21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Come to Terms!, April 27, 2001
Another film that made me cry! If you've read my reviews on KRAMER VS. KRAMER and RAIN MAN, then you know my story. But, yes, it's happened again! Another Best Picture Oscar-winner has allowed me to shed my tears freely and openly.
Based on the novel by Larry McMurtry (Lonesome Dove, The Last Picture Show), TERMS OF ENDEARMENT is a "family" film that deals with a 30-year relationship between a flighty mother and her headstrong daughter, played to perfection by Shirley MacLaine as Aurora Greenway, and Debra Winger as her daughter Emma Horton. The film begins by establishing the relatonship between the neurotic Aurora with her young daughter.
It makes you laugh and it makes you cry! Either way, the film deserves its kudos. Created by future SIMPSONS producer James L. Brooks, we see the emotional turmoil that both Aurora and Emma face in their love lives.
The cast consists of: Jack Nicholson, as Aurora's zany cosmonaut boyfriend Garrett Breedlove (a role originally intended for Burt Reynolds [YIKES!]), Jeff Daniels as Emma's philandering husband Flap Horton, John Lithgow as Emma's lover Sam Burns, and Danny DeVito, in a delightful cameo, as Vernon Dahlart.
After a while, though, the film does tend to drift a bit. You have to be patient considering that the final climax, in which Emma loses her fight with cancer, is the blow that sent me (and possibly millions of other viewers) into tears. Watch Aurora's face; watch Emma's, and you'll know exactly what they're saying without them even saying a word. Simply devastating!
Winner of 5 Academy Awards including: three for director Brooks for Best Picture (as producer), Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay; Best Actress - Shirley MacLaine (also nominated against costar Debra Winger); and Best Supporting Actor - Jack Nicholson (nominated against costar John Lithgow).
All in all, in a year (1983) where TERMS was up against THE RIGHT STUFF, THE BIG CHILL, THE DRESSER, SILKWOOD, EDUCATING RITA, and FANNY AND ALEXANDER, TERMS OF ENDEARMENT proved that even a "soap opera" film can be the best! So true.
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24 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
PREPARE TO CRY, December 20, 1999
James Brooks, who of late gave us AS GOOD AS IT GETS, has an uncanny way of sketching characters that are believable, and completely winning, despite their many foibles. TERMS is filled with such people, and is so deft at winning your affections that it is virtually impossible not to feel that lump in your throat -- if not tears rolling down your cheek -- as it makes its way to its manipulative but moving nonetheless finale. Each performer works to his/her potential, and the supposed fireworks between Debra Winger (who inhabits her role so intensely she IS Emma) and Shirley MacLaine -- who won an Oscar -- works perfectly on screen. Jeff Daniels pulls off a neat trick, and manages to be both reprehensible as Emma's multi-flawed husband, but also engenders your sympathy vote as the movie wears on. Jack Nicholson (also Oscar winner) and MacLaine combatively explore one of the funniest romances ever; the screenplay's distinctive sense of humor adds much charm and much needed comic relief from the increasingly depressing proceedings. Michael Gore's already-classic theme music can still inspire tears and resound with humanity. This movie feels absolutely commercial, and twists your heart in way that few movies do -- we are talking majorly sad sad sad -- AS BAD AS IT GETS, so to speak. Yet, in the final moments, Brooks does give the movie a sweet and surprising lift, and nearly promises hope to these characters, most of whom we have grown to love.
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14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Funny,sad,intense,just like real life.A classic., August 15, 2000
I first saw "Terms of Endearment" in the theatre when it first came out at Christmas 1983 and thought it was an excellent picture. Then,saw it several years later on home video and I still think so. I even gave a copy of the video to my sister for a birthday present(along with some other of her favorite movies). A lot of the credit should go to James L. Brooks who was the writer and director.Mr. Brooks was a writer on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" in the '70's and wrote the enjoyable movie "Starting Over" in 1979.
Shirley MacLaine stars as Aurora and Debra Winger is her daughter Emma and the story is about their relationship over many years.The two leads both gave fabulous performances. Ms.MacLaine won the Academy Award for Best Actress(her one and only win) and Ms. Winger was nominated.Jack Nicholson gave a very funny,likable performance as the former astronaut who lives next door to Aurora. Nicholson won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for this role(a role that Burt Reynolds turned down due to a prior commitment.Reynolds regretted it later because the movie he turned the role down for turned out to be a flop).Actors John Lithgow and a then unknown Jeff Daniels also give good performances in supporting roles.
However, the real kudos go to James L.Brooks who won the Academy Award for Best Screenplay Adaptation(from the novel by Larry McMurtry)and for Best Director,very impressive since this was his directorial debut.And,it also won Best Picture of the year.The story has many funny moments,sad moments,and intense moments,just like in real life.Mr.Brooks went on to write and direct "Broadcast News" in 1987 and "As Good As It Gets" in 1997 which were both very good pictures also.There was a sequel to "Terms of Endearment" some 16 years later in 1996 called "The Evening Star" with Ms.MacLaine and Mr. Nicholson but with a different writer and director."The Evening Star" was no classic but "Terms of Endearment" truly is.
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