When a pair of bank robbers kidnap Nick and force him to rob a bank, he makes his way to the home of his ex-wife, Glenda, to get help and proclaim his innocence. The problem is, Glenda’s new husband, Ira, is a district attorney and law enforcement is on the lookout for Nick, whose face was seen on the bank’s security camera. Glenda has to try and convince Nick to turn himself in, while keeping Nick’s presence at their home a secret from her husband, Ira.
Seems Like Old Times, written by Neil Simon, is a clear homage to the screwball comedies of the 30s and 40s. For the most part, I think he succeeded. Goldie Hawn is perfect as Glenda, the public defense attorney stuck between her immature, unpredictable ex-husband and her sophisticated, wealthy new one. She has a lucent presence on screen that is hard to deny, and she was my favorite part of this movie.
Chevy Chase was, well, Chevy Chase. Great comedic timing, pratfalls included. He and Hawn are feeling fun and funny together, and no matter how ridiculous the scenarios got, I still found myself laughing. I haven’t seen Charles Grodin in much, but I thought he did a fine job going toe to toe with Hawn and Chase, even if he didn’t have a particularly flashy role.
Is it okay to mention how much I loved all of the dogs that Glenda and Ira owned? Glenda was clearly a character that loved helping people, and animals, and the dogs provided some of the best gags just by being present.
It took me a while to sit down and really write down my thoughts on this movie, because, simply put, I liked it. It wasn’t the best film I’ve ever seen, but it wasn’t the worst either. I think the movie works because of its cast, and there’s honestly not much here to dissect. It would work really well as a play (which makes sense as Simon is also a playwright). To be honest, I thought it was a play at first, based on how the movie was set up and the simplicity of the sets and situations.
Seems Like Old Times is, at its core, a slapstick comedy with more minor elements of romance. The focus seems to be more on the laughs than the actual characters, so their development is thin. Even so, there is a lot to like in this movie, especially if you just want something light and silly to watch.
