Customer Reviews

Neil Simon's The Goodbye Girl (2004 TV Movie)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This made-for-TV film is one that I felt instantly inclined to pick up on DVD when I came across it on Amazon, due mostly in part to the recognizable and talented cast. Patricia Heaton appeared in a couple movies and landed some guest spots on television series before her breakthrough on "Everybody Loves Raymond," but this is one of the few films in which she stars. Many sitcom actors experience some difficulty transitioning to film, but Heaton has an apparent ease on camera and performs this role quite well, despite the fact that it is so different from her gig as Debra on "Raymond." In fact, any fan of that show who is familiar with Heaton's tough-as-nails, take-no-crap-from-anybody role may be a bit humored to see her in this movie as a character who is bawling over a guy within the first five minutes, but for her it works just fine. Heaton has a definite knack for humor and sarcasm in her acting, which gives her a nice distinction and gives her onscreen success.

"The Goodbye Girl" is a simple, sweet story of a single mother with a wise-beyond-her-years daughter and a reputation for falling for and being dumped by several actor types. As the sweet but undeniably cliched plot continues, another actor enters her life and shows a definite potential to establish a family with Heaton and her child.

There is not a whole lot to the storyline and therefore not much to really comment on in that aspect, but the cast was well chosen and gives the movie a nice touch. Jeff Daniels is a genuinely funny actor with many humorous scenes here, and young child starlet Hallie Kate Eisenberg (remember those infamous Pepsi commercials?) maintains those classic out-of-control curls and river-deep dimples to give a believable portrayal as Patricia Heaton's 10-year-old daughter. Eisenberg has grown quite a bit since doing all those movies as a tiny little girl, but she works very well alongside Heaton and seems to be doing just fine as a preteen star. It is also nice to see Heaton playing such a large part with a child actress. Of course, she played a devoted and loving mother on "Raymond," but in that show we actually don't see her interacting that much with her kids--it is mostly suggestive that she is with them a lot of the time. This movie has her and Eisenberg interacting all the way through, and the fact that they are more like friends than mother and daughter gives them both some good improvisational material to work with.

In short, "The Goodbye Girl" is a movie worth renting or buying if you like the cast and would enjoy seeing a lighthearted and entertaining family story.

I first saw this play at the movie theatre with Richard Dryfus and Marsha Mason. I was really too young to understand it at the time. I do know that I did not need to see it again. The story was not difficult to follow and it was a cute story about a woman scorned by failed relationships with earlier roommate (male actors) and she wanted to change her life for the better.

The remake of the movie was really funny. The script stayed very much on cue with the Richard Dryfus movie. But, I really laughed myself to death on this one. The setting and fashion was more up to date. But I felt that Jeff Daniel played a little less intense a personality than Richard Dryfus. Richard Dryfuss played a little too intense a character. He seemed to be rather rude and self centered, whereas Daniels was more human in my opinion. Especially when the play was being performed. When you see his face in the dressing room after his performance on its opening night! I am laughing as I am writing this, I can still see his expression!

Perhaps being older has made the difference in my viewpoint, but I am so happy to have this movie in my video collections. I am not disappointed, I think it is funny.

Bobbi

I really enjoyed the show. It was a very funny and romanitic movie. The acting was very good and thescript was fine for television. I like Daniel over Dryfuss anyday. It is definetly worth a watch.

This was a complete departure from acting where CHEMISTRY was the key ingredient.

Jeff Daniels and Patricia Heaton were 'bland' at best! All 3 key characters were poor substitutes to execute their character roles.

What once was an ICON in CLASSIC Moive history - was reduced to a hugely unmemorable waste of film RE-making!

No chemistry, No charisma, No Soul and delivered with No HEART - what a HUGE disappointment.

This was film making at it's most BORING!

In my opinion - the TOTAL CHEMISTRY between, Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason and Quinn Cummins WAS a combo TOO good to be replicated - and hey I don't say that about much.

e.g. Sabrina - I luv AudreyH - BUT the Remake - SOOOOO much BETTER without a doubt in my mind!

Stay faithful to the ORIGINAL on this one People!

Not-bad updating of 1977 Neil Simon/Herbert Ross Oscar-winner. Patricia Heaton delivers what critics like to call a "winning" performance as a divorced Broadway gypsy with a young daughter, who keeps falling unluckily in love with self-centered actors. Heaton really conveys her frustrations with life/men, and you really start to feel for her and root for her. Little Hallie Kate Eisenberg, as the daughter, comes off as much more sweeter than Quinn Cummings (whose procociousness in the original film you either loved or hated). Jeff Daniels wisely steers away from channeling Richard Dreyfuss, being more natural and less sitcom-y than his predecessor. The only problem I had with Daniels is his character's performance in the ill-advised "Richard III" production: I thought the point was that Elliot was a very *good* actor, lost in a poorly-directed production. Daniel's Elliot plays Richard III as an extremely broad parody. Heaton and Daniels do make cute couple, and thier romantic moments are very convincing. All in all, a pleasant time-killer of a film, with no point except to compare 1977 NYC to a(much prettier)2004 NYC. It does, however, pose the question: were New York actors so underpaid in 2004 as to not be able to afford a cellphone?

I bought this for my wife. She loves the original movie. she said this one not as good, but the dialog was almost word for word.
she enjoyed.

The original Goodbye Girl movie that stars Richard Dreyfuss and Marsha Mason is a very good movie and I also decided to watch the TNT remake and yes I feel it is true that the original is better and while not everyone in this remake gave good performances I liked Patricia Heaton who I think gave a very good and spirited performance and Hallie Kate Eisenberg was good and while I think that Jeff Daniels is usually a superb actor I got the impression that he just wasn't into the roll he was playing and was bored, but maybe I'm unfairly comparing his performance to the outstanding, highly changed performance by Richard Dreyfuss in the original and really no one could possibly top that! But anyway I still enjoyed this remake and I very highly recommend it along with the original!

Awesome condition of the DVD and Outstanding movie to see. Would recommend to women who think all men are couch potatoes.

It's a nice movie but how anyone in their right mind can give it a 5 star review? 5 stars means better than great movies and this 2004 tv version of Neil Simon's Goodbye Girl it's definetely not a great movie. Jeff Daniels feels as unconfortable in the part as his out of luck actor character feels playing a gay Richard III, and Patricia Heaton its ok but not better than in Everybody loves Raymond. I saw the original movie when I was just a kid in the 70's and enjoy it, seeing it in the 2004 version yesterday on tv, not much has changed, only celulars falling down the stairs so the phone booth must be used. Fine seeing this new version of Goodbye Girl on tv, but nothing to email home about it.

This is a fantastic remake of Neil Simon's "The Goodbye Girl"!!! Patricia Heaton and Jeff Daniels are spectacular! Great flick...just keep the tissue box close by as it's a real tear-jerker!