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The Four Seasons

Play trailer Poster for The Four Seasons PG 1981 1h 47m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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68% Tomatometer 19 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Jack (Alan Alda) and Kate (Carol Burnett) traditionally go on vacation with their friends every new season. Old friend Nick (Len Cariou) surprises everyone when he arrives not with his wife, Anne (Sandy Dennis), but with his new girlfriend, the much younger Ginny (Bess Armstrong). The group -- all of which had grown to be good friends with Anne -- must come to terms with this unexpected development. Ultimately, they learn to accept Nick's decision, and work to welcome Ginny as a friend.
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The Four Seasons

Critics Reviews

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Variety Staff Variety 04/02/2009
If The Four Seasons was never a play, it should have been, since it's based on the most stagey, dialog-bound original screenplay in memory. Go to Full Review
Time Out 01/26/2006
Amusing and worth a look. Go to Full Review
Janet Maslin New York Times 08/30/2004
The Four Seasons is a fond, generous movie about characters who might have easily lent themselves to satire. Go to Full Review
Barbara Shulgasser Common Sense Media Sep 14
2/5
Like Jack, played by writer-director Alan Alda, The Four Seasons often uses ten words where one will do. Go to Full Review
Jesse Hassenger Decider May 15
It’s more of a promising outline than a satisfying movie unto itself. Go to Full Review
David Nusair Reel Film Reviews 01/28/2023
3/4
...slightly erratic yet predominantly rewarding... Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Buzz K Aug 10 I saw it when it was originally released and thought it was OK. But I watched it again in 2025 and was embarrassed at just how awful and abjectly cringy the acting and dialogue was. The over-acting, the uproarious laughter at the most mundane "jokes", the predictable attempts as witty retorts, Alda's terrible overacting especially, had me wondering if it was the same movie I saw in 81. Its just terrible. See more May 25 Beautiful, funny, engaging , funny and realistic film. Loved it from the first time i watch it and it's a beautiful film that somehow - at least even in my circle has been like a veiled gem - Relatable, real, funny, emotional, and true. 5/5 See more Victoria B May 20 It feels like Chekhov See more P M May 9 The dialogue and acting were not great, but everything else was perfect. A very human story with a lot of funny moments. See more Jeff M 02/06/2024 More than any other movie, this is the one that made me realize, at a rather young age, that I was one weird human being. I started watching this movie on HBO when I was probably 9 or 10. While others my age were involved in Star Wars and Indiana Jones culture, I was repeatedly re-watching a movie about middle aged couples going through mid-life crises over the course of a year. It was all downhill from here. But I am who I am, for better or worse, and I treasure this movie as one of my all-time favorites. I recently shared my top 25 of the decade and failed to include this. That was negligence on my part. This is a hugely entertaining and occasionally moving motion picture that received largely positive critical and audience reaction upon its release, but I still don't think it quite gets the credit it deserves. As I get older, I realize how impactful and profound much of the dialogue is here, and this for me is the crowning achievement of writer/director/actor Alan Alda's career, possibly barring his memorable supporting performance later this decade in Woody Allen's CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS. The cast here is crazy brilliant, with possibly Burnett's finest movie performance, and this is one of those films I revisit rather regularly. Every once in awhile it dips into sitcom humor but not as often as one would expect. This is a movie I treasure, and it brings back great memories. See more Kristine C 05/22/2023 It's a GREAT movie. I've watched it over and over. See more Read all reviews
The Four Seasons

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Movie Info

Synopsis Jack (Alan Alda) and Kate (Carol Burnett) traditionally go on vacation with their friends every new season. Old friend Nick (Len Cariou) surprises everyone when he arrives not with his wife, Anne (Sandy Dennis), but with his new girlfriend, the much younger Ginny (Bess Armstrong). The group -- all of which had grown to be good friends with Anne -- must come to terms with this unexpected development. Ultimately, they learn to accept Nick's decision, and work to welcome Ginny as a friend.
Director
Alan Alda
Producer
Martin Bregman
Screenwriter
Alan Alda
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
Universal/Universal Int
Rating
PG
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 22, 1981, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 30, 2016
Runtime
1h 47m
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