Falling in Love (1984)
Two married people meet on a train, develop an innocent friendship, and eventually fall in love. If that premise sounds familiar, it’s because Falling in Love is a second remake of 1945’s Brief Encounter. I’ve seen all three, and this version is by far my favorite. The first one was depressing and boring, the second one was an improvement by being merely boring, and this one is neither!
Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro are given a bit of a break from their usually heavy fare. This movie certainly has its dramatic moments, but the love story between the leads is very sweet and endearing. They don’t jump into an affair, and they don’t necessarily seek out companionship because they’re unhappy at home. Jane Kaczmarek and David Clennon are their spouses, and while they’re not perfect, they do have working marriages and aren’t seeking a new life partner. They simply enjoy each other’s company. It’s pretty rare to actually like someone you’re falling in love with, since so many other factors often cloud our judgement; Meryl and Bobby have such a natural, genuine chemistry together and it’s easy to root for them.
Falling in Love isn’t a fluff piece, so don’t write this off as a romantic comedy. In one of my favorite scenes, they enter a photo booth during one of their dates. They look at the strip of photos and enjoy the moment, then throw it away because they know they can’t get caught. The leads are committing adultery, so you should expect lots of conflicted feelings, and lots of hurt feelings from the spouses. Also, Meryl’s father dies, and she gets a very emotional funeral scene to show off her acting chops. Keep an eye out for Harvey Keitel, George Martin, and Dianne Wiest in the supporting cast. Also keep an eye out for some festive cheer; it might not seem like the best subject matter to include in a Christmas movie, but it gives you a good excuse to rent it in December.
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1974's Brief Encounter here!
More Meryl Streep movies here!
Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro are given a bit of a break from their usually heavy fare. This movie certainly has its dramatic moments, but the love story between the leads is very sweet and endearing. They don’t jump into an affair, and they don’t necessarily seek out companionship because they’re unhappy at home. Jane Kaczmarek and David Clennon are their spouses, and while they’re not perfect, they do have working marriages and aren’t seeking a new life partner. They simply enjoy each other’s company. It’s pretty rare to actually like someone you’re falling in love with, since so many other factors often cloud our judgement; Meryl and Bobby have such a natural, genuine chemistry together and it’s easy to root for them.
Falling in Love isn’t a fluff piece, so don’t write this off as a romantic comedy. In one of my favorite scenes, they enter a photo booth during one of their dates. They look at the strip of photos and enjoy the moment, then throw it away because they know they can’t get caught. The leads are committing adultery, so you should expect lots of conflicted feelings, and lots of hurt feelings from the spouses. Also, Meryl’s father dies, and she gets a very emotional funeral scene to show off her acting chops. Keep an eye out for Harvey Keitel, George Martin, and Dianne Wiest in the supporting cast. Also keep an eye out for some festive cheer; it might not seem like the best subject matter to include in a Christmas movie, but it gives you a good excuse to rent it in December.
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1974's Brief Encounter here!
More Meryl Streep movies here!