5/5 Classic Movie - Very Satisfied
  by E. W. (Florida)
The DVD I ordered, "The Four Seasons", which I consider a real classic and hard to find, arrived just a couple days after I ordered it. Brand new, box undamaged and the DVD quality was supurb. What else can I say, Amazon.com is the place to shop!

5/5 Fun and Endearing
  by David Anderson (Minneapolis, MN)
This movie combinnes good acting and a hilarious story with a view into how a couple grows and how people learn to deal with the problems life throws at us all.

5/5 The Four Seasons
  by Marilyn Schneider (Wood Ridge, NJ)
This movie is as funny now as it was back in the 80's. I have the VHS copy and now I want the DVD. As many times as it has been on TV, I watch it every time. I never tire of it. And being a product of a divorce myself, I can relate to all the complications that follow. It's a great narative of human nature and the affects it has on friendships in sticky situations.

3/5 Alan Alda's: Why Did I Get Married?
  by Andrew Ellington (Mulholland Drive)
Ha, so I think you should be able to draw from my review title that I can easily compare this film to `Tyler Perry's: Why Did I Get Married?' and honestly, I feel very similar about the two films. If you've read my review for the other one (it stirred much heated debate and actually garnered me some hate mail) you'd know that I was not a huge fan. While I admitted to liking the film I also stated that I felt it had a lot of issues (not the least of which was Janet Jackson). I feel the same here. In parts I like this movie, but as a whole I don't think it works quite like everyone else seems to say it does.

I think most of you are delusional, but whatever.

The film tells of three couples who have been friends for many years and who take vacations together every season. The film takes place over the course of four seasons (or a year for those of you not mathematically inclined) and it shows the strain the friendships come over thanks to getting older. Nick expresses his desire to leave his wife Anne during the first season, and that sets off a chain reaction as the couples now have to get used to his newer, younger woman. Jack and Kate seem the most stable of the other two couples, while Claudia and Danny are apparently not as happy as they once were; both needing a spark to ignite their love for one another.

Like I said; in parts this is good.

When looking over this season for season I have come to terms with what works and what doesn't. For instance; the overall plot of six friends shifting in their relationship over the course of the year works, but the way that Alda develops his characters does not. This is a major problem because it takes away from the genuineness of the film and it makes it hard to relate to the characters. I understand that people have flaws, so please; I don't want anymore comments about how I don't understand that no one is perfect or whatever. There is a difference between flaws and what we have going on here (and in Perry's mess as well). These characters are so unlikable and annoying you can't help but despise them.

I would never be friends with anyone in this movie; and I find it very hard to believe that they would remain friends.

The first season is probably the worst of all. So, I guess it sufficed to say this movie gets off to a rocky start. The reason for this is Alda. He has the most annoying character in the film (I label him the Janet Jackson of this episode) for he is always trying to `preach' to everyone else. Listen, I am all for sharing feelings and really bonding or whatever. I am one of the most emotionally connected men you will ever meet and I pride myself in my ability to truly connect with my friends, on a deeper more meaningful level. This guy is way too much though. His toasts are ridiculous and they feel so forced that you can't take him seriously. Later in the film, in the fourth season, he tells the group he wants to `get to the heart of things' and I became so frustrated with him I wanted to scream.

WHO TALKS LIKE THAT???

Anyways, the second season is far better. It is probably the better season for it establishes Nick's new love interest and it gives us an idea of how everyone else feels about it. Jack (Alda) also keeps his mouth shut with the whole `lets analyze our feelings' bit and so we have a chance to just enjoy the underlying emotions stewing in the pot (or on the boat if you will).

The third season is the most important (especially when in regards to Nick and his ex-wife Anne). It is also the season that makes the least sense. There are a few things that happen over the course of this autumn vacation that raise questions. First is the relationship between the women. I don't know about you, but from my observation of women, they seem to be much more emotionally connected than men, and they stand up and stick by their friends much more than men do. So, the very fact that Kate and Claudia have fallen out of touch with Anne to the point where she feels neglected makes no sense to me. In all honesty, if this had been real life you can place money on the fact that Anne would be the one vacationing with the group, and not Nick. I felt that Perry's film handled that aspect of things a little better (there is no way those women would be so civil with Nick so soon after the divorce); in fact I even feel that the way Kelly and Deacon's split on `The King of Queens' was handled more realistically than this was (I can't believe I just did that). The next issue is the strange feud between Jack and Kate, which made little sense to me. Maybe it wasn't supposed to make sense. Maybe it was just to show that women at times can be crazy (no offence) but I just scratched my head thinking `really; all this over a football tackle?'

The fourth and final season is a mixed bag. They are skiing; they are having fun; Jack is back to his `analyzing' again and it is borderline excruciating; especially when they get out to dinner and Danny gets in on it. That's the bad, but the final confrontation involving the group and Ginny (Nick's new wife) is actually really effective. I was moved, slightly, and felt that it was the one note Alda hit perfectly.

So it starts on a sour note, yet ends on a good one.

The acting and character development is as poor as Perry's, maybe worse here. I hated Jackson's character as much as Alda's, maybe more so; but Alda truly was repulsive here. Carol Burnett was effective for the most part; but her character Kate was the emptiest of them all. Danny's character was as bad as Alda; truly obnoxious; so much so that believing these guys would want to be friends with him is beyond me. The first time he tallied up what I owed him for dinner would have been the last time we spoke; seriously. Claudia, like Kate, feels empty. She has a brief moment during the second season where I felt that she was going to really shine, but it was short lived. In fact, the most likable and engaging of the characters are the two (especially the one) you are supposed to feel distant towards; Nick and Ginny. Len Cariou plays his character very well and it's understandable why he's liked. He's fun, outgoing, interesting and he never feels fake. He is who he is, and he wants to be happy. Ginny wants to fit in, although that is hard for her. I also felt that Sandy Dennis, who plays Nick's ex Anne, was superb in her few scenes. Her final scene with the girls is stellar on all accounts.

So, in the end I feel torn here. Overall the film is not that good, but in parts it works well. It had a great concept but its execution was less than effective. I want this movie to be made right, because I think that if done so it could be brilliant. Alan Alda, like Tyler Perry, is too concerned with preaching to the rest of us than he is with developing realistic and intriguing characters. This needs a director and screenwriter who is willing to take a backseat to the stories development; preferably someone who is not insistent in staring in the film.

Oh well, this is just my opinion.

5/5 The Four Seasons
  by Christopher J. Shipley (Danville, CA)
Jack and Kate, Nick and Ann, Danny and Claudia are three couples who, in their words, had shielded themselves from the "Winds of Divorce" through their friendship with each other. They spend countless weekends and vacations with each other and for years they have a perfect relationship........or so they think. During a spring time weekend trip to celebrate Nick and Ann's 21st wedding anniversary, Nick and Jack are gathering firewood when Nick makes a surprising confession........he's leaving Ann! Nick cites that Ann is no longer stimulating and exciting. He declares that he's through with her, her quirky behaviors, and wants to start a new life with a new family. Jack attempts to get Nick to reconsider his decision but Nick is steadfast.

During their summer vacation, Nick has met a much younger beautiful women. Enter Ginny who has fallen for the older, wiser, and seasoned Nick. She is impressed with his job, his life experience, and believes most everything he tells her about himself. Nick and Ginny are very happy but it leaves Jack and Kate and Danny and Claudia feeling insecure and unsure about their own futures. The story addresses the other couple but mainly focuses on Jack and Kate. Kate accuses Jack of being jealous of Nick and Jack is trying to convince her he is not while maintaining a composed exterior.

Alan Alda did a fantastic job of writing and directing this film about middle age couples in the early 1980's. While I was in my 20's at the time, it addresses the fears that middle aged couples experienced, sudden divorce, younger women interested in older men. It also addresses the stability that couples also felt. One very touching scene was when Nick and Jack were gathering fire wood. Nick and Jack have the following conversation:

Nick: Are you and Kate happy?

Jack: Yeah, very.

Nick: No I mean really happy.

Jack: Yes but not every minute. There are times when we drive each other crazy. Like the way her teeth click when she eats, the way I smell my sweatshirt before I put it on. Then there are times like the one we're in now. It comes over us like an unexpected wave. I can't wait to be with her and when I'm with her my heart beats faster. I'd expect that from a stranger but not someone I've spent half my life with. It's wonderful.

This particular scene always stuck with me. I bought the movie and enjoy watching it frequently. Whether you were middle aged at the time, a young person, or whatever, you will enjoy this movie.