Year: 1981
Director: Albert Brooks
Country: US
Language: English
I watch movies like Modern Romance (1981) and thank the Lord that I didn't stay in the dating pool for too long. At 19 (2010) I met my wife at University, we remained good friends until we started dating at 22 (2013) , we got engaged when I was 24 (2015) and got married when I was 25 (2016). Since then I haven't had the desire to date or flirt; good riddens to that! Modern Romance shows the ugly side of fleeting feelings, in a fairly comedic way.
Robert Cole (Albert Brooks) , a film editor, is constantly breaking up with and reconciling with long-suffering girl friend Mary Harvard (Kathryn Harrold) , who works at a bank. He is irrationally jealous and self-centered, while Mary has been too willing to let him get away with his disruptive antics.
I'd say Modern Romance is a fairly accurate portrayal of how neurotic behavior, combined with crippling insecurity, can destroy a person and their relationships around them. Brooks' goes farther than Woody Allen ever dared, creating a character that is incredibly familiar; you've either met this type of person in your own life, you've been that kind of person or you are that kind of person. I'd like to think I've outgrown Brooks', but I know a little bit of that neurosis creeps up every once in a while.
While packing quite a deep punch, and having a small horror element, Modern Romance works incredibly well as a comedy. I love the songs throughout the film that keep reminding Brooks of his ill-matched romance. He turns on the radio and hears Along Comes Mary by The Association. He goes on a date with a different girl and She's Out of My Life by Michael Jackson plays. I've seen this gag plenty of times on The Simpsons and am happy to know that it stems from this film.
Modern Romance is a great comedy; easily the best Brooks' made, even though I do love Lost in America, Defending Your Life, and Mother. All great comedies have a great deal of truth in their biting satire; this film depicts the true nature of people who are hopelessly stuck in hapless relationships to a tee.
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