Just perfect...

As Good As It Gets

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

When it appeared in movie theaters around 1971, I went to see "Friends" many times. Apparently, the music and the movie had their impact on me because when I got married in 1973, my wife-to-be and I used "Michelle's theme" (Cast a pebble on the water...) for our wedding music along with "None but the Lonely Hearts" by Tchaikovsky! Later, I saw the sequel "Paul and Michelle" which was also quite good if not a bit sad at the end. But "Friends" is sad at the end, too.Now I am 63 years old and came across "Friends" on Amazon and bought it in streaming video. (The sequel is available on DVD region 0 so it plays on any DVD Player...just Google "Paul and Michelle" DVD). "Friends" on DVD is region 2 so it will not play on American DVD's and the video tape is extremely rare. I just bought it!"Friends" and "Paul and Michelle" remain Anicee's best work. I feel that in later movies, she was exploited because of her physical beauty in silly scripts with gratuitous nudity. I have read that there were those who tried to cast her as a "sex bomb".Sean Bury who played Paul announced some very sad news. Anicee Alvina passed away of lung cancer in 2006. She was born on January 28, 1953. Anicee was 53. However, she was always sweet and CUTE. She was a good singer... May she rest in the arms of God.

Most of these reviews are dead on, so I'll cut to a different chase and answer a couple of questions I've seen on here.While the characters seem and look young (hence the controversy), the actor/actress themselves were 17 and 18 at the time and so obviously over the 16 barrier. Here in the USA, that's still somewhat controversial but the simplicity and innocence of the film does much to offset it.I'm sorry not to have seen more by Sean; in this movie at least his expressions are demonstrative and obvious; you know exactly what the character is feeling whether he's angry, afraid, or confused. Anicee had a healthy career, who's life was cut unfortunately short by cancer in late 2006. She was a beautiful and talented actress.VHS tapes of FRIENDS can be found at Amazon.com occasionally, but usually for a significant price; I've seen it as low as $60 or so and as high as $152 (as of this comment, there were two for that price). The sequel video PAUL & MICHELLE is not quite as pricey and can be obtained (when available) on Amazon for between $16 and $70 on average.

With all the dreck out there, this is a gentle movie about young love. Yes, it's true that young love often makes more out of something than it deserves, but why aren't people down on "Romeo and Juliet"? Paul and Michelle are models of good behave compared to them.Yes, they run away, and set up an ideal life, but this is a movie, not real life. Paul is more sexually interested than Michelle, who has been come onto in a bad way. Eventually, they have sex, but no one is forced into it. The movie does let kids know that sex can cause babies.One thing, there is nudity in the movies. The camera does not focus on it, but it is there.The ending of the movie has Paul in good chance of being found out. In "Paul and Michelle", they separate for a time. If you don't like the ending of a movie, think one up yourself. Alternative endings are not just for DVDs.

Well what do you know, I was painting my house today and an Elton john song came on the radio, which immediately took me back to this movie which i saw in 1971. So long ago and so far away. Ten years later i hitched hiked through the country side of France, and i sure would have been keen to see Michelle. The film is probably not very sophisticated by todays standards, more's the pity, but it seemed rather racy back then. A few years later a sequel was made with Michelle living in a high rise in Paris and Paul coming back to meet her, just like life they had moved on, the film was very downbeat. Still the original was fab, and if you can get a copy go rent it, just remember to give it its' due and treat it gently. I note Americans can be rather prudish, so take note, contains scenes and themes possibly upsetting to middle America.