Its quirky rhythms and veering emotional tones are very much its own, and they owe less to movie tradition than they do to a sense of how the law of unintended consequences pushes us ceaselessly through the years, permitting no pause for perspective.
Terms of Endearment (1983)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:35
Fresh:31
Rotten:4
Average Rating:7.4/10
Consensus: Sentimental Terms of Endearment rises on the strength of its cast and a deft blend of humor and pathos.
Synopsis: This Oscar-winning film is both eccentrically funny and an old-fashioned tearjerker. The story centers around the volatile relationship between a mother and daughter spanning 30 years. The various... This Oscar-winning film is both eccentrically funny and an old-fashioned tearjerker. The story centers around the volatile relationship between a mother and daughter spanning 30 years. The various permutations of their lives are examined, including the daughter's bout with terminal cancer. TERMS OF ENDEARMENT is a deeply observed drama about the intimate relationship between a mother and daughter, based on the novel by Larry McMurtry. Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger are at their absolute best, with terrific support from Jack Nicholson, Jeff Daniels, and John Lithgow. Academy Award Nominations: 11, including Best Actress--Debra Winger and Best Supporting Actor--John Lithgow. Academy Awards: 5, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress--Shirley MacLaine, Best (Adapted) Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor--Jack Nicholson. [More]
Starring: Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson, John Lithgow
Starring: Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson, John Lithgow, Danny DeVito, Jeff Daniels
Director: James L. Brooks
Director: James L. Brooks
Story: Larry McMurtry
Reviews for Terms of Endearment
The tragi-comedy never made me reach for my hankie, never tickled my funny bone and it never found a way into my heart.
This hugely successful tear-jerker boasts some magnificent on-screen chemistry between Jack Nicholson and Shirley MacLaine.
No-wonder Jack was so keen to land this role. It was simply perfect for him.
Brooks' dialog is wonderful throughout and all the characters carry off their assignments beautifully, even down to Danny De Vito and Norman Bennett as MacLaine's other suffering suitors.
Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger are fantastic as a mother and daughter who individually face life's challenges and end up stronger because of it.
[Writer-director James L. Brooks] has television in his soul: his people are incredibly tiny (most are defined by a single stroke of obsessive behavior), and he chokes out his narrative in ten-minute chunks, separated by aching lacunae.
Blending comedy and melodrama, this is basically a TV sitcom, marked by a sentimental tone and traditional view of women, elevated a notch or two by superlative performances from Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine, and Jack Nicholson.
Then The Illness strikes, and the film changes gear completely, pulling out all the stops.
The most remarkable achievement of Terms of Endearment, which is filled with great achievements, is its ability to find the balance between the funny and the sad, between moments of deep truth and other moments of high ridiculousness.
Latest News for Terms of Endearment
December 08, 2005:
Jeff Daniels Does "Lookout" Duty for Disney
Well-admired character actor Jeff Daniels will star in a thriller entitled "The Lookout" for Disney and Spyglass, a project that will mark the directorial debut of an... More...
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