Max Dugan Returns

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C     Extras: C-     Film: C+

 

 

Neil Simon is a great writer and Herbert Ross was a great director until his last few films, but Max Dugan Returns (1983) is a sill would-be comedy/drama about a woman (Marsha Mason) and her son (Matthew Broderick in his feature film debut) with their personal and financial problems.  Suddenly, a man (Jason Robards) shows up and not only is her long lost father, but suddenly starts to shower them with money and gifts.  It seems too good to be true and then there is her new policeman/boyfriend (Donald Sutherland).

 

The problem with the film is that it is just too sappy and the swearing-as-jokes are as dated as the 1980s feel-good phoniness as if this father could show up decades later after abandoning his daughter and fix everything with a relatively brief visit.  It is preposterous and lame, but some people bought this.  Though it was not a huge hit, it has its admirers, but is honestly a waste of talent in a film that was even oddball in its time.  Only see it if you want to see a time capsule, because the performances cannot overcome the disappointing direction and often infantile script.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.85 X 1 image shows its age, and though the color is not bad and print is in decent shape, the softness and grain shows that this is an old print and likely old professional analog master.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono suggests this further, which sounds tiny, tinny and has warping and harmonic distortion all over the place.  This is one of David Shire’s rare, passable scores.  The only extras are trailers, including one for this film.  For diehard fans of the cast and crew only.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo