Solemplex
To me, this movie is perfection.
PlatinumRead
Just so...so bad
KnotStronger
This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.
Ogosmith
Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.
mcmason-72160
I saw this movie when it came out in 1979. I went to see it because I loved Peter Falk and Alan Arkin and Arthur Penn. But I found that the movie tried way too hard to get laughs and the script was seriously lacking. At best, it is amusing but not really funny.
jfarms1956
This movie is geared towards those who are 18 and older. Peter Falk and Alan Arkin work well together in this action filled comedy. It is funny but not rip roaring funny. Good quirky lines with the action to back them up. It is a good movie in the evening to watch. The plot is halfway decent for a comedy. It does, however, have a fairly predictable ending for this movie. You kind of figured out the ending once you found out about what got stolen. Although Peter Falk played a somewhat comical figure as Columbo, the inept-yet result getting detective; this movie show Peter Falk in a true comedic role. Cook up some popcorn, sit back and enjoy the movie. It will though be forgotten by the time the next night rolls around and you are looking for a movie to watch. Enjoy!
JasparLamarCrabb
It's hilarious. A successful NYC dentist (Alan Arkin) whose daughter is about to marry the son of a lunatic CIA agent (Peter Falk). The high-strung Arkin goes from neurotic to completely insane as Falk gets him into one pre-marital predicament after another. They end up on the run from a lot of face-less goons all the way to Central America. This isn't as much a buddy film as it is an antagonist film. Arkin & Falk have great chemistry and they're both hysterical (interestingly, there is no straight man). Directed with a lot of finesse by Arthur Hiller from a very clever script by Andrew Bergman. The supporting cast is excellent and features Richard Libertini, Ed Begley Jr., Nancy Dussault, and Arlene Golonka. The fun music score by Mel Brooks' regular John Morris adds a lot.
crood
The writing and casting are excellent. Falk and Arkin play their characters perfectly. The key here is they didn't follow what has become somewhat cliché in comedies.Arkin's character, today, would be an over the top neurotic. While I haven't seen the remake, Albert Brooks' casting indicated to me that they went that way. He's successful upper middle class dentist with a loving wife and daughter. He had no problems with the upcoming wedding until he meets Falk. Also, none of the things that go wrong in his life are attributable to him. He's truly a normal guy wrapped up in a crazy situation that's far from his "safe zone". He even manages to adapt somewhat well until the firing squad scene.With Falk's Vince Ricardo, they didn't go with a guy cracking jokes, an over the top tough/professional guy, or the crazy guy. He was a normal guy who has an extraordinary job. He's been at it so long, none of it phases him, because it's normal for him. His funny lines come from treating these situations as everyday occurrences. He can babble about pea soup after being shot at because it's like a train being late to him. He's not funny because he's trying to be funny. He's funny because he's completely calm in an outrageous situation. The only time he breaks this is during the dinner scene where he yells at his son. It's there that you realize he's paid a price for his secret life.
