Terms of Endearment
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Movie Reviews of Terms of Endearment
Movie Review: An Acting Tour de Force
Summary: 4 Stars
I've always been fascinated by good acting. It can make a break a film for me. TERMS OF ENDEARMENT is an acting feast, boasting stellar performances from Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger (as unlikely a biological mother/daughter combo as you can imagine, but hey, this is the movies). Jack Nicholoson does his thing as your typical astronaut-next door, and is effective, although it's a bit surprising that he walked off with an Oscar for what was, for him, pretty much a walk-through. John Lithgow and a young Jeff Daniels don't have all that much to do either, although like Nicholson, they are, at least, true to form. But this is one for the ladies, and it belongs to its two female leads. I had a chuckle when I read Amazon's Tom Keough's review posted above. "Lumpy" is not a bad term for this film. It's really another one of those Hollywood adaptations, where you just know the book had to be better, even if you've never read the book. Everything here is just a little too rushed, a little too sketchy. You know time's flying because different child actors keep cropping up, playing the same roles at different ages. There seems to be an inordinate haste to get to the meat of the drama, which is, of course, the illness and death of Debra Winger's character.
Overall, a better and more authentic weep-fest than, say, BEACHES or LOVE STORY. Not quite as powerful a family drama as, say, the similarly themed ORDINARY PEOPLE, however. Well worth seeing, if like me, you've somehow missed it all these years. If nothing else, you can learn a great deal about the actor's craft from watching two truly great actresses.
Movie Review: On Their Own Terms
Summary: 4 Stars
1983's Terms Of Endearment is based on a novel by Larry McMurtry, the man who also wrote Lonesome Dove and The Last Picture Show. Much like most of Mr. McMurtry's stories, the film takes place in Texas. It centers around the tumultuous relationship between Aurora & Emma Greenway, who are mother and daughter. Aurora is played with a spitfire essence by Shirley MacLaine and Emma is played by Debra Winger. Aurora is a bit overprotective of Emma and this leads to the relationship strains especially when Emma marries Flap Horton (Jeff Daniels). The two drift apart and Aurora starts up an unusual romance with her ex-astronaut next door neighbor, Garrett Breedlove (Jack Nicholson). The scenes between Aurora and Garrett are the best in the film and both Ms. MacLaine and Mr. Nicholson are brilliant in them. The movie teeters on the brink of sappiness at the end as it digresses into a complete tear-jerker as Emma develops a terminal illness. But despite that, director James L. Brooks has crafted an enjoyable film that will make you both laugh and cry. The film swept the 1983 Oscars as it won Best Picture, Best Director & Screenplay for Mr. Brooks, Ms. MacLaine beat out Ms. Winger for Best Actress and Mr. Nicholson took home his second Oscar and first in the Best Supporting Actor category.Movie Review: Wonderfully touching
Summary: 4 Stars
This one was a real tear jerker. But in order to get to the tears, we had to get to really know the characters and like them.
James L Brooks' screenplay did just that. Based on the wonderful novel by Larry McMurtry, the screenplay condensed it for the screen and Mr Brooks' direction delivered it beautifully to the screen.
A lifelong relationship between a mother and her daughter is depicted.
Giving us their great talents as actors are Shirley MacLaine as Aurora, Debra Winger as her daughter, Jack Nicholson, as Aurora's neighbor boyfriend, Jeff Daniels and John Lithgow.
The direction, the music, the photography were all perfect.
Movie Review: Very good, but predictable in a way.
Summary: 4 Stars
This movie was a very good movie. I think it fully deserved its Oscar. The only thing that bothered me was how predictable the ending was.
For me, Jack Nicholson was the highlight of the movie. He really was Shirley MacLaine's (character's) answer to her prayer
I do recommend this movie, mostly to women. It is a "tear-jerker" i guess (thats the category my local Blockbuster put it in,, but it wasnt for me) and men don't seem to interested in those type of movies.
So if you need a good cry, or if you wanna watch some good acting, check out "Terms of Endearment".
~Candace
Seattle Reviewer...
Movie Review: Somewhat cold, but still wonderful.
Summary: 4 Stars
I saw this movie after I had seen Steel Magnolias, and to be honest it did not impress me as much as Steel Magnolias did. They are both classics in the film world, but I found Magnolias better and more heartwarming. Shirley Maclaine did a wonderful job acting in this film as the troubled mother of a sickly daughter. The movie comes together in the end but at some points the movie lacked that sense of heart and home that Steel Magnolias had. See it and make the judgment for yourself. I do reccomend it.