Michael Neumann
Paul Mazursky's southern California update of Jean Renoir's 1932 comedy 'Boudo Saved From Drowning' stars Nick Nolte as a skid row derelict rescued from attempting suicide in the backyard swimming pool of upscale executive Richard Dreyfuss. Installed quite suddenly in the lap of luxury, Nolte begins exerting unusual influence over his benefactors, but the ambiguity of the character and his intentions is needlessly destroyed in the final scenes. Mazursky is on familiar ground for most of the movie, as always at his best when mocking the lifestyles of the rich and trendy, but it's a shame that he felt compelled to combine scenes of near sublime social satire with indiscriminate numbskull farce. Someone should have told him that seeing people fall fully clothed into a swimming pool (as most of the cast is required to do at the film's climax) is only funny when you're there to witness it firsthand.
3DeeP
I watched this flick some days ago, expecting a rather funny movie, since my TV guide called it a comedy. After I finished watching it, I tried to recall how many times it managed to get me laughing. Very few, I realized. After skipping through some of the reviews on this page, I wondered why so many people thought this movie was funny at all. To me, it was more social satire than comedy; bored, rich and neurotic white people trying to spice up their lives and a bum impersonating everyone they want him to be, helping and using his hosts at the same time.The script tries hard, but fails to produce many laughs, and the cheesy ending scene destroyed it all, wasting a potentially great cast. If you're interested in rich Beverly Hills residents' problems, you may take a look, but if you're searching for some good laughs, you're going to be very disappointed.
ratnazafu
One of the charms of Down and Out is it's "dated" quality. Paul Mazursky has a great talent for capturing an era in popular culture and some of his movies, such as Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice are incredible historical records of their times as well as durable entertainment. Down and Out jump-started Richard Dreyfuss' flagging career, as well as Bette Midler's as a movie actress and Little Richard as a popular singer. This is something modern audiences probably don't know, just a historical side note. Nick Nolte prepared for the part by actually living on the street and not bathing for a month. An actor who takes his parts seriously.Another fun quality of Mazursky's films is that he puts his friends and family into his movies. Don Muhich, the dog psychiatrist, was Paul's psychotherapist in the '70s and has that role in two other Mazursky movies (B&C&T&A and Blume in Love)
caa821
Still funny upon seeing it the second time - 20 years after its first-run viewing. Every character is likable - Nolte, Dreyfuss and Midler in the starring roles, and every one of the primary co-star and the supporting cast.Nolte is an outstanding actor, and this role and his harder-edged character in the great "North Dallas Forty," are among his very best. Many actors exhibit far different personalities off-screen than "on" ( e.g. Nicholson), or are downright goofy in real life (Cruise, Jolle, Affleck/Lopez, etc.). But I've never seen any whom I wish might be more like his on-screen persona than Nolte. The guy has charisma, believability, and is completely likable in every role.Here, he staggers, pretty much literally, homeless, into the mansion of a Beverly Hills wealthy family as dysfunctional (although pleasantly so) as any on the planet.Of course, his presence and "counsel" take care of all their neuroses - bringing a relaxed enjoyment of life to Dreyfuss, a reawakening of sexual delight in Midler, enjoyment (and relief from anorexia/bulimia) to the winsome daughter, direction to the frustrated adolescent son, happiness to the sexy Latino maid, and effecting a change in the family pooch to where he can now enjoy the pleasant life of a contented, happy pet.The diversions and hi-jinks in the story are also pleasant - often these necessary components of a film can detract - and the equally necessary closing events lead to a pleasant rapprochement and a happy ending.An excellent, "feel good" viewing experience.
AD
