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Movies / Upcoming / Terms of Endearment
Terms of Endearment

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Terms of Endearment (1983)

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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.

Runtime: 2 hrs 11 mins

Genre: Dramas

US Box Office: $0

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

[See More Credits]

Reviews for Terms of Endearment

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
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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.

Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | comment Comment
02/20/09
Richard Schickel
Richard Schickel
TIME Magazine

The tragi-comedy never made me reach for my hankie, never tickled my funny bone and it never found a way into my heart.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
03/16/08
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

No review available.

comment Comment
03/01/08
David Kaplan
David Kaplan
Kaplan vs. Kaplan

This hugely successful tear-jerker boasts some magnificent on-screen chemistry between Jack Nicholson and Shirley MacLaine.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
02/20/08
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No-wonder Jack was so keen to land this role. It was simply perfect for him.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
02/20/08
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
02/20/08
James Harwood
James Harwood
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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.

Full Review Source: Oscar Guy | comment Comment
12/22/06
Wesley Lovell
Wesley Lovell
Oscar Guy

Something for everyone, indeed.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
12/17/06
TV Guide's Movie Guide
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

[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.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
12/17/06
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader

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.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
07/27/06
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Then The Illness strikes, and the film changes gear completely, pulling out all the stops.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Geoff Andrew
Geoff Andrew
Time Out

No review available.

comment Comment
10/27/05
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

No review available.

comment Comment
05/12/05
Thomas Delapa
Thomas Delapa
Boulder Weekly

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.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
10/23/04
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Sad themes, but wonderful ensemble acting.

comment Comment
10/16/04
Steve Crum
Steve Crum
Kansas City Kansan

No review available.

comment Comment
06/19/04
Andy Klein
Andy Klein
Los Angeles CityBeat

No review available.

comment Comment
04/03/04
Daniel M. Kimmel
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette

No review available.

comment Comment
03/27/04
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

No review available.

comment Comment
12/24/03
Nicolas Lacroix
Nicolas Lacroix
EnPrimeur.ca

No review available.

comment Comment
11/07/03
Carol Cling
Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
all

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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