Movie Review (Classic)-----BEST FRIENDS

Goldie Hawn must be like medicine for me. Last night I had another bout of insomnia and a heavy duty headache so I put on one of my favorite romantic comedies that I hadn't seen in a while. At some point while watching it, I didn't fall asleep, but my headache slowly disappeared. BEST FRIENDS was released in 1982. It was not a huge success. Several critics felt that the pairing of Burt Reynolds and Goldie Hawn brought more expectations than this movie delivered. I however disagree. Upon watching it again, I am totally taken with the terrific screenplay by Barry Levinson and Valerie Curtin and especially impressed with the two lead performances. Burt and Goldie play a couple that is very much in love. They live together and work together as in demand Hollywood screenwriters. Burt plays Richard, a man who has reached the point where he is ready to get married to Paula, played by Goldie. Paula is a bit reluctant, but Richard eventually persuades her that marriage is the next logical step. So they get married and spend their honeymoon visiting both of their in-laws. Jessica Tandy and Barnard Hughes play Paula's parents who live in snow-covered Buffalo, New York. They are delightful in their eccentricity. The scene where Ms Tandy thinks she's gone blind due to her glasses fogging up is hysterical. Audra Lindley and Keenan Wynn play Richard's parents who become a bit of a challenge for Paula. Why anyone would spend their honeymoon visiting each other's parents is beyond me, but it makes for great comedy! Burt Reynolds is in his prime in this film and shows that he was once one of Hollywood's best leading man with a real flair for romantic comedy. Goldie Hawn is as good as she's ever been in this film. She is called upon to show some dramatic chops that made me long for her return to the big screen. I find the film incredibly romantic and truthful towards relationships and how marriage can change a relationship, for better or worse. BEST FRIENDS holds up 30 years after it's release. A highlight of the film is the inclusion of the Oscar nominated song HOW DO YOU KEEP THE MUSIC PLAYING performed by James Ingram and Patti Austin. The perfect song for one of my favorite rom-coms. "If we can try with every day to make things better as it grows, with any luck then I suppose, the music never ends."