A New Life

Directed by Alan Alda, A New Life follows a middle-aged married couple (Alda’s Steve and Ann-Margret’s Jackie) as they attempt to start from scratch after divorcing. It’s a familiar premise that’s employed to erratic yet mostly engaging effect by Alda, as the filmmaker, armed with his own screenplay, delivers a predominantly watchable endeavor that benefits from the top-tier efforts of its various performers – with Alda’s typically commanding turn matched by such agreeable periphery players as John Shea, Mary Kay Place, and Hal Linden. There’s little doubt, as well, that A New Life‘s engaging atmosphere is heightened by an opening hour rife with unexpectedly compelling sequences, including Steve and Jackie’s argument about their sex life and a terrific meet-cute involving Alda’s character and a pretty doctor (Veronica Hamel’s Kay), which ensures that the comparatively underwhelming vibe of the movie’s second half is especially disappointing – with the hit-and-miss bent of the protagonists’ individual exploits contributing heavily to the uneven feel (eg Jackie’s relationship with a clingy artist is perhaps not quite as enthralling as Alda has intended). Still, A New Life, buoyed by its charismatic performances and periodically trenchant observations about marriage and relationships, generally comes off as a solid piece of work that fits in nicely within Alda’s limited yet entertaining filmography.

**1/2 out of ****