Modern Romance (1981)

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

Director:

Albert Brooks

Writers:

Albert Brooks, Monica Mcgowan Johnson (as Monica Johnson)

Stars:

Albert Brooks, Kathryn Harrold, Tyann Means

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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	...	Mother (as Thelma Bernstein)
Candy Castillo	...	Drugstore Manager
James L. Brooks	...	David
George Kennedy	...	George Kennedy / Zeron
Rick Beckner	...	Zeon
Jerry Belson	...	Jerry

Storyline

Robert Cole, a film editor, is constantly breaking up with and reconciling with long-suffering girl friend Mary Harvard, who works at a bank. He is irrationally jealous and self-centered, while Mary has been too willing to let him get away with his disruptive antics. Can they learn to live with each other? Can they learn to live without each other? The movie also provides insight into film editing as Robert and co-worker Jay work on their current project, a cheesy sci-fi movie.

---

Plot Keywords:

film within a film | film editor | neurosis | fear of commitment | boyfriend girlfriend relationship | 

---

Taglines:

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.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Romance

---

Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Albert Brooks, Stanley Kubrick called him up after the movie came out and told him he always wanted to do a film about jealousy. Later Kubrick made Eyes Wide Shut (1999) which explores the same theme.

---

Goofs

If George Kennedy had gone to the wrong movie studio, the make-up man couldn't have made him up as he claimed: the make-up man would have had no instructions on how to make him up.

---

Quotes

Mary Harvard: I don't think we should go together anymore. This is too painful for me. I can't do this. It's over.
Robert Cole: Marry me.

---

Connections

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

---

Soundtracks

GOD ONLY KNOWS
Written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher
Performed by The Beach Boys
Courtesy of Capitol Records

User Reviews

lust in America

I do like Albert Brooks. As an actor. As a writer and director, his movies fall short of funny, happy to be amusing. Modern Romance is par for the course.

Only in the exchange with Medowlark Lemon does the movie come close to explaining Brooks' neurotic obsession with his girlfriend: she's out of his league. We don't know enough to understand why she's with him; the movie is more interested in his antics. Not only is Brooks' character narcissistic, his movie is too.

The foley scene, the shopping excursion, the Hollywood party are all deftly handled and expertly underplayed. I truly believe that Brooks can find the humor in anything. But he's satisfied with too little in his movies, and his disregard for structure (in his early films) is both curious and frustrating. It's as if he thinks he can get away with less if he doesn't seem to be trying as hard.

Essentially, Modern Romance is a 60-minute monologue with some situational humor mixed in. Is he in love with her, or with himself? That may be the point, but that makes me neither marvel nor laugh.

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 March 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Modern Romance

Filming Locations:

Idyllwild, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$18,225, 15 March 1981

Gross USA:

$2,863,642

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,863,642

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1