton (T.V.'s "Everybody Loves Raymond") team up in this made-for-TV remake of Neil Simon's 1977 original. Elliot Garfield (Daniels) is forced to share an apartment with Paula (Heaton), and her 11ish-year-old daughter, Lucy (Hallie Kate Eisenberg--the "Pepsi girl" of the late '90s). At first there is incredible housemate static, but as time passes feelings for each other begin to surface.

I actually saw the movie premiere in an Ann Arbor, MI historical theater. Daniels himself gave the introduction. Some dialogue seems forced, especially from Eisenberg. And the shared apartment is quite unbelievably luxurious for two, supposedly strapped-for-cash performing artists. Funny scenes and clever dialogue snippets save this romantic comedy, though the original is better.