I remember seeing Twice In A Lifetime back in 1985 during it's theatrical run ,I enjoyed the movie but did not really analyze it .
I recently got a chance to rewatch it and really noticed how bad the screenplay was especially for Ellen Burstyn's character.
Her role of the wife Kate McKenzie is so badly underwritten , in one scene Gene Hackman's character Harry McKenzie is telling her why he is leaving her for another woman , it's so painful not because of just him dumping on her but because he feels that this other woman can give him a fresh start since he feels that Kate treats him like wallpaper. I mean in the beginning scenes of the movie you know they are not in a good marriage but she never treats him like that and actually tries to reach out to him. It's a shame that her character was not fleshed out more , all we get is a few scenes of a tired woman who probably hasn't been treated fairly and is driven down by her neglectful husband.
The impression that I got was that Harry had driven his wife down so far , that she basically stopped trying to make her appearance any better, I mean warranted Kate was not a pretty woman but she didn't bother to wear make up or better clothes. She was portrayed very drab and seemed to care more about the kids and game shows. So Harry selfishly goes to a bar and flirts with barmaid Audrey played by Ann Margret who in my opinion drags this movie down with her gross come ons and wooden empathy . In one scene she practically attacks Harry in bed , panting like a dog in heat . Yuck. Their whole dynamic just doesn't work, I just find it very unrealistic that a man like Harry would turn any woman on with his looks and behavior.
Harry also tells Kate in the scene where he is leaving ,that Audrey is not younger than she is but in reality Ann Margret was 9 years younger than Ellen Burstyn ,44 compared to 53 is a big gap for a woman. That and the fact they have Ann Margret all dolled up compared to Ellen Burstyns old maid drabness, she finally has a beauty makeover during the last 3rd of the movie but lets be honest, even in full makeup and a blond dye job ,Ellen Burstyn is no match for Ann Margret in the looks dept.
The saving grace to the movie are the roles of Harry's 2 daughters played by Amy Madigan and Ally Sheedy. Sunny played by Madigan is this headstrong tough woman who thinks that marriage should last forever no matter what and really lays into her father about his infidelity while Helen played by Sheedy is more kind hearted and is about to get married - the scene with her dad on the porch at night is the best in the movie. Overall I rate it 6/10 because the talented cast gets wasted in a bad screenplay that basically tells the story of a philanderer who justifies his behavior just because he can and also doesn't care about his family's feelings ,blaming it on his wife more than himself ,if anything he and Audrey will end up splitting once he gets tired of her in 5 years.
I recently got a chance to rewatch it and really noticed how bad the screenplay was especially for Ellen Burstyn's character.
Her role of the wife Kate McKenzie is so badly underwritten , in one scene Gene Hackman's character Harry McKenzie is telling her why he is leaving her for another woman , it's so painful not because of just him dumping on her but because he feels that this other woman can give him a fresh start since he feels that Kate treats him like wallpaper. I mean in the beginning scenes of the movie you know they are not in a good marriage but she never treats him like that and actually tries to reach out to him. It's a shame that her character was not fleshed out more , all we get is a few scenes of a tired woman who probably hasn't been treated fairly and is driven down by her neglectful husband.
The impression that I got was that Harry had driven his wife down so far , that she basically stopped trying to make her appearance any better, I mean warranted Kate was not a pretty woman but she didn't bother to wear make up or better clothes. She was portrayed very drab and seemed to care more about the kids and game shows. So Harry selfishly goes to a bar and flirts with barmaid Audrey played by Ann Margret who in my opinion drags this movie down with her gross come ons and wooden empathy . In one scene she practically attacks Harry in bed , panting like a dog in heat . Yuck. Their whole dynamic just doesn't work, I just find it very unrealistic that a man like Harry would turn any woman on with his looks and behavior.
Harry also tells Kate in the scene where he is leaving ,that Audrey is not younger than she is but in reality Ann Margret was 9 years younger than Ellen Burstyn ,44 compared to 53 is a big gap for a woman. That and the fact they have Ann Margret all dolled up compared to Ellen Burstyns old maid drabness, she finally has a beauty makeover during the last 3rd of the movie but lets be honest, even in full makeup and a blond dye job ,Ellen Burstyn is no match for Ann Margret in the looks dept.
The saving grace to the movie are the roles of Harry's 2 daughters played by Amy Madigan and Ally Sheedy. Sunny played by Madigan is this headstrong tough woman who thinks that marriage should last forever no matter what and really lays into her father about his infidelity while Helen played by Sheedy is more kind hearted and is about to get married - the scene with her dad on the porch at night is the best in the movie. Overall I rate it 6/10 because the talented cast gets wasted in a bad screenplay that basically tells the story of a philanderer who justifies his behavior just because he can and also doesn't care about his family's feelings ,blaming it on his wife more than himself ,if anything he and Audrey will end up splitting once he gets tired of her in 5 years.