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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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89 %
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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

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for The Heartbreak Kid

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1 - 19 (sorted by date)
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Reviews
Tomatometer Critic Review Category
tomato

Rob Nelson

Forget Fargo and A Simple Plan: In 1972, The Heartbreak Kid had Minnesota down cold.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 01 2009 09:23 AM

City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul

tomato

Variety Staff

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: | comment Comment | Feb., 03 2009 02:10 PM

Variety

N/R

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 13 2007 03:38 AM

Combustible Celluloid

splat
2.5/4

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 04 2007 01:27 PM

TV Guide's Movie Guide

tomato
3.5/4

Josh Larsen

Bitter about marriage yet optimistic about infatuation...

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 04 2007 06:28 AM

Sun Publications (Chicago, IL)

tomato
B

Emanuel Levy

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: | comment Comment | Sep., 09 2007 10:51 AM

EmanuelLevy.Com

tomato

Alan Dale

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: | comment Comment | Jun., 25 2006 07:58 AM

Blogcritics.org

tomato

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 24 2006 03:38 AM

Time Out

tomato
A

Dennis Schwartz

A poignant and witty marital comedy.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 24 2006 06:21 PM

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

tomato
5/5

Thomas Delapa

No review available.

comment Comment | Feb., 10 2005 03:55 PM

Boulder Weekly

tomato
3/5

Philip Martin

No review available.

comment Comment | Jan., 29 2005 07:32 AM

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

tomato
3.5/4

Roger Ebert

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: | comment Comment | Oct., 23 2004 10:34 PM

Chicago Sun-Times

splat
2/5

Randy Shulman

No review available.

comment Comment | Sep., 04 2004 05:04 AM

Metro Weekly (Washington, DC)

tomato
4/5

Daniel M. Kimmel

No review available.

comment Comment | May., 19 2004 08:43 AM

Worcester Telegram & Gazette

tomato
3.5/5

Christopher Null

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 27 2004 05:16 PM

Filmcritic.com

tomato
4/5

James Sanford

Lots of fun, with a slightly bitter aftertaste

comment Comment | Jan., 11 2004 10:01 AM

Kalamazoo Gazette

tomato

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 24 2003 08:15 AM

Channel 4 Film

tomato
4.5/5

Vincent Canby

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 20 2003 05:17 PM

New York Times

tomato

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 07 2002 09:10 AM

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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