bk753

...so if you LIKE Hallmark movies, then this is right up your alley, and if you want, or expect something more, then you should look elsewhere. I watched with my wife, and we kept pausing to mention all the dopey things we saw throughout the film. Believe me when I tell you, we guessed the final resolution of the movie at about the 20 minute mark, and we were right. So if you're looking for something noteworthy, more involved, or with any level of depth, this isn't for you. It's 1:45 of sappy fluff, and it's not terribly well acted. But again, if you enjoy cheesy rom-coms whose plot you have seen numerous times already, you'll probably like this. And there IS some lovely scenery. Not a total waste of time, but definitely for a targeted market, and not one that I am generally in.

I don't know if my problem is that this movie didn't age well, or that the story is just thin to begin with, but after seeing all the "10" reviews from professional critics, I assume I just expected more. Absolutely true that the acting, especially Nicholson, is very good, but also absolutely true that the story is sparse, and the characters are people we really don't care much about. I'm sure when it came out in 1973, this film was shocking, and unique, but by 2025, it has lost a lot of its luster. It has value as a "character study," but not so much as "entertainment." I kept waiting for more to happen, for. Meadows to try harder for a more lucid escape (he had plenty of opportunities), but it never happened. Way too much time spent on insignificant things, like the stop in Camden to visit a mother who wasn't home, or the bathroom fight in Penn Station, etc.. I didn't hate it, but I can't help feeling that viewed today, the best word I can use for it is "overrated." Hard to recommend, but not a total waste of time. Meh.

...then maybe don't say anything at all? But I have 600 characters, so here's the "nice." The supporting cast (Amy Acker, Tony Hale, Jeremy Sisto) is mostly solid. That's about it for me.

The movie is painfully slow, and Wes Cunningham's Thomas is such an unlikable malcontent that hanging the movie on feeling for him or the mediocre music he makes is a tough sell. I know this is essentially Cunningham's true story, so I feel bad being harsh... I wish him the best, but not everybody's life translates into a feature film. I'm a 3.5, rounded up to a 4, because it's brave to put yourself out there like that... but there are so many "struggling or disillusioned" musician movies to watch... and most are considerably better than this. Do yourself a favor and go find one.