Alan Arkin, Donald Sutherland, Doris Roberts

Alan Arkin makes his directorial debut in this satire based on a play by Jules Feiffer. Unemotional photographer Alfred Chamberlain (Elliott Gould) meets inspirational Patsy Newquist (Marcia Rodd), bu...( read more  read more... )t when tragedy strikes on their wedding day, he turns to his would-be wife's family -- who's anything but typical -- for support. Crime-ridden New York City serves as the setting for this dark comedy that also stars Donald Sutherland.

Flixster Users

78% liked it

171 ratings

Critics

57% liked it

7 critics

R

Directed by: Alan Arkin

Release Date: February 9, 1971

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DVD Release Date: June 1, 2004

Stats: 63 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (63)


  • November 13, 2006
    If Kafka did nitrous, this is what you might get.
  • September 18, 2008
    A great satire that looks at a man that has just given up on society all together. What better a backdrop than NY in the 70s. Elliot Gould rules as the man who wanders the streets taking pictures of shit, cause nothing else gives him pleasure. The supporting cast really helps bri...( read more)ng this story to life. Donald Sutherland as the crazy minster should have had his own film that character was so strong. I'm with Cody though the last 30 minutes turned this really good film into a down spiral. It made no sense why the film went in that direction and strayed off the perfect path it was on. I would really love to see the play for this sometime. I bet it would be real interesting to see on the stage.
  • August 11, 2008
    Great writing and great acting. Early 70's Gould is always gold. The only problem I had with the film was it went from light to dark comedy in an instant and I didn't enjoy the film once it became dark. The movie was a bit long and that could be why I didn't enjoy the last 30 min...( read more)utes as much. Gould and the supporting cast are awsome and the dialogue goes at rollercoaster speed. Good Flix.
  • August 10, 2008
    Dark, funny, and occasionally shocking satire about the decay of America, especially New York, in the 70's. One of the great Elliot Gould roles, and every supporting character is used to the fullest. Great cameos by Donald Sutherland and Alan Arkin (who directed), and Vincent G...( read more)ardenia as the father -in-law is hilarious. The dialog in this is great. This is an overlooked film you should check out.
  • July 1, 2009
    Hmmm.

    i read amazinhg critques for this one,
    It High rated

    Its Alan Arkin

    Its 70's!

    Its a black comedy
    So, i should love this film... But nope...
    It didnt work for me at all...
    Didnt find it funny and bored me...
  • June 20, 2009
    Entertaining. Sarcastic. Unpredictable. Hilarious.
  • October 9, 2008
    When my friends recommended this movie to me, I expected something a little different than what I got. Not that I was disappointed at all, this movie is probably one of the more original films I have seen in a long time. I loved the monologues and enjoyed the performances (Elliot...( read more) Gould is amazing and it's a damn shame that some only know him as Monica's dad from Friends). The climax is a little out there, but I didn't mind it because I thought it fit with the rest of the film. The only problem I had was the performance of Alan Arkin who I thought was just annoying. Overall, very enjoyable and nice to see something out of the ordinary.
  • October 6, 2008
    Alan Arkin's directorial debut is an adaptation of Jules Feiffer's play, in which a "devout apathist" (Elliott Gould) meets up with a fiery, passionate young woman (Marcia Rodd) in an increasingly dangerous New York City, and (reluctantly) agrees to get married after a brief cour...( read more)tship. Her family gets involved and all Hell breaks loose! Arkin's film is actually something of a meditation on the increasing paranoia and psychosis that goes on when one lives in a tight, crowded city like New York, and Feiffer's script is sometimes dead-on dark comedy, sometimes sharp satire, sometimes off-the-wall, but often very funny. Donald Sutherland steals the show in a hilarious extended cameo as the preacher who finally weds the couple, and Arkin himself appears late in the film as a befuddled detective losing his grip on everything. A small gem.

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