Modern Romance (1981, dir. Albert Brooks)

Modern Romance (1981, dir. Albert Brooks)

What Is It?: A romantic comedy about a neurotic film editor and the poor woman he tortures with his massive insecurities.

What About It?: The Lost Classic supposes that one either "gets" Albert Brooks or one doesn't. As he's more of an acquired taste than Woody can get stuck in folks' craw. We think he was pretty funny in his day, and Modern Romance is a fine example of a free-form comedy made in the wake of Annie Hall. Super Dave Osborne (aka Bob Einstein) and director James L. Brooks have very funny cameos as a shoe salesman and a hack film director respectively.

Why Should I See It?: It's very funny. The Super Dave scene wherein he's a pushy shoe salesman is worth the price of admission alone. Brooks taking a quaalude while in the throes of his self-imposed break-up is doubly so.

What Else Is It Like?: Annie Hall, Walking and Talking, Barcelona.

Reserve it at the Multnomah County Library.

--ddt/pdx