Review of The Way We Were (1973) by Belinda T — 22 Mar 2008

It is a beautiful and tragic love story, realistic in that it tells us (once again) that loving somebody is not always enough. This couple cannot help the deep passion they have for one another; but they also cannot be more (in his case) or less (in hers) than they really are. The are incompatible, at best.

So we get to see the passage of time, giving us great costumes and art direction, and we get to see Redford at his most gorgeous and Barbra (sometimes beautiful, sometimes out of place in odd hairdos) act their heads off, especially in the last scene, that has become so identified as to make it one of those legendary moments on film.

Marvin Hamlisch's score is really deliciously manipulative and beautiful and that title song is.. well it is just heavenly.

I'd like to give this picture five stars but I deducted one because, truth be told, it is only two hours long but it lags in spots, making it seem longer than it is - and most of those spots involve all that political jargon and debate, which always flies over my head. And I am a smart and educated person. I would imagine that people less smart and less educated will be bored out of their minds during those scenes, while waiting for Redford's next shirtless scene or Streisand's next tirade.

Nevertheless, the fans love it and people who like good movies will, no doubt, find some merit herein.