Review of Same Time, Next Year (1978) by Zarinah H — 22 Jul 2009

Don't get me wrong - I'm against adultery, but this movie works for me because of the comic chemistry between the two leads.

Based on the 1975 Bernard Slade play of the same name, this screen adaptation stars Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn as a pair of married lovers, who meet once each year for 26 years. Though a movie about marital infidelity may not be one's cup of tea, this movie works because it doesn't focus so much on the lust-driven aspect of the affair, but more about two people who find themselves in circumstances where they really care for each other, yet are strongly committed to their marriages. Alan Alda plays George, a married accountant with three kids, while Ellen Burstyn plays Doris, a California housewife.

The pair's relationship evolves over the course of 26 years, as each time they meet [in the movie, it kind of jumps every 5 years , beginning with 1951, then on to 1956...1961 until 1977], viewers get to see how George and Doris have 'grown' as individuals, and also how the years have shaped their relationship. They develop an intimacy that goes beyond physical closeness, sharing pieces of each other's lives, and confiding their innermost desires and worries. I truly came to care about both of these characters. The really hilarious moments, e.g. george being placed in a situation where he has to help Doris through labour pains is balanced by really poignant moments when one comforts the other over a loved one's death.

This is a movie that I first watched a few years ago, never knowing of its existence until I saw it on Netflix. And since then, I've watched it numerous times - drawn in part to the great comic chemistry shared between Burstyn and Alda, and also the wonderful soundtrack and archival footage of historical events through the years 1951-1977. This is one that will have you laughing and crying!