The first 15-20 minutes are pretty lame (and the goofy little-girl thing was completely needless)...but then it starts to pick up quite a bit (after the man of the house kicks it). Burstyn gives a thoroughly winning performance (indeed, she literally won the coveted Trophy for that year), as does Ladd. Oh yeah, and Jodie Foster was...well, a boy. (That was one bratty kid Ellen had btw.) Many good lines, the best of which perhaps being: "I sing with my mouth, not my ass."

Marty does Mizoguchi (sort of).

Most notable not as early Scorsese material, but for Ellen Burstyn's remarkable performance as a widow battling a neverending series of disappointments. Sounds like a heavy dramatic premise, but strangely enough there's more in the way of comedic charm than tragedy. This doesn't come off as insincere, though, and is mostly presented in Alice's relationship with her son. The ending is an awful cliche, but it doesn't completely undercut all of the film's admirable qualities.

I suppose this is Scorsese trying to find himself directing a family drama or a female drama, to see if this genre pleases him. I guess not. Because this is a Ellen Burstyn's film. And he never tried that kind of movie again, I think.

One of Scorsese's worst efforts. I would say he was still learning the craft but he already made Mean Streets so that theory isn't applicable. Pretty damn boring.

So much better than I expected. Scorsese is way out of his element and still owns it.

The material doesn't always match the tone - it feels a bit flat and weightless at times, but overall it's a touching drama with some outstanding performances. Scorsese was still on shaky ground as a technician and the camerawork can be a bit ostentatious at times; however, it's usually pretty understated. And yes, the climax is cheesy.

I could take it or leave it. It's a nice enough little movie with a really good performance by Diane Ladd and a nice comedic touch (which unfortunately makes the film feel entirely superficial) but doesn't have a whole lot to offer and Alfred Lutter is really irritating.

Kind of like "Paris, Texas" except hilarious instead of somber. Parent/son relationship, set in the desert, and notable child acting.

The movie is quite good at excavating the sudden energies, childishnesses, and surprises that lie buried in people, although these revelations too regularly appear in the form of histrionic rages. Generally, Scorsese cannot resist scrounging for laughs (precocious kids, wisecracking waitresses), and he at least gets hold of the laughs he goes after. It is less clear what he hopes to accomplish with the fidgety, nerve-racking camera movements, which match Bertolucci in exuberance and excess.

Really great in every way. Maybe I'm overrating it a bit, but I loved everything about it. Ellen Burstyn is phenomenal. I absolutely loved the transition from Oz to Mott the Hoople. Good stuff. (Also lol at the guy who says Scorsese doesn't have skill in using music!)

83.750

Great, low-key Scorsese.