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Movies / On DVD / The Heartbreak Kid
The Heartbreak Kid

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The Heartbreak Kid (1972)

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Reviews Counted:18

Fresh:16

Rotten:2

Average Rating:7.7/10

Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: Elaine May's second film, THE HEARTBREAK KID was also her most successful comedy. Reminiscent of her old partner Mike Nichols's THE GRADUATE, THE HEARTBREAK KID deals with themes of misguided... Elaine May's second film, THE HEARTBREAK KID was also her most successful comedy. Reminiscent of her old partner Mike Nichols's THE GRADUATE, THE HEARTBREAK KID deals with themes of misguided choices, the idea of true love, and how lust colors both--all with the unique comic spin created by May and screenwriter and playwright Neil Simon. Charles Grodin is his fumbling, bumbling best as Lenny. When he meets pretty Lila (Jeannie Berlin, May's real-life daughter) in a bar, their quick courtship leads to marriage. However, on their drive south to their Miami honeymoon, Lenny's having second thoughts by the time they get to Virginia. When they get to Florida, Lila's quirks are driving him crazy. Lila is trapped in their room after she gets a fierce sunburn their first day; newly liberated, Lenny meets beautiful coed Kelly (Cybill Shepherd). The glamorous, blonde Kelly is everything Lila isn't--and everything Lenny has decided he wants. When Lenny's surreptitious meetings with Kelly blossom into more than he planned for, he is forced to choose whether he wants to have his cake, eat it...or maybe try the pecan pie. May's legendary vision--and her perfectionism--create a funny, touching, and fast-paced film classic. [More]

Starring: Cybill Shepherd, Charles Grodin, Eddie Albert, Jeannie Berlin

Starring: Cybill Shepherd, Charles Grodin, Eddie Albert, Jeannie Berlin, Audra Lindley, William Prince, Art Metrano, Marilyn Putnam

Director: Elaine May

Director: Elaine May
Screenwriter: Neil Simon
Producer: Edgar J. Scherick
Composer: Garry Sherman

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Feb 24, 1998

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Reviews for The Heartbreak Kid

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1 - 19 (sorted by date)
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Forget Fargo and A Simple Plan: In 1972, The Heartbreak Kid had Minnesota down cold.

Full Review Source: City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul | comment Comment
09/01/09
Rob Nelson
Rob Nelson
City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul

Elaine May's deft direction catches all the possibilities of young romance and its tribulations in light strokes and cleverly accents characterization of the various principals.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
02/03/09
Variety Staff
Variety Staff
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
10/13/07
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

Heartbreak doesn't end; it just runs out of steam.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
10/04/07
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Bitter about marriage yet optimistic about infatuation...

Full Review Source: Sun Publications (Chicago, IL) | comment Comment
10/04/07
Josh Larsen
Josh Larsen
Sun Publications (Chicago, IL)

May's sardonic, poignant look at a romantic triangle of nice Jewish boy, nice Jewish wife, and the gorgeous shiksa who upsets their honeymoon was labeled by some as an exercise in self-loathing, and critics asking if all Jewish women are so irritating?

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
09/09/07
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Sometimes it seems that nobody ever has any idea what it is he's chasing after, and so the chase never ends.... It's a good day when you can laugh about it, which is what The Heartbreak Kid lets you do.

Full Review Source: Blogcritics.org | comment Comment
06/25/06
Alan Dale
Alan Dale
Blogcritics.org

Wittily directed by May, and neatly scripted by Neil Simon.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Time Out

A poignant and witty marital comedy.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
02/24/06
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

No review available.

comment Comment
02/10/05
Thomas Delapa
Thomas Delapa
Boulder Weekly

No review available.

comment Comment
01/29/05
Philip Martin
Philip Martin
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Elaine May's The Heartbreak Kid was directed with a sure feeling for how comedy can edge over into satire and then tragedy.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
10/23/04
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No review available.

comment Comment
09/04/04
Randy Shulman
Randy Shulman
Metro Weekly (Washington, DC)

No review available.

comment Comment
05/19/04
Daniel M. Kimmel
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Genuinely funny thanks to Grodin's prodigious comic talents, though Eddie Albert nearly steals the show.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
01/27/04
Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com

Lots of fun, with a slightly bitter aftertaste

comment Comment
01/11/04
James Sanford
James Sanford
Kalamazoo Gazette

A pleasing comic tragedy that looks at the disastrous effects of love on a man.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
05/24/03
Channel 4 Film

A first-class American comedy, as startling in its way as was The Graduate.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/20/03
Vincent Canby
Vincent Canby
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Snappy dialogue and director Elaine May's natural feel for comic moments make this film an urbane saga.

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
02/07/02
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice
 
 
1 - 19 (sorted by date)
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Latest News for The Heartbreak Kid

October 19, 2006: Rob Corddry Joins Ben Stiller's "Heartbreak" Remake
Entirely hilarious on "The Daily Show" (as well as the little-seen "Blackballed"), Rob Corddry was due to hit Hollywood sometime soon. And now he's been... More...

April 27, 2006: Stiller Gets an "Itch" to Work With Old Pals
Ben Stiller and his "Mary" pals (aka The Farrelly Brothers) will be reuniting to bring moviegoers "Seven Day Itch," a romantic comedy that's loosely based on... More...

June 02, 2005: Farrelly Brothers to Take On Some "Heartbreak"
Variety brings news of a fresh wrinkle in the planned remake of "The Heartbreak Kid." Looks like comedic siblings Peter & Bobby Farrelly will most likely be... More...

March 24, 2005: Jason Bateman Isn't Kidding About "Heartbreak"
Remember that great old Neil Simon comedy "The Heartbreak Kid"? The one with Charles Grodin and Cybill Shepherd in which in a newlywed groom falls in love with a new... More...

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