The Odd Couple (1968)

Lemmon and Matthau Movie #2  (Please click the links to read my other reviews of Neil Simon comedies – also featuring Walter Matthau – California Suite and I Oughta Be in Pictures) 

Synopsis: Crying, constant cooking, compulsive cleaning, cloying concern, crummy communications complicates kooky cohabitation. 

Blurb From the VHS Jacket: “Neil Simon has a special genius for finding the great hilarity in ordinary people doing everyday things. Like two divorced men who decide to share a New York apartment.” 

What Did I Learn?: When a plate of linguine is thrown against a wall, it instantly becomes “garbage.” 

You Might Like This Movie If: You never once watched this TV series... or this TV series.... or this TV series... or this made-for TV reunion movie.

Really?: 1) Wow... it certainly takes Oscar a long time to fix those drinks, doesn’t it? 2) So... Felix couldn’t have simply taken that meatloaf out of the oven, and served it at room temperature instead of burning it to a crisp? Come on... 

Rating: As you can tell from my other reviews, I’m not a big Neil Simon fan, but wow – The Odd Couple is a funny, cleverly-written, and all-too believable comedy featuring Lemmon an d Matthau at the top of their game (although I must admit that I’ll always think of Tony Randall and Jack Klugman as Felix and Oscar). I enjoyed this film, but my only complaint is that Simon’s script never grows beyond light comedy; there are no touching dramatic moments between Felix and Oscar such as those John Hughes created for Steve Martin and John Candy in Planes,Trains and Automobiles, and neither man really learns anything about himself, or why their marriages failed (although Oscar half-heartedly asks his guests not to make too much of a mess at the end). Still, highly recommended. 9/10 stars.  

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063374/?ref_=nv_sr_1