Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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59 of 60 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gentle romantic comedy with a tasty Jewish flavor, July 23, 2002
"Crossing Delancey," directed by Joan Micklin Silver, tells the story of Isabelle (also known as "Izzy"), a single Jewish woman who lives in New York City and works for a bookstore. Izzy's loving but meddling Bubbie (i.e. grandmother), upset that Izzy is still single, sees a matchmaker about finding Izzy a husband. Izzy soon finds her life complicated by the results of Bubbie's actions."Crossing" is a sweet, gentle, and marvelously funny film. As Izzy, Amy Irving gives a wonderfully likeable and full-bodied performance. She is fun to watch as Izzy navigates her way through awkward social and professional situations. Irving gets terrific support from the rest of the cast, which includes Peter Riegert as a romantic pickle vendor and Jeroen Krabbe as a writer. Sylvia Miles is hilariously over-the-top as the matchmaker, and Reizl Borzyk nearly steals the film as Bubbie. Borzyk has particularly great chemistry with Irving. The film features great New York scenes, and the visuals are full of wonderful details (such as a priceless storefront ad for Kosher wine). The script makes effective use of the ethnic theme. This is a simple story, but told with warmth and intelligence. And the film does ask a serious question: what do you really think is important in a potential life partner? For a great companion film, try "Kissing Jessica Stein," another delightful New York/Jewish romantic comedy.
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54 of 56 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Searching & Finding Meaning in the Middle of Romance, June 16, 2004
"Crossing Delancey" is presumed at first a romance, and it is. Deeper than the romance is a search for meaning. This two-level movie is funny with an undercurrent of a genuine plot stronger than the usual romantic comedy.
Part of the ego-driven, superficial but pretentious New York literary scene, Isabelle Grossman brings together writers and other literati for soirees feting the personalities behind the books.
Isabelle, or Izzy, herself is not a writer, but feels she is important because of the names and numbers in her Rolodex. She works hard and late, only to go home to an empty apartment. Her only love is accommodating the occasional lonely nights of a friend who fights with his wife. She tolerates his affections in what amounts to be no more than a recurring one-night stand.
Although Izzy's emptiness surrounds her, she never notices it, not even when her grandmother has a matchmaker attempt setting her up with Sam, a neighbor bachelor. Unfortunately for Sam, her intentions are set on Anton, a dashing, but caddish author whose books are bestsellers. He only wants her to appease his desires, and has no love for her, but she is blind to his true intentions. She curtly rejects another date with Sam.
With a single romantic signal, Pickleman Sam, the man she pushed away in a matchmaking dinner now effectively woos her heart into confusion. He had noticed her years ago and now happily accepted the chance to be introduced by the matchmaker. When he tells her this, a spark is lit. He isn't the suave author she begs for, and his lifestyle is more simple than those whose books are reviewed in the New York Times. She fumbles opportunity after opportunity to connect with Sam, but he is patient.
Anton makes advances that are alluring to Izzy as her heart tries to reconcile her fondness for Sam. This conflict causes Izzy to ask the important questions about integrity, meaning and happiness.
With the light, but poignant backdrop of her Jewish family and friends, this romance makes statements both serious and comedic. Outside of the periodic stereotyping of Jewish grandmothers, it works.
I fully recommend "Crossing Delancey."
Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com
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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Treat For All Ages., February 9, 2002
I fell in love with this wonderful movie when I originally saw it in the theatre, and my daughter has loved it from the age of 3. .............. Isabelle (Amy Irving) is a nice Jewish girl, but STILL unbearably single in the eyes of her Bubba, played by a loveable Reizl Boyzk. Bubba can't understand why Isabelle is content with being single and living in a "cage" of an apartment. She enlists the help of a hilariously over the top matchmaker played by Andy Warhol veteran Sylvia Miles, to find "Izzy's" ideal mate. .............. From there, Izzy, as bubba calls her, hesitantly accepts a meeting with Pickle stand owner Sam Posner. Sam is a charmingly likeable and attractive man, played by the wonderful, and rarely seen Peter Reigert ("Animal House", "Oscar" and Seinfeld's last episode). Over lunch at Bubbas, Isabelle ALMOST accepts the date, you can tell part of her sees that Sam IS special. However, she just can't get past her snobbish ideals to see past his "provincial" lifestyle and career to appreciate a man who is unpretentious and genuine. ............... After being used enough times by a good for nothing married boyfriend, then fixing up a less attractive friend with Sam, and finding herself extremely jealous, she begins to change her mind. The final shove to reality comes in the form of a phony womanizing french writer in town who Izzy idealizes, and gets used again. It is then that she finally opens her eyes and sees that Sam is as bubba would say, "good as gold". ............... This is one of the greatest love stories ever lensed, although it doesn't carry the same cache that many similar love stories such as "Moonstruck" do. Certainly not because it is undeserving of the status, but that's just Hollywood. The stars are not the big names, so less recognition here. This film is superior in my opinion though. It's got a special magic from the ethnicity, the well drawn characters, and the wonderful lower Manhattan setting where we get many wonderful shots of landmarks like the Williamsburg Bridge. Bubba has a great view of it from her project apartments terrace. ................ If you're looking for a movie that will make you feel good, or a romantic film to watch with the one you love, cross over to this side of filmaking. This is an unusually fresh and clean romantic tale, devoid of sex to tell it's love story. It's like a throwback to a more innocent time in filmaking like all the Rock Hudson/Doris Day features, and other comedy/romance films of the past. This film retains that magic while still being updated and modern without losing the old fashioned charm it offers in abundance. For this reason, as I said before, it is also a great viewing pleasure for the entire family as well. A rarity in modern filmaking.
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