Review of Barefoot In the Park (1982) by Blake P — 21 Aug 2013

As a movie lover not familiar with the famous Broadway version of "Barefoot in the Park," I can say that my lack of knowledge may have bolstered how much I liked this film adaptation.  It could be said that it is basically a filmed play, but even then, it's so enjoyable and funny that the fact that it's so character-driven isn't distracting.  Jane Fonda and Robert Redford have great chemistry, and both give great performances to boot.

The film follows a young married couple, Paul (Redford) and Corie (Fonda) in the first few weeks of their marriage. As both are in their early-20s, they are inexperienced as adults, and being married is another difficulty. Paul is a type-A lawyer, while Corie is spunky and free-spirited; their union is blissful, even if they don't have too much in common (and their brand-new apartment is on the fifth floor, with no elevator). Corie doesn't want anything to get in the way of her so-far perfect marriage, so when her doting mother (Mildred Natwick) butts in, she has to scramble to make everything lovely again.

Even viewed almost fifty-years later, there's something about "Barefoot in the Park" that is still refreshing today.  It's somewhat of a romantic comedy, but the focus is less on trying to make us feel warm and fuzzy inside.  Instead, we can't help but pray that hopefully the marriage of Paul and Corie will eventually work out in the end.  .

They're such likable people: they're young, attractive and witty, and they're played by two actors who have an ample amount of charisma.  Because we act as voyeurs to their marriage, we can see that their personalities don't always match up.  Since we learn to enjoy them (and it isn't hard, believe me), it doesn't take long for us to care about them, and that's a key part to films like this one.

Neil Simon's screenplay is near-perfect, as it has a excellent balance of stinging humor and drama that isn't overbearing.  The dialogue flows without any trouble, and the characterizations are simple but effective.  The romance between Paul and Corie is often times sweet, but the focus is less on cuteness and more on the difficulties of an early marriage.  To have a screenplay can be so often times funny but also so human and realistic is very tricky; but Simon handles it in a way that makes it look easy.

"Barefoot in the Park" is an underrated classic movie that is simple but entertaining and effective.  They certainly don't make 'em like this anymore.