Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977)

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Directed by Richard Brooks.

Starring William Atherton, Richard Gere, Richard Kiley, Tuesday Weld, Diane Keaton.

Adapted from Judith Rossner's best-selling novelization of a true story, Richard Brooks's melodrama turns one woman's search for a liberated life into a cautionary tale about promiscuity. After an affair with her college professor, no-longer-good Catholic girl Theresa Dunn (Diane Keaton) follows the lead of her hedonistic sister (Tuesday Weld) and moves out of her oppressive family home to forge a life of her own. A compassionate teacher of deaf children by day, Theresa metamorphoses into a sexually free cruiser of singles bars by night. She prefers the satisfying attentions of unpredictable, danger-tinged stud Tony Lopanto (Richard Gere) to the more noble intentions of social worker James (William Atherton), but she ditches anyone who prevents her from being her "own girl." As Theresa's life threatens to spin out of control, she makes a vow to clean up her existence once and for all. But before she makes the break, she goes to one more bar and brings home one more man (Tom Berenger). ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide

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Reviews and discussions

Re: The Differentiation Of Horr ...
by Dr_Gor in HORROR MOVIES 101

loved it.

"Thank you for the post, Andy, and welcome aboard! You are quite right.. and you bring up an interesting point... I, too, appreciate all of the "Human- Monster" type Horror films that "could actually happen"... There are MANY... Some of the examples you gave are excellent examples... "Cape Fear" (original and remake) and "Silence Of The Lambs" (and all of the sequels/prequels) are perfect examples... I would also add Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977) - Spout to that list. But there are MANY, MANY movies of that type that are presented as "Horror Movies" as well... A partial list would include: "Psycho" (all) "The Texas Cainsaw Massacre" (all) "The Hills Have Eyes" (original) "Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer" "Slaughterhouse" "Last House On The Left" "The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane" "Don't Look In The Basement" "HOSTEL" "Wrong Turn" "Detour" ...the list goes on and on... I think you get the idea... >>> Also, if you have had any experience wi ... " [More]

Re: top five movies that scared ...
by quint in Top 5

hasn't rated it.

"1. The Thing - WIthout a doubt number 1. My brother and I snuck out at 2am to watch this on Channel C (What would become HBO). Holy crap. This is why our parents wouldn't let us watch these movies. 2. Looking for Mr. Goodbar - My mom was watching this on TV and I was doing my homework in the other room, not supposed to be paying attention. I remember alot of moaning and sighing that I could not equate with love, only some weird violence. 3. Alien - Wow. Belly-busting nightmares. 4. Wizard of Oz - crazy flying monkeys got me every time. 5. Dawn of the Dead - I was 15 I think, sneaking into the midnight movies. First time I ever saw a head explode. Thought I would never be the same. Still marvel at the trauma. " [More]

Review by All Movie Guide

All Movie Guide

is neutral about it.

With the casting of Diane Keaton as Theresa, Looking for Mr. Goodbar became a then-rarity in Hollywood movies, depicting an everyday woman with an erotic life, rather than a vamp or a whore. While Keaton's performance was hailed for embodying the contradictions faced by women after the sexual revolution, Looking for Mr. Goodbar was faulted for Brooks' heavy-handedly puritanical view of the 1970s singles bar world. With its cultural currency, Looking for Mr. Goodbar became a moderate hit, as contemporary audiences debated how close Theresa's story was to their own experience. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide

Tags: intense , scary , promiscuity , sex , sister
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