BEST FRIENDS

title: BEST FRIENDS

year: 1982

cast: Goldie Hawn, Burt Reynolds, Ron Silver

rating: **

This early eighties star-driven grown-up sex comedy was written by soon-to-be director Barry Levinson and Valerie Curtin (who played the original "Vera", the dim-witted waitress in "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore"). As I sat watching cute Goldie and handsome Burt, I imagined if Barry and Valerie were up on that screen playing themselves, no one would care. Two mundane humans having relationship problems wouldn't even merit a city college stage play... at least not a good one. But you cast two gorgeous stars and thus, a film is made. "Best Friends" is not much of a love story, it's not much of a drama, and there's hardly any comedy... except for a funny moment during the wedding centering on the mispronunciation of a vow by the priest, played by Richard Libertini. Goldie and Burt visit her parents, then his parents... Burt hates her parents, Goldie hates his... reminding me of a movie that would come out many years later, the recent "Four Christmases". And either are that terrific.