Town & Country (2001)

Released two years later than originally scheduled, Town & Country was plagued by the kind of negative buzz that few movies recover from. Like the infamous Ishtar, this Warren Beatty-led ensemble comedy is ungainly and erratic, but when it's funny it's quite funny, and the involvement of cowriter Buck Henry makes it a lot smarter than most of what passes for wit in postmillennial comedy. An updated sex farce fueled by modern-day foibles, the movie's also an apologetic valentine from notorious womanizers like Beatty, who, as wealthy Manhattan architect Porter Stoddard, is paying the price for his dalliance with a sexy cellist (Nastassja Kinski). While Porter's wife (Diane Keaton) fumes with suspicion, their best friends Mona (Goldie Hawn) and Griffin (Garry Shandling) wage their own marital warfare after Mona spies Griffin with a gorgeous redhead. Mona shouldn't believe what she sees, but she still has cause to worry.

Porter also has a fling with a ski-bunny psycho (Andie MacDowell) with an obsessively protective father (Charlton Heston), and a store clerk (Jenna Elfman) with a thing for Russian literature. It all leads to comedic acts of contrition, but too many gags are strained or flat; lacking knowledge of its troubled history, you'd still think Town & Country was a puzzle with missing pieces. And yet, these veteran stars somehow pull it together just enough to make it work, and with the stammering Shandling as a standout, the movie boasts a few noteworthy highlights. Heston's a riot (believe it or not), and although Town & Country doesn't fire on all pistons, it's got enough horsepower to suggest it could've been a contender. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com

what went wrong

All these actors and all the pretty places they live and the marvelous houses and clothes and cars and interesting careers yet the movie is empty. Maybe you expect more from people when they get past the age of fifty. It could have been fun and flirty and silly without losing all sense of proportion. I wanted to like these people and to care but when Wareen Beatty and Goldi Hawn show up wearing the same clothes they wore thirty years ago and playing the same character they've played before you begin to feel sorry for them. Give me something new besides all the pretty things. What a fun romp this could have been. June 12, 2008

PETER CHELSOM, OPUS 4

***1/2 2001. Directed by British born director Peter Chelsom. The sentimental adventures of two couples after 25 years of marriage. Very funny but one can regret that the slapstick mood of the second part of the film is a little bit too heavy. I preferred a lot the NYC scenes with the family problems of the Stoddard's to the Sun Valley scenes that feature a farcical Charlton Heston and the evanescent because empty character played by Andie MacDowell. Good surprise, though. March 1, 2008

Bad writing makes for a really bad movie

Ok, I've said it more than 1000 times -- what makes a good movie (or TV show) is good writing; therefore bad writing makes for a bad movie. But add a bad actor like Warren Beatty and you have a horrible movie. When I first heard of this flick, I wanted to like it. I accidentally stumbled upon it last night on the Independent Movie Channel and gave it a viewing. What was crazy about it was that as each terrible scene after another happened, I couldn't stop watching this train wreck of a film. I hate to dump on a movie, but this movie was so bad that I just have to! And that's that. Wanna see a train wreck without blood and guts, then here's your chance! Enjoy.... SUCKER! December 19, 2007

Having it all to having to start from stratch

This movie is perfect for the perfect couple. When you figure out that your marrige of 25 years is on the rocks what do you do? Well Ellie nows what to do, try to resolve it. After embarrissing her in front of everyone and everyone knows about his cheating. So they finally get a divorce when Potter finally realizes let he had lost his only true love. So know he has to work on getting it back one step at a time. July 1, 2006

Excellent Adult Comedy

I saw this movie on a flight from Sydney to Los Angeles and loved it. I am surprised it was rated to poorly. I am also surprised that if the cast went to every household that watched the movie in the cinemas and acted out the movie, it would have been cheaper than making the movie. Anyway, I think it is an excellent adult comedy, few of which are made today. It's a good movie if you want a laugh. I particularly like the conversation between Beatty & Shandling during their 'miscommunication' scene. March 19, 2006

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