This is the type a film that I wish I had reviewed when I first had the chance, having tried to get through this years ago and watching it again about 10 years ago yet not filing my thoughts at that point. Having to attempt to watch this again is a miserable experience, one of my least favorite of Blake Edwards and Burt Reynolds films, one that does Julie no damage but one she could have done in her sleep. Edwards beat us over the head with the sensitivity of the Burt Reynolds character, or his supposed sensitivity, presented in a manner that after a while he comes grating and makes his character all the more dislikeable. As a valentine to women, it serves no purpose other than to put them on a pedestal which has been ripped down in the 40 years since this was first released by how society has changed.
Burt's films are hit and miss to me, with many underrated sleepers cropping up that are surprisingly well worth seeing. The film starts off with his character's funeral, and we're supposed to be convinced that he's some kind of saint that every woman loved regardless of whether or not they got him to the altar or kept him under their thumb for more than just a few days. Flashbacks give us Julie Andrews as his therapist, and basically she narrates the film throw her relationship with Burt as a client. Unrealistic from there because a therapist of any nature would respect the client confidentiality agreement, and nothing would be said outside of the theft of a locked up file involving his case.
His is a sad case too, because the more he talks the more narcissistic he becomes even if his character doesn't have it written all over his face. He's one of those people that tries to come off as a mister nice guy, but every conversation he has ends up being about him. The film is maudlin and poorly written and certainly not without an agenda, and any effort it tries to manipulate the viewer will expose it for those disappointing aspects. Kim Basinger, Jennifer Edwards and Marilu Henner are among the other women in Burt's life, and after a while, I began to feel why would anyone care? I noticed a similarity between this and a Burt look-alike on an episode of "Designing Women" where the flashy ladies man revealed over sensitivity towards the needs of women that it seemed was directed as a slap at this. Edwards followed up "Victor/Victoria" with this and a few other disappointing films, movies I found very hard to make it through. This is by far one of his worst films.
Burt's films are hit and miss to me, with many underrated sleepers cropping up that are surprisingly well worth seeing. The film starts off with his character's funeral, and we're supposed to be convinced that he's some kind of saint that every woman loved regardless of whether or not they got him to the altar or kept him under their thumb for more than just a few days. Flashbacks give us Julie Andrews as his therapist, and basically she narrates the film throw her relationship with Burt as a client. Unrealistic from there because a therapist of any nature would respect the client confidentiality agreement, and nothing would be said outside of the theft of a locked up file involving his case.
His is a sad case too, because the more he talks the more narcissistic he becomes even if his character doesn't have it written all over his face. He's one of those people that tries to come off as a mister nice guy, but every conversation he has ends up being about him. The film is maudlin and poorly written and certainly not without an agenda, and any effort it tries to manipulate the viewer will expose it for those disappointing aspects. Kim Basinger, Jennifer Edwards and Marilu Henner are among the other women in Burt's life, and after a while, I began to feel why would anyone care? I noticed a similarity between this and a Burt look-alike on an episode of "Designing Women" where the flashy ladies man revealed over sensitivity towards the needs of women that it seemed was directed as a slap at this. Edwards followed up "Victor/Victoria" with this and a few other disappointing films, movies I found very hard to make it through. This is by far one of his worst films.