As great a playwright as he is, Neil Simon occasionally goes a bit "overboard." In the movie "Plaza Suite," there wasn't one single likable character among all three stories, and the same was true of the original "The Out-of-Towners" - despite leads you wouldn't think capable of projecting this. And if it were ever possible to become tired of the great Walter Matthau's presence on screen, "Plaza Suite" confirmed it. In the original of this story, Marsha Mason was, in my opinion, thoroughly annoying - and I never cared for her work in anything of hers I ever saw. Patricia Heaton is 180-degrees opposite, and this movie proves it. Her Paula was someone you'd want to be with, stay with, come home to. Marsha Mason was one which you could visualize anybody chomping at the proverbial "bit" to extricate oneself. Further, Jeff Daniels is far more likable than Richard Dryfess as Elliot. Patricia Heaton rates along with Diane Keaton, Ann Heche, Sharon Stone and Sandra Bullock - as someone whom you thoroughly enjoy watching, whether the character is comedic, serious, tragic, or whatever. This movie's a "9," its predecessor about a "5-1/2."
Review of The Goodbye Girl
