DVD Review: Heartburn

07/09/04

The cover lines for Paramount?s recent release of Heartburn on DVD call this movie a ?wickedly funny look at modern romance.? Having missed the movie when it released on the big screen in 1986, I figured we?d check out the DVD release to see what all the hubbub was about. Having now endured the film?s incredibly pessimistic attitude toward marriage, I must say the only thing ?wicked? about Heartburn is its unrelenting thesis that marriage, regardless of its well-intentioned and romantic roots, is just not possible for middle-aged newlyweds. With Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson playing the main characters and director Mike Nichols at the helm, those comments are not meant to detract from the film?s quality. Quite the contrary, the character development and pacing of Heartburn shows all three people at their finest. Streep convincingly plays a successful New York writer who reluctantly chooses family over career, while Nicholson is the epitome of a philandering Washington D.C. columnist who tries to choose marriage but can?t break from the ?make me dinner, woman? mentality of a domineering spouse. In a sense, the delivery of both actors achieves exactly what it?s supposed to: viewers feel for Streep but hate her almost-terminal reluctance to pursue life sans-husband, while viewers initially connect with Nicholson but end up despising him for being the manipulative cheat he?s paid to play. Meanwhile, the story and character progression is guided seamlessly and believably by Nichols, who keeps a strong hand on the pacing but never makes the film seem forced. Nicholson cracks incessant jokes as a stereotypically annoying husband would do. Streep fights through denial when her husband cheats for the first time. The supporting cast provides well-timed comic relief in the situations you?d expect them to try and change. Basically, the film feels completely natural, but in an incredibly disturbing way. Coming from a man whose wife loves romantic comedies, I found the premise of Heartburn overly pessimistic. Of course, that comment also comes from a man who has yet to reach his middle ages and hasn?t reached the point where he?s so set in his ways that even an event as significant as marriage can?t disrupt habits that have taken years to form. I didn?t find About Schmidt funny, either, but people just five years older than I found it absolutely hilarious. It could very well be a ?stage in life? comedy, and I?ve yet to reach the stage where I appreciate the humor. One thing I invariably appreciate is good acting, and the film definitely has that. I also appreciate good DVD bonus features, but unfortunately, Heartburn has none. Dolby Digital support and enhanced video for 16:9 televisions is the extent of the DVD bonuses. For an archived film such as this, this omission is to be somewhat expected, but even including the original trailer or a few retrospective interviews would?ve helped complete the package. I wouldn?t call Heartburn a ?must see,? as critics in 1986 called the film, nor would I call it wickedly funny, as the publisher did both then and now. Instead, I would call Heartburn a well-acted, well-directed and well-paced movie about the tragedies that can befall a marriage when spouses are unfaithful, incompatible, or both. Heartburn on DVD makes for a good rent if you?re feeling down on love, but for anyone entrenched in an honest relationship, Heartburn is going to do little more than disrupt your concept of what love truly is. -- Jonas Allen
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