I would give it a 7.5 out of 10.
There is so much not to like about this movie - Susan Sarandon overdoes the cool mom bit, they use each others' names all the time, Dustin Hoffman shuffles about like Rainman in several scenes, the love story is rather improbable, the ending too perfectly happy happy, Jake tends to have one expression through the whole movie and you don't realise it is in the 70's until they start talking about Vietnam. It also bothered me for some reason that Jake wore the same pants throughout.
BUT I loved it loved it loved it. It is funny, sad, happy and has so many great actors in it (plus animals). The soundtrack is fantastic. Jake has the funny scene at the table and the serious scene in court - must have been a dream role to play. Jake has really been good about varying his roles which must be hard when you fit the stereotypical young hunk role. I think the dancing scene and the love scene are absolutely beautiful and show affection and the need for affection more than sex which is rare - the music is perfectly matched to both these scenes. I am glad they chose a plainer, quirkier leading lady - Ellen Pompeo does it amazingly well (though watching her in Grey's she always seems to play the same character). She is 11 years older than Jake though and he seemed like a teenager in the movie so I was confused as to whether she was supposed to be so much older in the movie.
It is not the best movie I have ever seen but it was way way better than I thought it would be and I was surprised that it sank without a trace at the time.
There is so much not to like about this movie - Susan Sarandon overdoes the cool mom bit, they use each others' names all the time, Dustin Hoffman shuffles about like Rainman in several scenes, the love story is rather improbable, the ending too perfectly happy happy, Jake tends to have one expression through the whole movie and you don't realise it is in the 70's until they start talking about Vietnam. It also bothered me for some reason that Jake wore the same pants throughout.
BUT I loved it loved it loved it. It is funny, sad, happy and has so many great actors in it (plus animals). The soundtrack is fantastic. Jake has the funny scene at the table and the serious scene in court - must have been a dream role to play. Jake has really been good about varying his roles which must be hard when you fit the stereotypical young hunk role. I think the dancing scene and the love scene are absolutely beautiful and show affection and the need for affection more than sex which is rare - the music is perfectly matched to both these scenes. I am glad they chose a plainer, quirkier leading lady - Ellen Pompeo does it amazingly well (though watching her in Grey's she always seems to play the same character). She is 11 years older than Jake though and he seemed like a teenager in the movie so I was confused as to whether she was supposed to be so much older in the movie.
It is not the best movie I have ever seen but it was way way better than I thought it would be and I was surprised that it sank without a trace at the time.