The Goodbye Girl

Audience Reviews

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Harry S Mar 2, 2019 Terrific classic that still holds up!

Theodore P Feb 25, 2019 After being dumped by her live-in boyfriend, an unemployed dancer and her 10-year-old daughter are reluctantly forced to live with a struggling off-Broadway actor. This a a fabulous film . Marsha Mason is known as "The Goodbye Girl" because of all the live-in boyfriends who have said ta-ta to her in the past few years. A former Broadway chorus dancer, the divorced Mason lives in the Manhattan apartment of her latest lost love with her daughter Quinn Cummings. Enter arrogant actor Richard Dreyfuss, who has subleased the apartment from Mason's former boyfriend and moves in bag and baggage in the middle of the night. Dreyfuss and Mason spend the next few weeks getting in each other's way and fighting like cats and dogs. The wind is taken out of Dreyfuss' sails when he opens in a production of Richard III, which has been sabotaged by the director (Paul Benjamin), who insists that Dreyfuss portrays Richard as a hip-swinging homosexual. The play closes after one performance, and the once-overconfident Dreyfuss goes on a self-pitying drunken binge. Touched by his vulnerability, Mason begins falling in love with Dreyfuss despite her lousy track record with men. Richard Dreyfuss became the youngest ever "Best Actor" Oscar winner as a result of his performance. See more

Feb 1, 2019 The best romcom movie ever made! With the best movie song ever sung: the title song!

Draco W Sep 14, 2018 Oh, okay, I see...so, Neil Simon was a genius. I get it now! Dreyfuss and Mason have an almost inexplicable amount of great chemistry and patter delivery, you believe every stage of their wide-ranging relationship. A wonderfully biting and incredibly sweet romantic comedy that is better than most every rom-com that it influenced. See more

Finn G Jul 9, 2018 7.9.18 on DVD w/Shawn

Poe W Apr 17, 2018 Herbert Ross's The Goodbye Girl (1977), starring Richard Dreyfuss and Marsha Mason demonstrate the sparks that fly when two opposite adults find themselves sharing the same two-bedroom apartment in New York City. After being swindled by the same narcissistic actor, Elliot (Dreyfuss) and Paula (Mason) find themselves stuck with the same apartment, along with Paula's daughter Lucy (Quinn Cummings). Despite having starkly different personalities, these two must find a way to overcome their own personal obstacles and peacefully coexist. This film is in conversation with other romantic comedies such as Definitely Maybe. Each of these films demonstrate a unique family relationship between parent and daughter as the parent navigates a complicated romantic life. Also, these films paint a picture of a single parent lifestyle in the big city. A striking quality of this film is the beautiful cinematography showcasing New York City in the fall. This begins with the opening shot in which New York City is reflected in a spinning, dreamlike state off of the windshield of a bus. Furthermore, the fantastic aesthetic quality of the film, such as the apartment draped in tapestries and covered with various potted plants, transports the viewer back to the style of the seventies. While all the performances in this film are compelling, they are overshadowed by the Oscar Winning performance from Richard Dreyfuss. Dreyfuss manages to strike a balance between oddball behavior and becoming a symbol of attraction. His quirkiness and enthusiasm make for romantic comedy lead unlike any film before it. His performance is overwhelmingly endearing and forces the audience to fall in love with his truly unique character. Another important aspect of this film is that it acts as an homage to New York City. Not only does it highlight its beauty through its masterful cinematography, but it shows its spirit of ambition and artistry through Elliot and Paula's stage career. Lastly it speaks to the unique strength and witty nature of children raised in the city, as demonstrated through the precocious Lucy. Despite being made in 1977, this film resonates with audiences of today. Not only are the characters timelessly endearing, but the problems are still relevant today, perhaps more than ever. For example, the challenges of Paula navigating her unique family structure is pertinent today when the nuclear family becomes less and less standard. Additionally, the narrative of the film stems from a problem that may never go away; the difficulty of finding a decent apartment in the city. See more

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The Goodbye Girl

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