Hal Ashby's 70s movies are fantastic films with quirky characters and oddball plots. I had always read he lost it in the 80s and died somewhat young due to drug abuse. This film was shot in 1979 but not released until 1981 and then only in limited release. The critics were not kind and it was forgotten. And deservedly so. Why? Ashby had made losers lovable in his previous films but Robert Blake can't pull it off. Far too broad for Ashby's low key approach. Barbra Harris does a bit better but talks non-stop. Scenes drag on and on. I lost what plot there was in the dialogue (who's funeral were they at at one point?). Unlikable and going nowhere. Plus, Blake draws the ire of some Mexican-Americans he accuses of trying to run him over, not sure if this is supposed to be funny. Worse, there seems to be an incident of child molestation here that is mentioned and then forgotten since the boy in question doesn't talk and can't tell anyone about it and seems no worse for ware afterwards. Why is that scene even there for? Ick.
Review of Second-Hand Hearts
