Paul Mazursky: The '70s
Alex in Wonderland
Blume in Love
Harry and Tonto
Next Stop, Greenwich Village
An Unmarried Woman (January 28/06)
Though An Unmarried Woman is generally well acted and occasionally insightful, the movie is ultimately undone by a thoroughly dated, anachronistic aura (the sluggish pace doesn't help matters, certainly). Jill Clayburgh stars as Erica, an upper-crust Manhattanite who must adjust to the single life after her husband (Michael Murphy) leaves her for a younger woman. The film, written and directed by Paul Mazursky, is overflowing with cynical, overly verbose characters that just aren't compelling - something that's true even of Clayburgh's Erica, who comes off as obnoxious and pampered. Mazursky's polished dialogue contributes to the feeling of inauthenticity, a vibe that's compounded by Clayburgh's grating, mannered performance. Finally, somewhere around the midway point, Alan Bates pops up as a potential suitor for Erica and injects some much-needed life into the proceedings - but his admittedly engaging performance simply isn't enough to compensate for the film's various deficiencies (including Bill Conti's wildly intrusive score).
out of