Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977)

75% of critics liked it
(20 reviews)
68% of users liked it
(4,094 ratings)

Adapted from Judith Rossner's best-selling novelization of a true story, Richard Brooks's melodrama turns one woman's search for a liberated life into a cautionary tale about promiscuity. After an affair with her college professor, no-longer-good Catholic girl Theresa Dunn (Diane Keaton) follows the… More Adapted from Judith Rossner's best-selling novelization of a true story, Richard Brooks's melodrama turns one woman's search for a liberated life into a cautionary tale about promiscuity. After an affair with her college professor, no-longer-good Catholic girl Theresa Dunn (Diane Keaton) follows the lead of her hedonistic sister (Tuesday Weld) and moves out of her oppressive family home to forge a life of her own. A compassionate teacher of deaf children by day, Theresa metamorphoses into a sexually free cruiser of singles bars by night. She prefers the satisfying attentions of unpredictable, danger-tinged stud Tony Lopanto (Richard Gere) to the more noble intentions of social worker James (William Atherton), but she ditches anyone who prevents her from being her "own girl." As Theresa's life threatens to spin out of control, she makes a vow to clean up her existence once and for all. But before she makes the break, she goes to one more bar and brings home one more man (Tom Berenger). ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr. 15 min.
Directed By: Richard Brooks I
Written By: Richard Brooks
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1977 Wide
Studio: Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
In Looking for Mr Goodbar, writer-director Richard Brooks manifests his ability to catch accurately both the tone and subtlety of characters in the most repellant environments.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Looking for Mr. Goodbar is very much worth seeing, particularly for the Diane Keaton performance.
Adam Lippe, Examiner.com
Goodbar features flash forwards and flashbacks, hallucinations so hammy they would fit right into a Naked Gun movie and religious and sexual subtext so heavy-handed you'd think if a studio couldn't get Oliver Stone, Brooks would be next on the speed dial.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Brooks, hardly a great director, doesn't quite pull off this adaptation of the Rossner novel.
, Time Out
Judith Rossner's calculated bestseller, about a contemporary woman's sexuality and her 'descent' into the world of New York singles bars, gets what it deserves in this old-fashioned adaptation.
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)
A rough, tough ride, with a surprisingly edgy Keaton performance.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Despite a solid lead performance, the film is off-putting rather than involving.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Apesar da atuação forte e corajosa de Keaton, que surpreende em um papel totalmente diferente do habitual, o filme é aborrecido e irremediavelmente datado.
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
One of Keaton's most daring and electrifying performances
Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks
Lugubrious and depressing, made noteworthy only for the interesting turn by Keaton.
Richard Luck, Film4
A fine thriller, Looking For Mr Goodbar is a reminder that Richard Brooks was a writer-director of rare talent and Diane Keaton is capable of a lot more than being ditsy.
James Kendrick, Q Network Film Desk
a none-too-subtle cautionary tale about the dangers of living a hedonistic nightlife masked by a legitimate daylife
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
If you think you know Ms. Keaton -- you don't, until you've seen this one.
Ted Prigge, rec.arts.movies.reviews
One of those deeply flawed classics that you don't necessarily enjoy or even like, but you never forget.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Mister C

Diane Keaton gives a riveting performance here and it shows. Also starring the film debut of Richard Gere with a powerful film soundtrack score from some of the best music that came out of 1977.
Danny R

A provocative edgy drama based on the best-selling novel by Judith Rossner, about a repressed young teacher named Theresa Dunn, brilliantly played by Diane Keaton in a powerful and emotionally complex performance. whose initially innocent search to find a man of her dreams escalates… More
A provocative edgy drama based on the best-selling novel by Judith Rossner, about a repressed young teacher named Theresa Dunn, brilliantly played by Diane Keaton in a powerful and emotionally complex performance. whose initially innocent search to find a man of her dreams escalates into promiscuous and dangerous encounters with men she meets in bars, she begins to wallow endlessly in her new "liberated" sexual lifestyle, the thrill of the evening trysts, which eventually involves drugs and violence has her life spinning out of control with this self-destructive behavior. Diane Keaton wonderfully balances the dual aspect of her character's life, by day a outwardly caring teacher to deaf children living a banal existence, and by night a drug-fueled bar tramp, this film is a indictment against the sexual attitudes of the 70s, where disco was the music and coke and weed was the new drugs of choice, the sexual revolution was at it's peak here, before herpes and AIDS made their dreaded entrance. This is one of the few and rare instances where the film is better than the book, thanks to the brilliant screenplay and direction of Richard Brooks. It is difficult to watch at times but this film is pure cinema at it's highest level. Superlative performances from Tuesday Weld, Richard Kiley, William Atherton, Priscilla Pointer, Tom Berenger and Richard Gere in a memorable turn as a hyperactive hustler. Shocking then it is thought-provoking now, and builds to a unforgettable and shattering climax. Highly Recommended.
Juli R

Diane Keaton's performance is stunning. And I am fairly certain that I have dated Richard Gere's character. However, I was a bit disappointed that the movie veered away from the book. It is a more interesting story for Theresa to have a self-destructive bent. She picks up… More
Diane Keaton's performance is stunning. And I am fairly certain that I have dated Richard Gere's character. However, I was a bit disappointed that the movie veered away from the book. It is a more interesting story for Theresa to have a self-destructive bent. She picks up guys because she knows they'll be trouble. In the movie she is just a hedonist.
Brian R

Former good girl Theresa(Diane Keaton) moves out of her parent''s home to forge a life of her own. During the day she teaches deaf children, but at night she turns into into a promiscuous drug using, party-girl frequenting singles bars. Theresa goes to one last bar and… More
Former good girl Theresa(Diane Keaton) moves out of her parent''s home to forge a life of her own. During the day she teaches deaf children, but at night she turns into into a promiscuous drug using, party-girl frequenting singles bars. Theresa goes to one last bar and brings home one last stranger. Richard Brooks's LFMG is a straight fwd story with a fascinating character played by Keaton and good supporting roles by Richard Gere and Tuesday Weld and Tom Beranger. Brooks is quite good bringing the 70's vibe with disco music and dark drinking bars and the love Keaton has for deaf children.
Audrey L

This film is one of the greatest I have ever seen. Adapted fairly well from the book,it is a commentary on the free love/sex era of the 70's. Diane Keaton is wonderful as the sexually conflicted main character,suffering the aftermath of a Catholic childhood and debilitating… More
This film is one of the greatest I have ever seen. Adapted fairly well from the book,it is a commentary on the free love/sex era of the 70's. Diane Keaton is wonderful as the sexually conflicted main character,suffering the aftermath of a Catholic childhood and debilitating polio.She does find her freedom,but it is short lived and ultimately tragic.