Starting Over

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Starting Over

R,

1979,

1h 46m,

Romance/

Comedy

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78%

9 Reviews

Tomatometer

58%

1,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

78%

Tomatometer

9 Reviews

58%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

When his wife, Jessica (Candice Bergen), leaves him for a chance at a music career, Phil Potter (Burt Reynolds) is devastated. He moves from New York City to Boston, joins a club for divorced men and cautiously begins an affair with a free-spirited schoolteacher named Marilyn (Jill Clayburgh), who genuinely seems to care about him. But when Jessica decides she wants Phil back, he jumps at the chance, only to wonder if perhaps he's made the wrong choice.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Dec 17, 2020

2/4

Starting Over actually feels sort of embarrassed at times, maybe because characters are placed in silly sitcom situations and then forced to say lines that are supposed to be revealing and real.

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Sean Burns

Crooked Marquee

Jan 16, 2026

It’s affecting work, vulnerable in ways we’re not used to seeing the star. Even Burt’s toupee looks less robust than usual.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

May 14, 2024

2/4

A “meet-cute” is just fine for this sort of picture, but the “meet-cute” between the writer and the teacher turns into a “talk-cute,” “date-cute,” “argue-cute,” and so on.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Mar 16, 2022

2.5/4

...benefits from its assortment of first-class performances...

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Jesús Fernández Santos

El Pais (Spain)

Aug 12, 2019

The scenes are funny and nuanced, with a touch of irony that is relatively original. [Full Review in Spanish]

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Tim Brayton

Antagony & Ecstasy

Oct 20, 2009

8/10

A better story than you'd probably expect for a film of this kind of this vintage.

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Abraham S

Sep 6, 2018

What an enjoyable movie and it was nice to see Reynolds play such a vulnerable character. Candice Bergen was great in the movie. As always Charles Durning did a great job in the movie. Who hasn't felt the way, Reynolds felt when he was trying to get the beautiful Candice Bergen back.

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Theodore W

Mar 25, 2018

A great performance by Burt Reynolds. In lesser hands the Phil Potter character could have come across as pathetic and wimpy. Instead he comes across as a likable man devastated and damaged by his wife's decision to divorce him. Perfectly captures the atmosphere of the late 1970's. He should have won the best actor Oscar but was not even nominated. So Hollywood being stupid is nothing new.

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Harry M

Feb 19, 2018

Candace Bergen's singing scenes in this are nothing short of brilliant. It is not easy to sing just a little off as she does here -- while maintaining full, straight-faced glam and beauty. Very funny.

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Alan J. Pakula

Director

Burt Reynolds

Phil Potter

Jill Clayburgh

Marilyn Holmberg

Candice Bergen

Jessica Potter

Charles Durning

Michael "Mickey" Potter

Frances Sternhagen

Marva Potter

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Synopsis

When his wife, Jessica (Candice Bergen), leaves him for a chance at a music career, Phil Potter (Burt Reynolds) is devastated. He moves from New York City to Boston, joins a club for divorced men and cautiously begins an affair with a free-spirited schoolteacher named Marilyn (Jill Clayburgh), who genuinely seems to care about him. But when Jessica decides she wants Phil back, he jumps at the chance, only to wonder if perhaps he's made the wrong choice.

Director: Alan J. Pakula
Producer: Alan J. Pakula, James L. Brooks
Screenwriter: James L. Brooks
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount
Rating: R
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 5, 1979, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2017
Runtime: 1h 46m

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