Nice effects though.

Did you people see the same film I saw?

Crappy film

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

This is based on a Tony Award winning Neil Simon play. In 1942 an unemployed widowed father leaves his two young sons to live with his tyrannical mother (Irene Worth) while he searches for work. Also around is Bella (Mercedes Ruehl) who is 36 but mentally 16 and Louie (Richard Dreyfuss) who has gotten involved with gangsters.Great movie. They perfectly captured the 1940s look and feel. Also the script is great. Unlike other Simon pictures (which are little more than one joke after another) this perfectly mixes the comedy and drama. The acting is mostly fantastic. Worth is a little one note but Dreyfuss and especially Ruehl are incredible in their roles. This was not a big hit and unjustly overlooked at the Oscars for acting but it's well worth catching.

This movie is an excellent screen adaptation of a great play. Instead of being hokey or sentimental, the story provides a candid portrayal of a family in crisis, as each family member is forced to deal with issues that have long repressed. Essentially, the story centers around the relationship between an overbearing mother, performed magnificently by Irene Worth, and her confused daughter, played by Mercedes Ruehl. Ms. Ruehl's performance is a tour-de-force. She completely dominates this movie. The climactic scene between the mother and daughter is both poignant and powerful, and raises this movie to the level of great cinema and drama. Richard Dreyfuss also gives a strong performance as the brother with the bravado but also with a heart. This movie should be a must-watch for anyone who likes screen adaptations of plays and for people in general who like strong drama.

The mistake most often made when approaching a Neil Simon piece is the thought-line "if Simon wrote it - it must be a comedy". LOST IN YONKERS like THE GINGERBREAD LADY (filmed as ONLY WHEN I LAUGH) is most certainly not a comedy - not that it's not funny. What it is is a heartbreaking story about two brothers who by circumstance end up in the care of their severe Grandmother. Thanks to the powers that be - both Mercedes Ruehl and Irene Worth reprise thier stage roles in the film. Both won the Tony for the stage. Both deserved and Oscar for the film. There are several funny bits amidst this disfunctional family fest - and some very tender moments as well. I highly recommend it - just don't sit down with a bucket of popcorn and expect THE ODD COUPLE. Simon's writing has matured far beyond those days and is rich and wonderful.

Lost in Yonkers was exceptionally well done. I did have a fairly high expectation of it because Mike Damus was in it....and Richard Dreyfuss also...but I mainly borrowed this movie from the store because of Mike. This film was well acted, well directed and the soundtrack was just pure brilliance! i recommend if you do not want to watch the film, you at least listen to the soundtrack...My only complaint with this movie was that Mike played such a small and relatively insignificant role - i do realise it was based on the play by Neil Simons, but nonetheless Mike deserves better!In general, I very much enjoyed what I saw as it was not violent, didn't have any cocky humour, or bad acting. I particularly enjoyed Aunt Gertie's speech impediment because Susan Merson who played her pulled it off extremely well-another brilliant performance!My question to you is, can Mike Damus ever make a bad film? The answer is no. No he can't.