Product Description

Phil Potter (Reynolds) is a low-key, contented magazine writer who tries to put his life back together after his wife (Bergen) opts for independence as a singer-songwriter. Wacky nursery school teacher (Clayburgh) tries to help him surmount the emotional hurdles, but it's rough as he's still hung up on his ex-wife.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35521 in DVD
• Brand: Paramount
• Released on: 2005-06-21
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 105 minutes

Amazon.com
Until Boogie Nights, this film had stood for almost two decades as the best performance Burt Reynolds had ever given. In a criminal oversight, he was denied an Oscar nomination, perhaps because it came in the middle of his action-movie winning streak. Directed by Alan Pakula from a script by James L. Brooks, the film cast Reynolds as a newly divorced man struggling to cope with single life in the city. But a blind date (initially misconstrued by the woman as a mugging) leads to renewed hope in romance when he and his new lady friend (Jill Clayburgh) actually seem right for each other. But before he can make a commitment, his flighty ex-wife (Candice Bergen) bounces back into his life to make him miserable all over again with her flirtatious indecisiveness. Wonderfully acted and observed; a highpoint is Bergen's attempt (as the world's least talented singer-songwriter) to seduce Reynolds with one of her off-key tunes. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews

Burt Reynolds' personal favorite film role
I first saw "Starting Over" in the theatre when it first came out in the fall of 1979 and then many years later on home video and I still find it enjoyable. It was directed by the late, great Alan J. Pakula("All The President's Men" from 1976,"Sophie's Choice" from 1982)and the screenplay was written by James L.Brooks(one of the writers on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in the '70's,"Terms of Endearment" from 1983,"Broadcast News" from 1987, "As Good As It Gets" from 1997), and starred Jill Clayburgh and Candice Bergen and the underrated Burt Reynolds.Ms. Clayburgh was nominated for Best Actress for her role as the school teacher looking for love,(Sally Field won for "Norma Rae").Ms. Bergen was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in her role as the aspiring songwriter(Meryl Streep won for "Kramer vs. Kramer").Burt Reynolds wasn't even nominated for his role as Phil Potter.He was a superstar at the time and the No.1 box office attraction in America and it seems he was snubbed by the Academy.It was too bad because after all he was the lead role in the picture as the just divorced man who was starting over in a new life.The Academy did finally give him a nomination nearly 20 years later in 1997 for his fine performance in "Boogie Nights",(Robin Williams won for "Good Will Hunting").At least the Academy finally recognized his work.

"Starting Over" features funny supporting roles for Charles Durning as Phil Potter's older psychiatrist brother and Frances Sternhagen as his sister Marva Potter.The movie has many funny moments,like when Candice Bergen,as Phil's ex-wife breaks out in song and Phil's reaction to this musical moment.Burt Reynolds has said in interviews that Phil Potter in "Starting Over" was his personal favorite film role.I can see why.

A cult classic
This is one of the great cult classic romantic comedies, right up there with "The Heartbreak Kid." The writing by James Brooks is, as always, smart, dry, and very funny; and Alan J. Pakula gets great performances from everyone in the amazing cast. (I've always thought Charles Durning is one America's best character actors.) I have to disagree with one of the other reviewers who thought Jill Clayburgh was miscast. Her performance is charming and droll, a perfect match for Burt Reynolds, who gives a great performance that works particularly well because he's playing against type -- a macho star who gets big laughs when, during a love scene with Clayburgh where she's groning happily, says "I'm not that good."

I have only one complaint about this film -- it's not available on DVD, and I can't figure out why. Wake up, Paramount!

Burt's finest performance
Burt Reynolds was probably the most popular film star in the world when he made this often-overlooked movie. In a daring departure from his highly likable "bad boy" movie roles (e.g., "Smokey and the Bandit," "Hooper"), "Starting Over" gave Reynolds the opportunity to prove beyond all doubt that he was an actor, not just a star. He's funny, sad, touching, vulnerable - all these things rolled into one. His co-stars (Jill Clayburgh, Candace Bergen) are great, too, and justifiably earned Oscar nominations for their performances. Unfortunately Academy voters inexplicably overlooked Burt during the nominations, which just shows how ludicrous the Oscars can be. Burt easily gave one of the best performances of the year - and of his career.