Memories of Me

Okay, the movie really isn't that good but it really does make me wail like a newborn. It's the whole father/son relationship thing that works in this film. I'm not a big fan of Billy Crystal but he's okay in this. Alan King is the real star and he shines pretty bright. Give it a chance.

Billy Crystal co-wrote, co-produced and stars in this extremely safe and comfy comedy-drama about fathers and sons, adult irresponsibility, and growing older. Billy plays a heart surgeon who has a heart attack (ha ha) which causes him to seek out his estranged father (played by Alan King), a movie-extra who fancies himself a big star. The screenplay is sub-Neil Simon--with one-liners galore--while Henry Winkler delivers a flat, inexpressive direction (he's stuck in sitcom mode). Crystal and King try their best, but overeager King is frequently over-the-top. JoBeth Williams has another one of her thankless roles, but manages to bring her innate, down-home class to the proverbial girlfriend character. It's a comedy, I guess, but one that blinks back the tears...shamefully. ** from ****

It's hard to understand, sometimes, what can go wrong in the relationship between a father and son, when no physical abuse is involved. We know these situations do exist, as it the case presented by this movie that tries hard to presents a situation about the distancing between a son and his father, two people that are much alike.

Billy Crystal, working on the screen play with Eric Roth, try to make us like this story. As directed by Henry Winkler, this dramatic comedy doesn't add anything that one hasn't already seen already. In fact, most of it kept reminding us the work of Neil Simon with all its one liners and glibness.

"Memories of Me" makes a point to salute those unknown people working behind the stars because Abe, the father of this story is a struggling extra in Hollywood. The movie capitalizes on the star turn by Alan King, who plays the father. Billy Crystal underplays the son. Jobeth Williams also appears.

Mr. Winkler has gone for the sentimentality and the result is a film that doesn't go anywhere.

Really a good inside look at Hollywood and the movie making machine that it is today. Why do they not show it on TV or any other outlet, I found it well.,.......well just great. Best kept secret flick RussJFK loves it! You just get a good look at this film and the back-door of Hollywood. What the extras go through on a day to day basis on the set. I was one of them many years ago back in 1987 in LAX. Worked on a lot of films, enjoyed sitting on "the set" while we filmed. Every time I looked into the camera, I felt at home. I missed Dallas, Texas at the time and I was all the way in LA. But I found solace when I saw the camera, filming me, I knew that that was a portal back to my home in Texas and other homes across the country. I felt at home in front of the camera? Anyway, I loved this movie and wish I could find it on DVD for my collection, one of those good Saturday afternoon movies!!

Abbie (Billy Crystal) is a surgeon who just had a heart attack. On his on again off again girlfriend Lisa (JoBeth Williams)'s insistence, he visits his estranged father Abe (Alan King). Abe is a failed actor/extra who is slowly suffering from dementia.

Henry Winkler directs this movie. He doesn't really have any vision or style. All he does is just turn on the camera and let the actors go. And that's what Alan King does. He's manic. He's powerful. Billy Crystal is playing the angry young man trying to reconnect with his crazy father.

The pace is slow and cumbersome. The jokes come fast and deliver flat. Everybody is grumpy. I hoped the movie to be better. I'm pulling for them. But Crystal is just too grumpy.

The stuff about being an extra just doesn't ring true. It may seem right if you don't think about it. But if an extra keeps causing trouble, he'd be quickly kicked off the set.