Starting Over

Synopsis: Burt Reynolds is an attractive middle-aged man who suffers a crisis of confidence when ditched by his ambitious singer wife (Candice Bergen), until he begins to forge a new new relationship with an equally insecure teacher (Jill Clayburgh). But when the wife attempts a reconciliation - seduction followed by a truly excruciating song she has composed for him - he realizes where his loyalty lies.
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Director(s): Alan J. Pakula
Production: Paramount Pictures
  Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 nominations.
 
IMDB:
6.5
R
Year:
1979
105 min
267 Views


Boy, if I ever wanted to say

anything great...

now's the time.

There's nothing out there

for you, Jessie.

Except me in a different suit.

You think what we have together

is blocking you from something.

I swear to God, we're getting a divorce

when all we need is separate vacations.

You don't understand, do you?

Look, when I go out that door,

what are you gonna do?

You're gonna stand here and start

crying while I drive around the block...

I'm not gonna start crying

after you leave.

- You're not?

- No.

- What are you gonna do?

- I'll probably work on my song.

It's not like the painting

and the photography. It's not.

You just have a thing about my voice.

I've gotten a lot of terrific feedback

on my songs.

You don't think so?

Just the word "feedback,"

it's a stupid word.

- Do you mind if I say things my way?

- I don't mind.

Honey, you can't drag this out,

you know.

It's not gonna make it any less awful.

What's left to say, anyway?

That I'm glad that we were married.

Thank you. That's lovely.

That was lovely, wasn't it?

Wasn't that lovely?

If there's one thing

I didn't expect to do today, it was laugh.

Yeah.

Well, the day could be

chock-full of surprises.

I mean, if there's one thing

that I didn't expect today...

it's that the two of us

would end up in bed.

Not this time, babe.

- Why didn't you throw these away?

- I don't know.

Maybe I wanted you to find them.

"Evermore, Neil".

Dear God. "Evermore"?

You went to bed

with a man that said "evermore"?

- Do you want to know about it?

- No.

No, don't let her sing.

Not with that voice.

It's gonna be easy for you

To do what you got to do

Stand up on your own

You got it made

It's gonna be harder for me

But this woman's got a right to be

More than a shadow of her man

I loved you from my heart

Gave the best I had

Tried to be your friend

Now it's foolish to pretend

'Cause once the feeling's gone

It's better to move on

It's gonna be hard for me to do

- Thank you.

- Not anymore.

I'm sure I'll cry more tears than you

But I've gotta be

more than a shadow of my man

- Can I have a drink?

- Get in here.

Goddamn, I'm glad to see you.

I finally got you to Boston.

I'm glad I'm here, too.

Hello, Marva.

Will you stop, Marva?

Maybe you'd better leave us alone

for a while.

Sit down, Phil.

- How you doing?

- Pretty good.

Not so great.

Bad.

Okay.

- You gonna let me help you or not?

- I don't need any help.

I'm gonna help you whether you like it

or not. I'm not talking about psychiatry.

Psychiatry won't do a thing

for me, Mickey.

Who's talking psychiatry?

I'm not a psychiatrist anymore.

I've gone through some changes myself.

What are you doing now?

I'm teaching psychiatry.

If it's okay,

I'd really like to be a part of this.

Phil, we've never talked about this...

but I've always felt like a sister to you.

Not a sister-in-law.

And, Phil, this could be the best thing

that could happen to you.

It could be very exciting.

The possibilities for growth

and self-awareness...

getting to know yourself...

could be the most wonderfully happy,

even thrilling experience.

I've got you set up

in this Divorced Men's Workshop...

they have at the church here.

What are you talking about?

I'm not gonna do that.

It's not psychiatry.

Trust me a little, will you, Phil?

I know the way you are. It's just

this workshop, one night a week.

Mickey, I appreciate that,

but I couldn't do that.

I couldn't get up in front of a...

Hello, in there.

Let us do something. Please?

Where you going?

I don't know.

- It hasn't been a real terrific day.

- You can use Victor's room.

Right.

I'm all right. Just exhausted.

I'm all right.

- Good night.

- Good night.

He looks awful.

Sure it's all right for me

to borrow Tracy's sleeping bag?

Of course.

I'll get it back to you

as soon as I get settled.

Thanks for everything, Marva.

Call if you get sad.

- Can I call if I get happy?

- Yeah. Sure.

Sh*t.

Attention, shoppers.

Right now, in the clothing department...

we have Levis for $10.90.

We have boys'jeans

for $6.90 and $9.90.

We have big boys' pants for $7.90.

Elaine, register three, please.

Hi, Mickey.

I'm fine.

I was wondering

what you two are doing tonight.

Is it that late?

No, don't be silly.

Go back to sleep.

You gotta go to work

in a couple of hours.

Tomorrow night? Sure. Fine.

I'll see you then. Good night.

Good morning, Mickey.

Get the f*** away from me!

I've got a knife.

I'll cut your f***ing balls off, so help me!

Come on in.

- You're not going to believe...

- I was gonna call the police.

What's the matter?

Marva invited a friend tonight.

She was attacked by a pervert

just a block from here.

Phil, this is Marilyn Holmberg.

Marilyn, this is Michael's brother, Phil.

On her way here, Marilyn

was almost attacked by some pervert.

I'm really not this kind of person.

I could die.

Phil is the pervert.

- No. Isn't that marvellous?

- I have an excuse.

- I took this self-defence course...

- Wouldn't you have loved to be there?

...and they told me that

if somebody comes down the street...

and does something to you,

you scare him.

You must've gotten

very high marks in the course.

Phil, what exactly did she say to you?

I don't think we should talk about that.

Come on.

Phil, what did she say?

Nothing, really.

She said:

"Get the f*** away from me...

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James L. Brooks

James Lawrence "Jim" Brooks is an American director, producer and screenwriter. Growing up in North Bergen, New Jersey, Brooks endured a fractured family life and passed the time by reading and writing. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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    "Starting Over" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/starting_over_18820>.

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