Starting Over

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Starting Over

R

Released Oct 5, 1979

1h 46m

Romance

Comedy

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Popcornmeter

75%

Tomatometer

8 Reviews

58%

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1,000+ Ratings

When his wife, Jessica (Candice Bergen), leaves him for a chance at a music career, Phil Potter (Burt Reynolds) is devastated. He moves from New York City to Boston, joins a club for divorced men and cautiously begins an affair with a free-spirited schoolteacher named Marilyn (Jill Clayburgh), who genuinely seems to care about him. But when Jessica decides she wants Phil back, he jumps at the chance, only to wonder if perhaps he's made the wrong choice.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Starting Over actually feels sort of embarrassed at times, maybe because characters are placed in silly sitcom situations and then forced to say lines that are supposed to be revealing and real.

Rated: 2/4

Dec 17, 2020

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

A “meet-cute” is just fine for this sort of picture, but the “meet-cute” between the writer and the teacher turns into a “talk-cute,” “date-cute,” “argue-cute,” and so on.

Rated: 2/4

May 14, 2024

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...benefits from its assortment of first-class performances...

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 16, 2022

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Jesús Fernández Santos

El Pais (Spain)

The scenes are funny and nuanced, with a touch of irony that is relatively original. [Full Review in Spanish]

Aug 12, 2019

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Tim Brayton

Antagony & Ecstasy

A better story than you'd probably expect for a film of this kind of this vintage.

Rated: 8/10

Oct 20, 2009

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Lori Hoffman

Atlantic City Weekly

Rated: 4/5

Feb 5, 2007

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steve m

Insightful movie on how divorce affects the exes. The best part is the ex-wife (Candice Bergen) who portrays a successful songwriter/singer, but the actor sounds like you or me. Good thing the director didn't let her hear herself till the premier.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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steve d

They should have started the script over from scratch.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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robert b

One of Burt's best efforts! Why can't we find it on pay per view or cable anywhere? Is it lost?

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Unlike any other movie with Burt Reynolds. Well underplayed by him, just right. Excellent script. Subtle jokes. Candice Bergen's off-key singing must have taken a lot of practice to get such a wrong sound so perfect.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

What an enjoyable movie and it was nice to see Reynolds play such a vulnerable character. Candice Bergen was great in the movie. As always Charles Durning did a great job in the movie. Who hasn't felt the way, Reynolds felt when he was trying to get the beautiful Candice Bergen back.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

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Audience Member

A great performance by Burt Reynolds. In lesser hands the Phil Potter character could have come across as pathetic and wimpy. Instead he comes across as a likable man devastated and damaged by his wife's decision to divorce him. Perfectly captures the atmosphere of the late 1970's. He should have won the best actor Oscar but was not even nominated. So Hollywood being stupid is nothing new.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

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Alan J. Pakula

Director

Burt Reynolds

Phil Potter

Jill Clayburgh

Marilyn Holmberg

Candice Bergen

Jessica Potter

Charles Durning

Michael "Mickey" Potter

Frances Sternhagen

Marva Potter

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Synopsis

When his wife, Jessica (Candice Bergen), leaves him for a chance at a music career, Phil Potter (Burt Reynolds) is devastated. He moves from New York City to Boston, joins a club for divorced men and cautiously begins an affair with a free-spirited schoolteacher named Marilyn (Jill Clayburgh), who genuinely seems to care about him. But when Jessica decides she wants Phil back, he jumps at the chance, only to wonder if perhaps he's made the wrong choice.

Director: Alan J. Pakula
Producer: Alan J. Pakula, James L. Brooks
Screenwriter: James L. Brooks
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount
Rating: R
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 5, 1979, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2017
Runtime: 1h 46m

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