Interesteg What makes it different from others?

Protraph Lack of good storyline.

Marketic It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Majorthebys Charming and brutal

reidycarol-65015 I cannot believe the review I just read about this movie. It makes me want to be in a relationship. I think Neil Simon's writing for this movie is full of great lines and the speech Marsha Mason gives is so wonderful and she really pulls it off. I have played that part over and over and told several people about it who haven't seen the movie. And I thought the chemistry between Caan and Mason was pretty good and they were believable as a couple. I also thought the supporting actors played good roles--the brother (Bologne) and the friend (Harper). It had some good scenery too. The music score wasn't so good. The move is a little slow--a romance--a chic flic, I guess. I loved the ending.

mrb1980 What do you end up with when you combine a Neil Simon script and two superstar leads (James Caan and Marsha Mason)? You should end up with a dynamite movie, but instead "Chapter Two" has almost no plot and listless direction. That it was a smashing financial success is attributable only to its stars.George Schneider (Caan) is a newly widowed man whose brother Leo (Joseph Bologna) sets him up with a newly divorced Jennie McLain (Marsha Mason). George and Jennie "meet cute", fall in love, quickly get married, then George starts missing his late wife. They almost break up, but reconcile in the end. That's it.Caan doesn't seem that interested in his role, Mason appears to want a better script, and the direction is pretty lame. Caan was on the downside of his 1970s superstar peak and has admitted that he took the role only for the money. Mason was a recent Academy Award winner, but she and Caan fail to generate much spark due to the pedestrian script, especially since Caan mumbles his way through most of his dialogue, as usual. Valerie Harper and especially Bologna add about the only zip to the movie as George's brother and Jennie's best friend. "Chapter Two" is pleasant, but in the end it really seems empty and pointless.

ajplex My first impression of this film was that it was..okay..., nothing to write home about. But on further viewings, I came to rate it as almost unwatchable. The plot is standard material, and presented fairly well, and Marsha Mason's acting, as usual, stands out (probably the only reason to watch). The problem is two-fold: First, James Caan's character is so unbelievable. He starts out as this light-hearted, earnest, easy-going guy trying to win Mason's affections. Once he does, though, as if someone flipped a switch, he suddenly turns dark, very dark, and drives Mason crazy. Why she puts up with his inexcusable behavior, I'll never know. The other problem is Caan the actor. Totally miscast. Perhaps a more versatile actor could have given more credence to his character.

dwr246 "Marry in haste, repent at leisure." Common expression, and perhaps one Neil Simon was thinking of when he wrote this autobiographical offering.George Schneider (James Caan) is a widowed writer who is becoming reclusive. His brother, Leo (Joseph Bologna), wants him to get back into the swim of life, so he gives him the phone number of Jennie MacLaine (Marsha Mason), a bubbly, divorced actress who is the best friend of his mistress, Faye Medwick (Valerie Harper). Improbably, George and Jennie hit it off, and enter into a whirlwind courtship, which leads very quickly to marriage. However, after they have married, the memory of his first wife causes George to withdraw from Jennie. Can their marriage survive? Do we want it to? It's an interesting script, in that you're swept along with a relationship that develops so fast it's out of control. And just when you think the happy ending is coming, a major problem develops. Simon certain knew the material, since he took it from his own life, but I think the ending is not as conclusive as he would like you to think it is. Along the way, though, it's an awful lot of fun.Mason carries this movie, and thankfully, she is more than equal to the task, giving us a fully developed portrait of a charming woman who knows herself, knows what she wants from a relationship, and isn't afraid to tell her husband when he isn't giving her what she needs. As for Caan, he gives his usual wooden performance, which works moderately well with his character, but still leaves you wondering why he was cast in the part. As supporting players, Bologna and Harper more than hold their own, and help fill in the void left by Caan.In spite of all its problems, this is a buoyant film, which is a joy to watch. Love may not be any easier the second time around, but Simon and Mason do manage to convince us that it's worth the ride.