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Terms of Endearment (1983)

tomatometer

89

Average Rating: 7.5/10
Reviews Counted: 36
Fresh: 32 | Rotten: 4

A classic tearjerker, Terms of Endearment isn't shy about reaching for the heartstrings -- but is so well-acted and smartly scripted that it's almost impossible to resist.

80

Average Rating: 7.1/10
Critic Reviews: 5
Fresh: 4 | Rotten: 1

A classic tearjerker, Terms of Endearment isn't shy about reaching for the heartstrings -- but is so well-acted and smartly scripted that it's almost impossible to resist.

audience

82

liked it
Average Rating: 3.7/5
User Ratings: 33,384

My Rating

Movie Info

Terms of Endearment covers three decades in the lives of widow Aurora Greenway (Shirley MacLaine) and her daughter Emma (Debra Winger). Fiercely protected by Aurora throughout childhood, Emma runs into resistance from her mother when she marries wishy-washy college teacher Flap (Jeff Daniels). Aurora is even more put out at the prospect of being a grandmother, though she grows a lot fonder of her three grandkids than she does of her son-in-law. Flap proves that Aurora's instincts were on target

PG, 2 hr. 12 min.

Drama, Romance, Comedy

Apr 10, 2001

Paramount Home Video

Cast

All Critics (36) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (33) | Rotten (4) | DVD (8)

Its quirky rhythms and veering emotional tones are very much its own, and they owe less to movie tradition than they do to a sense of how the law of unintended consequences pushes us ceaselessly through the years, permitting no pause for perspective.

February 20, 2009 Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | Comment
TIME Magazine
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Brooks' dialog is wonderful throughout and all the characters carry off their assignments beautifully, even down to Danny De Vito and Norman Bennett as MacLaine's other suffering suitors.

February 20, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety | Comment
Variety
Top Critic IconTop Critic

[Writer-director James L. Brooks] has television in his soul: his people are incredibly tiny (most are defined by a single stroke of obsessive behavior), and he chokes out his narrative in ten-minute chunks, separated by aching lacunae.

December 17, 2006 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comment (1)
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The most remarkable achievement of Terms of Endearment, which is filled with great achievements, is its ability to find the balance between the funny and the sad, between moments of deep truth and other moments of high ridiculousness.

October 23, 2004 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | Comment
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

A funny, touching, beautifully acted film that covers more territory than it can easily manage.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times | Comment
New York Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Glossy, funny, and packs a real emotional wallop.

January 2, 2011 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | Comment
Common Sense Media

The tragi-comedy never made me reach for my hankie, never tickled my funny bone and it never found a way into my heart.

March 16, 2008 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | Comments (2)
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

This hugely successful tear-jerker boasts some magnificent on-screen chemistry between Jack Nicholson and Shirley MacLaine.

February 20, 2008 Full Review Source: Film4 | Comment

No-wonder Jack was so keen to land this role. It was simply perfect for him.

February 20, 2008 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | Comment
Empire Magazine

Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger are fantastic as a mother and daughter who individually face life's challenges and end up stronger because of it.

December 22, 2006 Full Review Source: Oscar Guy | Comment
Oscar Guy

Something for everyone, indeed.

December 17, 2006 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | Comment
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Blending comedy and melodrama, this is basically a TV sitcom, marked by a sentimental tone and traditional view of women.

July 27, 2006 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | Comment

Then The Illness strikes, and the film changes gear completely, pulling out all the stops.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comment

Sad themes, but wonderful ensemble acting.

October 16, 2004 Comment
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Terms of Endearment

A great film! So touching. Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger both give great performances! I had originally given this film a 4/5 rating. However I have recently decided to bump it up to a 4.5/5. I will never forget this film...the acting, the story, the characters, the execution...it's an extremely well done film.

February 2, 2011
jamers2011
Jameson Worley

Super Reviewer

Soap opera saga of a feature film is like baking honey into a pie: it's deliciously sweet, but it's not what we're at all used to.When I turned on TERMS OF ENDEARMENT, I was full-out ready to hate it. But by the end, my decision was that I had enjoyed it well enough, but it did NOT deserve a Best Picture Oscar. Lots

September 26, 2011
spielberg00
Alexander Diminiano

Super Reviewer

    1. Aurora Greenaway: Would you like to come in?
    2. Garrett Breedlove: I'd rather stick needles in my eyes.
    – Submitted by Chris P (9 months ago)

Movies Like Terms of Endearment

Latest News for Terms of Endearment

December 8, 2005:
Jeff Daniels Does "Lookout" Duty for Disney
Well-admired character actor Jeff Daniels will star in a thriller entitled "The Lookout"...

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