Alternating between the past and the present, a precocious little girl sues her selfish, career-driven parents for emancipation, surprising them both.
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Reviews
Let's be realistic.
Expected more
Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.
It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.
Writing team Charles Shyer and Nancy Meyers scored a bullseye with IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES, a surprisingly smart and amusing comedy that blended the family dysfunction comedy with the "inside Hollywood" type of comedy and the results is quite entertaining. Our story begins with 10-year old KC Brotzky (Drew Barrymore)arriving in a Los Angeles courtroom where she is suing for emancipation from her divorced parents,filmmakers Albert and Lucy Brotzky (Ryan O'Neal and Shelley Long). The film then flashes back to the beginning of Albert and Lucy's relationship,showcasing the first smash hit film they made together, followed by another film during which Albert has an affair with the leading lady (Sharon Stone,very funny in one of her earliest roles)and how the making of this film tore Albert and Lucy apart. Albert and his new love then make a "Gone With the Wind"-type spectacular that bombs at the box office and things just go from bad to worse with poor little KC caught in the middle and tired of being a bargaining chip between her parents. O'Neal delivers what is probably the best performance of his career and Long is a good match for him. Aided by a deft screenplay, O'Neal, Long, and Barrymore deliver a nearly forgotten gem here which delivers warm family laughs and takes accurate potshots at Hollywood as well.
I would like to give this a higher score, just for sentimental reasons. It is so much more romantic than any Meg Ryan movie. However this isn't saying much and essentially this is not a enormously groundbreaking, thought provoking, jaw dropping or gut wrenching movie. What it is, is a well written, smart, funny, well acted and well executed tear jerker which could have the stoniest of hearts melting by the end.I honestly feel that the relationship between people who fall out of love is well documented here, and what adds an extra depth to this story is the effect is has on the children, be it in this case an extremely well casted Drew Barrymore.This is a smart tale which deserves to be viewed as a warning to those who fall in and out of love easily. But it is also a nice piece of Sunday evening entertainment, with a sharp script about Hollywood, parenting and matrimony.If you're ever channel surfing at what ever time in the day and just happen to pass by a movie that features Shelley Long, Barry Lyndon, the girl from E.T and a young Sharon Stone. Give it a try, you will be impressed.
IRRECONCIALABLE DIFFERENCESThis is one of my all time favorite movies. I tried to find it in video stores or online for years... but it wasn't until my local video store went out of business and sold their entire stock that I was able to get my hands on a copy... a run-down copy at that.This film contains a career best performance from Shelley Long... career highlights from Ryan O'Neal and Sharon Stone... and possibly one of the most potent roles Barrymore has had in her long career.On top of the performances, the screenplay creates a masterful balance of comedy pulled from real life situations, all the while never allowing it to be distracting to the heart tugging elements of the film. The dramatic scenes are played with just as much master craftsmanship as the comedic scenes... and the movie is both entertaining and emotionally packed. Not a common achievement.I don't know how to begin a campaign to get this on DVD, but I'd certainly join any one I can find. A simple wash of the film, remastering, and a few cheesy extras is all I ask.If you haven't seen this movie, do it. B/c I'm sure after doing so you'll hop on the bandwagon calling for this film to get a little more credit than it has received in recent years.... A ...
"Irreconcilable Differences" is a very good seriocomedy about a Hollywood couple who are sued for divorce by their 9 year-old daughter. Ryan O'Neal, Shelley Long, and Drew Barrymore are well cast as the family torn apart by career, jealousy, and a little girl caught in the middle who just can't take it anymore with her parents' constant fighting. So as a result, she takes them to court, and the three members of the family tell their story (shown in flashback). Directed by Charles Shyer from a screenplay by Shyer and Nancy Meyers, "Irreconcilable Differences" shows us what its like to be in the Hollywood film industry which is fascinatingly detailed here. One hilarious scene is the part when acclaimed film director O'Neal is shooting a movie which appears to be a musical remake of "Gone With The Wind". A very young Sharon Stone stars as the actress playing the character modeled after Scarlett O'Hara. I was cracking up during that scene because it's naturally funny. But there are touching moments too, especially the early scenes when the O'Neal and Long characters first meet. Plus the scenes after they have their daughter are sweet and tender. "Irreconcilable Differences" is an underrated movie that deserved more attention than it received when released in 1984. It's a well-acted, well-written film.*** (out of four)