Lost in America

Mild chucklefest about a bored ad exec approaching 40 who talks his wife into abandoning their jobs for life on the road. Your typical Albert Brooks offering, which of course, is not for all tastes. Some can take to his light style of humor like addicts to coke, while others will scream how mediocre this film is to be held up as an example at screen-writing classes.

Most of Brooks' humor in his films come from his characters being utterly flummoxed by life or his grinny observations about everyday people. You get that usual array here, but unlike some of his other efforts, this Brooks screenplay seemed oddly malnourished. He gets caught up in this whole "Easy Rider" nonsense and places the film's more humorous and intriguing moments at the front. The business with Hagerty and the casino happens so quickly, that it a) uses the best device too fast, and b) seems too out of character for her. Brooks needed more time spent on the road meeting goofy locals and emptying his RV's chemical toilet that would eventually prompt Hagerty to do what she does early. And therein lies the film's bigger problem: they only really have one predicament. Once they hit their financial nadir, they look for jobs, work them for one day, and the film ends with a cop-out minutes later.

Sorry to forward-project, but I was a GREAT admirer of Brooks' "Defending Your Life". It had his usual breezy, near lulling atmosphere on display, but with the life-after-death exploration as a great backdrop, that filmed worked better. "Lost in America" just sort of coasts along with random vignettes before breaking down at the side of the road.

Despite having lived through the 80's and seeing practically every good 80's movie ever made, I only saw Lost in America for the first time last night, and... I don't get it.

It's not actually a comedy, and it's definitely not slapstick/farcical, but it keeps using those elements in weird ways. It's obviously meant be a reality-based movie with characters tackling realistic situations in hopefully humorous ways.

But at key moments they force the characters to act in completely and utterly over-the-top ways to move the plot along. It's disconcerting, because nothing about the previous "reasoned and realistic" depictions of those characters would lead you to believe they would or even could act that way, and nothing that's happened to them up to that point would explain such a major shift.

If it was a farcical comedy, that would be fine... but it's not. So it just kind of ends up being mediocre and occasionally annoying.

Lost In America is one of those movies that I always meant to see, but never remembered to rent. A few weeks ago, I finally got a chance to see it, and I loved it.

Albert Brooks and Julie Hagerty are perfect as the classic yuppie couple that decide to set out on the open road after a series of strange circumstances. Brooks' rave-out on his boss at the beginning of the film is priceless, as is his interaction with the unemployment office worker in the midwest... "I'll just check my $100,000 a year job file." Brooks is also great when he tries to reason with the casino owner, and arguing with Hagerty over her inability to use the words "nest" and "egg". "From now on, birds live in ROUND STICKS!!!, for breakfast, you will have THINGS over easy!!!!"

Most of the best dialogue and scenes are delivered from Brooks, but Hagerty is quite good as well, as the timid wife whos honest, yet HUGE blunder sets the tone for the rest of the film.

My only complaint is that it seemed about a half hour too short. When they decide to return to New York, I would've allowed one more wacky situation on the way back home, but it was not to be. It left me feeling that the ending was a bit rushed. But this is a minor complaint from a great film that deserves to be seen over and over.

David Howard (played by Albert Brooks) and his wife, Linda Howard (played by Julie Hagerty) have the good life and everything that goes with it and are just about to move into their California dream house. However, they begin to wonder if their lives have become too responsible and controlled. Escape for them presents itself when David doesn't get the long awaited corporate promotion to senior vice president and he quits his job- or is fired, you be the judge. David then convinces his wife that "they have been on the road to no where- you know the road," and she quits her job. Now they're free to head for open spaces and purse their dream to "just touch Indians."

Quickly they sell everything and escape from yuppiedom with their "nest egg" intact. They. get the motor runnin'. in their new motor home and. head out on the highway. a la Easy Rider. At that moment life is wonderful and toasted cheese never tasted better. One quick stop in Las Vegas and they will be on their way to touch Indians. But in less time than it takes to say "22", their "nest egg" is depleted, their marriage in peril, and they are hopelessly lost in America.

Not to fear, while temporarily lost they rediscover their love for each other, get a good dose of small town life, and decide to rejoin the "rat race".

"Lost in America" should strike a chord with especially those that saw "Easy Rider" and repressed the impulse to drop out of society. Great, great, writing by Albert Brooks and Monica Johnson. Brooks and Hagerty are successful in creating the same type of zany marital chemistry and intensity which existed in "I Love Lucy", "The Honeymooners", and "All in the Family". This movie is great therapy!

Who said Albert Brooks is an acquired taste? After watching "The Muse," which until this day remains the FUNNIEST comedy I've ever seen, I've been curious about Brooks's work. Since this had its place on the AFI's funniest comedies of all time, I decided I'd check it out.

Though I didn't feel this was quite as funny as "The Muse," Brooks delivers his trademark sarcastic comic gags. It's hilarious to watch Brooks, a yuppie businessman who just quit his job, try to apply for a job among the lower class. Asking if there are any "executive positions."

Brooks has the best timing among all the comic actors. His style of delivering his brilliantly sarcastic dialogue is impeccable and almost never fails to crack me up! Brooks's movies are not only funny, but they're well-written. Lots of the time comedies move on the sheer energy of the cast. In his films, the writing alone is energized enough and the cast adds to that energy. Brooks and Julie Hagerty have an incredible chemistry, and their conflicts are absolutely hysterical. "From now on, you will never be allowed to use the words 'nest' or 'egg' ever again!" That's a line I will always remember. Brooks has that memorable, unique style of writing that I'm sure comedy writers everywhere will either acknowledge thoroughly or try to imitate (unsuccessfully, of course).

One thing I just cannot understand is the R-rating. Brooks, being one of the few tasteful, intelligent comedy writers in the biz, rarely uses profanity in his movies. Only twice do we hear the "f" word, and for the right reasons (He was angry at his boss for God's sake!). I'm well-aware that the PG-13 rating wasn't invented when the movie came out, but "Sixteen Candles" used the "f" word twice and got away with a PG, as well as a shower scene involving a female and a notorious close-up of her breasts. Don't expect anything filthy in this movie, because of the stupidly-awarded R-rating. Brooks doesn't sink that low.

For all those who appreciate good, intelligent humor--an escape from cheap slapstick and gross-out gags. Not that I don't appreciate that type of humor ever, but this is REALLY what comedy is all about!

My score: 7 (out of 10)