Same Time, Next Year

Got here in timely matter and good condition.

Returning to this old favorite decades later is an experience not unlike that of its protagonists in the final sequence, as they look back on their lives & how they've changed over the years. In fact, it's the sort of film that bears re-watching over time, as a reminder of how we change & grow (or don't), and how what seemed so urgent at the moment may seem much less so upon reflection. And vice-versa, of course!Everyone knows the plot: two married people meet at a seaside inn, have a brief encounter, and return each year thereafter to renew it. Some see this as a glorification of adultery. I don't think so. It's in many ways more of a literary conceit, a frame for following both the lives of two fairly ordinary people, as well as the changes in society over a quarter of a century. And that particular quarter of a century saw tumultuous changes indeed.Does this make the film "dated" as some say? Well, that word is horribly overused these days to dismiss anything older than five minutes ago as passé & not worth one's attention. But the fact that it covers a specific period of time & captures the feelings of that time is what makes it work so well. For anyone born afterwards, it offers a funny & sometimes moving time capsule of America from the 1950s to the 1970s. This was life for your parents ... or by this time, your grandparents. This is what they lived through & what shaped them. And so in many ways also shaped you.But more to the point, in its examination of passion, guilt, friendship, politics, culture, mores & attitudes, it's actually quite timeless. For anyone with even a modicum of depth, those issues are always present, always real, always important. That it examines them in a somewhat exaggerated fashion might be a sticking point for some, I know. But it is a comedy, after all, and exaggeration often emphasizes real truths.Now, let's talk about the performances. Alan Alda is good, if drawing a little on his portrayal of Hawkeye on M*A*S*H—it might have been interesting to see Charles Grodin, who originated the role on stage, carrying it over to the screen. But Alda had more marquee value, so ... Still, he gives a solid performance. And his portrayal of the early 1970s laidback man going through the human potential movement is an accurate gem. But it's Ellen Burstyn, who did carry over her role from the stage, who really shines here. She brings Doris to life through all of the many changes that the times brought to women in particular then. No wonder George fell for her!If not a great film, it's a warm & charming one, with poignant moments that punctuate the comedy, just as they do in real life. It can't quite escape its stage origins, but I really don't mind. For me, it's the relationship between the two characters, and their relationship to the constantly changing times, that really counts. I especially like the B&W montages that transition between 5-year intervals—though I'll bet that increasingly younger viewers will need annotations for many of their images by now. :)For me, the film is a returning to people who are old friends by now. Recommended!

Great movie

While the premise is a bit strange, meeting up once a year to have an affair, it is interesting to see their lives change over time. This is definitely a movie you have to pay attention to when you watch. Great movie overall.

I loved this movie. It’s unique, funny and heartwarming. The disc works well.

Very heartfelt semi-classic movie.

I won't review the film as so many great reviewers already have. I just wanted to add that, even though this is not available on blu-ray, this DVD upscales very well on a blu-ray player. It doesn't look as good as a Sony DVD from an action film produced in 2015 but that isn't because of the transfer, it is because this was filmed on celluloid and was transferred from a master that was already about twenty-five years old at the time they mastered the DVD. The quality is very good considering those issues and this DVD really holds up well to scrutiny on video and audio quality. As to the film, I tend to me the more conservative of my friends and was always getting compared to the Alan Alda character as a result so, after many years of not seeing this, I finally sat down to watch it. What I can say is, first, yes, I get it, I'm Alan Alda in the body of a lovely lady. Also yes, this is a beautiful love story but, more than that, it is a wonderfully heartfelt and spectacularly well acted portrait of America, of what we've been through, what we've done to ourselves, what's been done to us, how all of these huge events, everything from cultural revolutions to revolutions of the weapons variety, have affected us as a nation and as individuals just trying to make it through our lives. These two simple and average characters, in the guise of these magnificent actors, represent so many of us so accurately in terms of how these changes affect us and how we change from knowing each other and listening to different views. I love this film so if you are considering it, please stumble on over to one of the real reviews so you'll know why you should watch it. Good luck in finding what you are looking for.

I haven't seen this movie in years. I love it. I read other reviews with people talking about infidelity. That is true, but this movie is also about love and communication. Even though I am divorced, I still believe in love and commitment. In some weird way, this movie is about both.

This really is the most wonderful film and stands the test of time.This is a two-hander film (with just a couple of lines from one other actor) and the whole thing is absolutely brilliant and very very funny.My son (who is 25) watched it when he had 'nothing else to do' and I could hear him laughing and laughing and laughing. He actually admitted that he enjoyed it - although like me, he loves the theatre, and so was probably watching it with that image in mind. I would certainly love to see it on the stage - but who could play the two leads well enough to cover the 26-year time span. Mmmm, I think that that will give me food for thought.I also love Alan Alda's 'The Four Seasons' but it seems to be unavailable.I thoroughly recommend this film - and it isn't one that you will watch just the once, that's for sure.

a beautifully acted wonderful film. put it this way, if affairs were like this we'd all be having them. at its truly best, this movie is a journey from the fifties towards the eighties, through all that happened within American culture, depicted with wonderfully judged photo chapters, and an iron clad relationship between two friends and lovers who also love their spouses and children. the premise works due to excellent writing and perfect performances from alan alda and ellen bursyn. excellent xxx

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE MOVIES THAT IS DEFINATELY NOT FOR THE HARD HEARTED, SO IF YOU DON'T LIKE ROMANCE, HAVE FORGOTTEN WHAT PASSION IS, AND NEVER USE TISSUES TO WATCH FILMS WITH, DON'T BUY IT! BUT, IF YOU DO ENJOY ALL OF THE LATTER, COUPLED WITH TWO QUITE MAGNIFICENT ACTING PERFORMANCES BY THE LEADS AND A STORYLINE FULL OF LOVE AND LIFE, THEN THIS IS THE FILM FOR YOU.TWO STRANGERS MEET, FALL INSTANTLY IN LOVE AND ARRANGE TO SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN, ONLY THING IS THEY ARE BOTH MARRIED AND ONLY MEET AT THE, 'SAME TIME NEXT YEAR'.THE FILM COVERS DECADES, BUT IS HIGHLIGHTED BY JUST A FEW OF THE TRULY MEMORABLE EPISODES IN THE RELATIONSHIP.THE STORY COVERS EVERY HUMAN EMOTION,IS TOUCHING, PASSIONATE, HEARTBREAKING, BRAVE, HUMOROUS, SINCERE, COLOURFUL, WITTY AND FULL OF THE BEST HUMAN QUALITY OF THEM ALL, LOVE.TREAT YOURSELF TO A MOVIE YOU WILL WATCH OVER AND OVER AGAIN,AND KEEP THE TISSUES HANDY!

Such a sweet movie. I bought this trying to fill in my Alan Alda filmography, and he is great, but Ellen Burstyn shows so many different sides to her character. It's a truly wonderful performance. I also love the Marvin Hamlisch song "The Last Time I Felt Like This" - it's incredibly cheesy, but it's been stuck in my head now for almost a year.

I saw it when it was first released & never forgot it. Still a good film but seemed a little bit dated now. Great acting though from two seasoned professionals & I have no doubt I'll watch it again & probably again.