The Odd Couple

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Jens B For some reason I always get a little nervous when an older comedy is put into the player. The reason is a vague worry that I won't be entertained by the dusty humor of a past century. However, I have no empirical basis for my prejudices; as in every genre, there are excellent representatives, some of which are over 100 years old (Keaton, Chaplin, Lloyd) and basically everything by Billy Wilder is still watchable and funny today. Because the scripts and dialogues are excellently written, the timing and slapstick are perfectly acted. And then there are comedies that are not well made, have always been bad or have simply aged badly. Considering the fact that the script was written by Neil Simon and two excellent comedians, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, play the main roles, "The Odd Couple" has been rotting on my shelf for eight years for no reason. The film is actually quite a lot of fun. Dialogue, timing and the (for 1968) revolutionary questioning of gender roles ensure a good time. I particularly liked the emotional maturation process of the two, which takes place quite casually and without a raised finger and rounds off the story. I also didn't expect the entire first act of a light comedy to revolve around suicide. Jack Lemmon is and remains the MVP of so many comedies because he can act quirky and at the same time give his characters humanity and dramatic depth (see "The Apartment"). He is great at ping-pong with Matthau, but I could have done without the solo interludes with funny faces and noises. They are a bit cringe. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/22/25 Full Review Blu B All Time Classic. Super witty, amazing snappy dialouge, and really funny. The soundtrack is super catchy and memorable and the chemistry between the two leads is amazing. It's masterfully edited and paced to boot. It's really well done. Everyone should give this a try once. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/30/24 Full Review Leaburn O This is a pretty dated comedy. There’s little to lack gig at and it feels pretty chauvinistic. Felt like a play out to film. Acting was hammy and slapstick. Not a Lemmon classic. Watched on DVD. Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 11/04/24 Full Review Kevin L Masterful comedic filmmaking. What an excellent adaptation from the stage to the screen. Matthau and Lemon are spot-on stellar. And their timing and delivery of such, rich, rapid-fire dialogue makes for a damn fine comedy that stands the test of time. Great job by most all those in supporting roles as well. Evans and Shelly as the British sisters are a nice break from just the two leads and their poker buddies. incl. Fielder and Edelman. Director Saks, screenwriter Simon, and editor Bracht created for us a classic. There's the terrific long opening scene of Felix in utter despair, the great pacing, and throughout, cinematographer Hauser's eye for knowing how to flesh out the look Saks was going for. Such a good job of making Oscar's apt. like its own character. Lots of laughs at the cinema for this one last night. 4 stars Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/31/24 Full Review KB B I watched this probably 50 years ago and didn't remember much except I liked it. Obviously it's pretty dated but you can't beat Matthau and Lemmon. Someone should have shown Walter Matthau how to hold a bowling ball. He had his index finger and middle finger in the top holes rather than the middle and ring fingers. It's worth the watch. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/21/23 Full Review Audience Member Overall, this is an excellent film with snappy dialogue that feels real.  At no point was I ever bored while watching.  It's filled with amazing performances from Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.  I adored witnessing their chemistry, their funny line deliveries and dramatic moments as they bring a strong friendship to life.  I had a wonderful time watching this film, and as the credits rolled, I was ready to rewatch it instantly. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/11/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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