A Change of Seasons (1980)

Adam Evans (Oscar®-winner Anthony Hopkins) is a middle- aged college professor having a torrid affair with a beautiful young coed (luscious Bo Derek, whose slow-motion hot tub romp with Hopkins remains one of the most erotic scenes of the decade). In retaliation, his wife Karyn (Oscar®-winner Shirley MacLaine) begins sleeping with a sexy young carpenter (Michael Brandon). But when Adam, Karyn and their respective lovers decide to vacation together in their country home, their four-way romantic getaway will test the limits of love, jealousy, family and freedom. Mary Beth Hurt (THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP) co-stars in this offbeat romantic comedy/drama co- written by Erich Segal, the Oscar®-nominated writer of LOVE STORY.

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Do not see this film.

The Plot: Boring college professor Anthony Hopkins cheats on his wife Shirley MacLaine with his student Bo Derek. OK this makes sense.

MacLaine spontaneously enacts revenge by sleeping with the handyman whom she's known for literally 30 seconds.

As if things could not get any worse the FOUR of them decide to spend Christmas together at a ski lodge. Things becomes further complicated when their 20 year old daughter unexpectedly drops in with her fiancée. Now add Derek's father. All SEVEN of these characters sleeping under the same roof is pure hell.

While a plot this wacky sounds like a comedy, it's not! Nothing funny or entertaining happens at all. The opening credit sequence is of Derek in a hot tub is not worth the 90 minutes of pure agony that follows.

I have no idea who the hell thought this or any other "open relationship" movie would be funny but they made the right move by casting Bo Derek. I suspect many others have fallen for this trap. Do not make the same mistake!!! Stay Away!!!
February 20, 2008

GREAT FUN

... This could easily have been a tearjerker(it`s a depressing theme - "a middleaged husband replaces wife with a 20-year-old"), but the story goes comic and Mary Beth Hurt is hilarious as Shirl and Tony`s daughter. This is the only film(with 10)- of the mainstream character - that Bo Derek did in her early career(although as young teenagers - we loved her in the soft-porn Bolero and Ghosts can`t do it hehe.)

It`s good to see how young Anthony Hopkins once was and the film is filled with great acting talent...

The bathtub scene... aaaaaa how I dreamt I could be Tony
Hopkins with Bo... I did even dream that... Since Bo Derek rocketed to fame in 1979-80 we haven`t had the pleasure of a runner-up... It`s a shame she never was given a James Bond-role - but she`s still gorgeous... so who knows? Maybe they`ll come to their senses and cast her one day as a Bond-dame? March 16, 2006

Winter blahs

40ish college professor Adam Evans (Anthony Hopkins) is having a fling with his 20-year old student, Lindsey (Bo Derek). When his wife (Shirley MacLaine) finds out, she doesn't get mad, she gets even, by starting an affair with a carpenter half her age. Rather than being shocked at this, Adam suggests the two May-September couples spend a ski vacation together, which seems to work out just dandy until Adam's daughter and her lover show up unexpectedly.

With this cast, I expected so much better, but the ridiculous script spoils everything. It tries way too hard to be hip and with-it and ever-so-nonchalant about the extra-marital affairs, with non-stop banter that consists entirely of sarcastic one-liners. There are no pauses, just rapid-fire zingers fired off by poker-faced actors who never become real characters. Even with Bo Derek's topless romp in a hot tub, there is nothing even remotely sexy or romantic here, and the word "love" is never mentioned. Hopkins' wonderful voice and subtle facial expressions are wasted, as there are no close-ups of him (or anyone else) and no time to search their faces for anything resembling jealousy, pain, rage, or even pleasure (emotions that are all lacking in the script). I did like MacLaine's understated performance and Bo is breathtakingly beautiful (this movie was made just as "10" came out), but it all comes to nothing. And the theme song that runs throughout the film, "Where Do I Catch the Bus for Tomorrow?" is so hopelessly corny and dated that it's just laughable.

This movie is a curious and disappointing footnote in the careers of Hopkins and MacLaine.

Kona January 25, 2006

This movie is tight!!

This movie can really describe unfaithfulness in a fun way. I give this movie an a plus. I saw it two weeks ago. You would really love a movie like this. Trust me. I love it!! October 9, 2000

Great 70's women's movie.

An interesting movie that reflects how Hollywood was portraying the changing roles and attitudes of women in the 70's. Fun to see Bo Derek and Anthony Hopkins in the hot tub--total 70's. Shirley MacLaine's excellent. August 6, 1999

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