Product Details

• Actors: Patricia Arquette, Dermot Mulroney, Mary-Louise Parker, Ellen DeGeneres, Ray McKinnon
• Directors: Roland Joffé
• Writers: Alec Sokolow, Joel Cohen, Ron Peer
• Producers: Alexandra Milchan, Arnon Milchan, Chris Daniel, Gerald T. Olson
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: November 21, 2000
• Run Time: 102 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0790739275
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #302,116 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Overlooked and underrated, Goodbye Lover is a tawdry, tasty film noir with a soft spot for its scheming antiheroine. With her platinum Lulu bob, a killer wardrobe, and a Sound of Music fetish that inspires her to "climb every mountain" of bad-girl ambition, Patricia Arquette is perfectly cast as Sandra, the sweet but lethal wife of Jake (Dermot Mulroney), who works in a top-drawer ad agency with his brother Ben (Don Johnson). Weary stud Ben falls prey to simultaneous affairs with Sandra and his devoted secretary (Mary-Louise Parker), and the cynical Detective Pompano (Ellen DeGeneres) unravels the murder-for-insurance plot while her clueless Mormon partner (Ray McKinnon) tries to keep pace. Combining mordant humor and rampant depravity, this deliciously dark comedy starts fast and never lets up, liberating director Roland Joffé (The Killing Fields) from the sobriety of his previous work. The entire cast is great, but it's DeGeneres who makes this a recommended sleeper. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An eccentric little gem!!, July 31, 2000

By 

L. Camuti "moviequeen" (Oxnard, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Goodbye Lover [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I don't recall seeing any of Patricia Arquette's previous films, but this was definitely the one to start with! She plays a deliciously wicked hussy who, coincidentally, has a comical obsession with the soundtrack from "The Sound of Music". (Having been raised Catholic in a fairly religious family, I could really connect with this device.) The scene where she lipsyncs "I have confidence" is classic! And, I really enjoyed Ellen (Degeneres)in this movie. Her smaller supporting role as a sardonic cop did more to showcase her talent than many episodes of her show did, or larger roles like in "Mr. Wrong". If you allow yourself the time to get into the story at the beginning, the payoff is just plain FUN!

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good, Positive Review For Goodbye Lover., November 21, 1999

By 

thomas angelo zunich (long beach, ca USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Goodbye Lover (DVD)

Wow, I can't believe this film got bad reviews in the press! It made me a bit stand offish about renting it but I just had to anyways. Come on Patricia Arquette is one of my favourites and I also love "Ellen Degenious".

Speaking of Ellen, she steals the show here. If it wasn't for her amazing one liner dead pan comments throughout the film, I may not have enjoyed this as much as i did. I was laughing so hard at some of her dialogue and the perfect timing she used to deliver these lines. This may sound ludicrous, but i would nominate her for an oscar for this, if I ran things (but who am I! ).

Furthermore on the Ellen subject, my God! did she look stunning at the end of the film! I have never seen her look so damn beautiful! I was totally impressed, you have to check her out. Who knew she was so versitle and gorgeous!

This film has a dark, bitter edge to it and i loved it. Strongly recommend this one, FORGET WHAT THE CRITICS SAID!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THIS MOVIE KICKS A$$, August 8, 2005

By 

Carlie (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Goodbye Lover (DVD)

Its to bad Don Johnson's part was so short because he was really good in this movie! Johnson plays Ben Dunmore, head of an ad agency, plays organ at church, and he is also older brother to Jake (Dermot Mulroney). Ben has been having an illicit affair with Jake's wife Saundra, but Jake doesn't know, or does he?
Jake and Saundra, along with Ben's receptionist Peggy, have plotted to kill Ben for his insurance money. But what they didn't plan on was Rita Pompano, the saucy detective that gets wise to Saundra and her plans. Its a very crazy, cunning, and sexual movie. I will say it'll turn you off SOUND OF MUSIC in a heartbeat! That's all you hear is the SOUND OF MUSIC sdtk throughout so it gets old after awhile. But if you've never seen this movie, you've got to rent it. Its definately worth it!