The Pick-Up Artist (1987)
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55% of critics liked it
(20 reviews) -
33% of users liked it
(7,400 ratings)
With this rote but well-cast romantic comedy, writer-director James Toback began his long association with actor Robert Downey, Jr. The latter stars as Jack Jericho, a grade school teacher and smooth operator who zealously polishes his cliched pick-up lines in front of a mirror. Jack's come-ons… More With this rote but well-cast romantic comedy, writer-director James Toback began his long association with actor Robert Downey, Jr. The latter stars as Jack Jericho, a grade school teacher and smooth operator who zealously polishes his cliched pick-up lines in front of a mirror. Jack's come-ons even work on Randy Jensen (Molly Ringwald), a redheaded museum tour guide who dishes up a stream of retorts, matching Jack's verbal banter. After quickly trysting in the back of Jack's car, Randy flatly thanks him and walks off. Realizing that Randy is his soul mate, Jack gets his pal Phil (Danny Aiello) to find her. She's in Atlantic City, desperately trying to win $25,000 with her paycheck. Her father, Flash (Dennis Hopper), is an inveterate alcoholic who owes the money to a mobster, Alonzo (Harvey Keitel). Alonzo is willing to erase the debt if Randy will sleep with a South American kingpin, so she's trying to hit a jackpot that will get her and Flash off the hook. With a deadline of tomorrow, Jack sets out to get Randy's money and convince her that he's Mr. Right. The Pick-Up Artist was the final film appearance of actress Mildred Dunnock, who played Jack's grandmother. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Directed By
- James Toback
- Written By
- James Toback
- Genres
- Comedy, Romance
PG-13,
- In Theaters
- Sep 18, 1987 Wide
- On DVD
- Dec 16, 2003
- Studio
- Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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Variety Staff, Variety
James Toback's long-gestating portrait of a one-track mind becomes bogged down in unconvincing plot mechanics.
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Janet Maslin, New York Times
The film roams from the Upper West Side to Coney Island to Atlantic City, maintaining a lighthearted style that doesn't quite match the hints of obsessiveness in Mr. Toback's screenplay.
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
This is an appallingly silly movie, from its juvenile comic overture to its dreadfully sincere conclusion.
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Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
A light and fairly innocuous youth picture.
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Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Pickup's 'little more' is in its quirky characters and its intentionally goofy melodrama.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
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Cast
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Molly Ringwald
as Randy Jensen
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Robert Downey Jr.
as Jack Jericho
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Dennis Hopper
as Flash Jensen
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Danny Aiello
as Phil
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Mildred Dunnock
as Nellie Jack's Grandmother
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Harvey Keitel
as Alonzo
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Brian Hamill
as Mike
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Tamara Bruno
as Karen
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Vanessa L. Williams
as Rae
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Angie Kempf
as Jack's Student
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Polly Draper
as Pat
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Frederick Koehler
as Richie
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Robert Towne
as Stan
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Victoria Jackson
as Lulu
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Lorraine Bracco
as Carla
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Bob Gunton
as Portacarrero
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Clem Caserta
as Clem
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Christine Baranski
as Harriet
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Joe Spinell
as Eddie
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Tony Conforti
as Tony
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Jilly Rizzo
as Floor Manager
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Tom Signorelli
as Mary
- Reni Santoni
- Anne Bobby
- Alexis Cruz
- Isabel Lorca
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Max Raven
as Vinnie Costanza
- James Toback
