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The Pick-Up Artist (1987)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 5/10
Reviews Counted: 20
Fresh: 11 | Rotten: 9

No consensus yet.

Average Rating: 5.2/10
Critic Reviews: 6
Fresh: 3 | Rotten: 3

No consensus yet.

audience

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Average Rating: 2.8/5
User Ratings: 7,148

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Movie Info

With this rote but well-cast romantic comedy, writer-director James Toback began his long association with actor Robert Downey, Jr. The latter stars as Jack Jericho, a grade school teacher and smooth operator who zealously polishes his cliched pick-up lines in front of a mirror. Jack's come-ons even work on Randy Jensen (Molly Ringwald), a redheaded museum tour guide who dishes up a stream of retorts, matching Jack's verbal banter. After quickly trysting in the back of Jack's car, Randy flatly

PG-13, 1 hr. 21 min.

Comedy, Romance

Directed By: James Toback

Written By: James Toback

In Theaters: Sep 18, 1987 Wide

On DVD: Dec 16, 2003

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

The Pick-Up Artist Trailer & Photos

Cast

Molly Ringwald
Randy Jensen
Robert Downey Jr.
Jack Jericho
Dennis Hopper
Flash Jensen
Danny Aiello
Phil
Mildred Dunnock
Nellie Jack's Grandmoth...
Harvey Keitel
Alonzo
Brian Hamill
Mike
Tamara Bruno
Karen
Vanessa L. Williams
Rae
Angie Kempf
Jack's Student
Polly Draper
Pat
Frederick Koehler
Richie
Robert Towne
Stan
Victoria Jackson
Lulu
Lorraine Bracco
Carla
Bob Gunton
Portacarrero
Clem Caserta
Clem
Christine Baranski
Harriet
Joe Spinell
Eddie
Tony Conforti
Tony
Jilly Rizzo
Floor Manager
Tom Signorelli
Mary
Reni Santoni
Anne Bobby
Alexis Cruz
Isabel Lorca
Max Raven
Vinnie Costanza
James Toback

Critic Reviews for The Pick-Up Artist

All Critics (20) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (11) | Rotten (9)

James Toback's long-gestating portrait of a one-track mind becomes bogged down in unconvincing plot mechanics.

February 27, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Variety Staff

Variety

Top Critic

The film roams from the Upper West Side to Coney Island to Atlantic City, maintaining a lighthearted style that doesn't quite match the hints of obsessiveness in Mr. Toback's screenplay.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Janet Maslin

New York Times

Top Critic

This is an appallingly silly movie, from its juvenile comic overture to its dreadfully sincere conclusion.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times

| Comment

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

A light and fairly innocuous youth picture.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

Pickup's 'little more' is in its quirky characters and its intentionally goofy melodrama.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Desson Thomson

Washington Post

Top Critic

Downey, who worked for one season on Saturday Night Live, has just the right emotional weight for the role of Jack, and the right touch of goofy boyishness to soften his aggressiveness.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Hal Hinson

Washington Post

Top Critic

Toback has devised an interesting premise that draws parallels between risking one's heart and one's wallet, but the picture itself risks little.

February 27, 2008 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

| Comment

TV Guide's Movie Guide

Features Robert Downey Jr. as a smooth-talking womanizer who meets his match.

March 27, 2004 Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice

| Comment

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality and Practice

A very challenging movie. Downey Jr and Ringwald sizzle.

September 19, 2002 Comment

Clint Morris

Moviehole

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for The Pick-Up Artist

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The story is kind of a mish-mash of two different stories, and the dialogue is horrible, but there are a bunch of great actors in the movie. The actors are the only reason to watch it, and they can't even help the movie that much. Overall, it's not a good movie.

September 6, 2010

AJ Verser

Super Reviewer

Nothing special, but this really finds its own in the second half. The first half is just a little too happy go lucky and silly, but when the love story kicks in between Robert Downey Jr. and Molly Ringwald, it's smooth sailing. The premise is interesting and natural for its release period. It takes the term ladies man

January 23, 2011

Conner Rainwater

Super Reviewer

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