Brighton Beach Memoirs Rating: Release Date: 17 October, 2000 Retail Price: $14.99 Sorry, this product is not currently available. Cast: Blythe Danner Jonathan Silverman Judith Ivey Jason Evers Complete Cast (7 total)

Brighton Beach Memoirs Reviews

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Works Well
This is a tale of 2 jewish families living under 1 roof in 1937. Though there are many hardships and a family crisis or two, it is tempered with a gentle humor and the fact that you really feel that everyone loves each other. Perfect casting, this is a winner. If you liked Parenthood, this should be right up your alley.

why not a contender
The script for this flick is great. So the flick has its moments. It could've been a real solid film.
What went wrong? First, casting. Eugene (Silverman) was spot-on for the role and he played the role perfectly. He should be commended for his performance. The father also, in a minor role, did the same. So congrats to them. Unfortunately you cannot ignore the rest. Feh... casting!
Really what burns this movie is the poor performance of the Jewish mothers--both Aunt Blanche and Eugene's mom. They negate the comedic effect of the movie, which is just as important as Eugene's bit. The essence here behind all the drama is Eugene versus his mother but in a light way. A funny way. But the Jewish women are harsh Valkyires; they deliver their lines without a bit of the comedic chutzpah intended.
The last strike against it is that it wavers between being a converted theater (play) script and a regular Hollywood movie. What I mean by this is that quite a few scripts have been converted to a movie style, for example Biloxi Blues the sequel, David Mamet's films, and others. Then there are those films that seem scripted, as if we are watching a theater production--a conversion from the stage to the silver screen. This can work really well. Yet the screenwriters/directors did not make a decision whether to go toward one direction or the other.
It's all a shame. Eugene's monologues with the viewer (again, something we mostly see in theater drama not movies) are golden. The jokes are great. But the rest is just poorly adapted.
Should I recommend this movie? I want to because of the plot and Eugene's performance but at the same time there are so many problems it bothers me. So here's my rec... watch the movie Biloxi Blues, the next part in the series. Biloxi Blues is a better movie, better written, better acted, etc.
Get a feel for the character. Then watch this one. If not, do not bother.

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