Perfect.

Mr. Trash Can

Some of the best, most purely human comedy every put on film, but Brooks captures the scattered thinking and pathetic helplessness of his character with such merciless exactitude that it eventually mutates into a horror movie about a dysfunctional couple. By the time we get to the cabin, there are no laughs, only discomfort and fear about what he might do next, so much so that the text epilogue (which has to rank as the single best use of that technique in any movie) is funny not just because it's funny but also because it's a welcome relief from the claustrophobia of this relationship.

Look for this in Fractured Mirror. Perfect.

Albert, the 🐐.

The poorly done cover and the roller coaster on the disc itself belies and contradicts the dry, excruciating anti-comedy at the film’s core.

I'm surprised this movie was made because it's really the barest of plot and concept. Nothing much happens, but it is an all too familiar depiction of a dysfunctional relationship. Brooks is great to watch and there is some humor, but mostly it's frustrating. While his jealousy, paranoia, and insecurity are understandable, the way he acts on these feelings is unacceptable and cringeworthy. Like a horror film where you shout at the screen, "Don't go in there!", I was shouting at Brooks, "Dude! Don't do that! C'mon man."

A man working as a film editor breaks up with his girlfriend but finds he can't stand living without her. They get back together and problems once again arise. Despite the title, I would not exactly call this a romantic comedy. In fact, it's almost an anti-romantic comedy. It is often very funny. Albert Brooks and Kathryn Harrold are both great as a couple madly in love with one another but also just as madly unfit for one another. This film is often very funny but it also can be often infuriating, Albert Brooks's character in particular, but his performance and the writing are just right that he never really crosses the line to off-putting or creepy which is a bit of a minor miracle. Overall, it's not my favorite of Brooks' directorial work but still a very good, smartly written comedy.

.

2nd time. Saw it first on video in 1986. Brooks' character is so cringey, an overly neurotic but hilarious Larry David. Funny, and captures the early 80s so darn well. Kathryn Harrold is also terrific in it, with a small role by James L. Brooks.

Neurotic and funny! Time capsule of 80s technology!

Terrible, painfully unfunny. First rule of comedy is unpredictability. I understand his schtick is subversion, but telegraphing everything you do in the most mundane of ways doesn't equal genius. Its postmodern opposition, ergo pic-related. I could predict every single outcome of every scenario in each of his flicks:

The bit where he buys a bunch of sportsgear then pretends like he's going to get his fat ass to do a mile but at the end of the musical cue, rushes to the nearest phonebooth to call his ex-girlfriend?
Predicted it.

The ending title crawl where explicitly states the message of inseparability as some ironic jab?
Predicted it.

Ζευγάρι που αγαπιέται με πάθος, χωρίζει έπειτα από σχετική επιθυμία του άνδρα ο οποίος είναι έτοιμος να κάνει ένα νέο ξεκίνημα. Η ζήλια του όμως, η αναποφασιστικότητα και η νευρικότητα του, δίνουν στο μέλλον που ανοίγεται μπροστά του μια εντονότατη και αναπόφευκτη σύνδεση με το πολύ πρόσφατο παρελθόν, το οποίο όσο και να (μην) το θέλει εμφανίζεται διαρκώς μπροστά του σε στυλ τραβάτε με κι ας κλαίω, Κομεντί σχέσεων με έντονα γουντιαλενικά στοιχεία, με μερικούς έξυπνους διαλόγους, παρασκήνια από τον κόσμο του Χόλιγουντ μιας και ο κεντρικός ήρωας είναι μοντέρ που ετοιμάζει την νέα διαστημική ταινία του Τζορτζ Κένεντι, μια Κάθριν Χάρολντ πανέμορφη και τον Άλμπερτ Μπρουκς να χαρίζει σε δυο- τρεις σκηνές την αμερικανική εκδοχή του περίφημου στίχου των Ημισκούμπριων, "γκρικ λόβερ, με τρίχα για πουλόβερ".