Neil Simon’s Seems Like Old Times

Directed by Jay Sandrich, Neil Simon’s Seems Like Old Times follows Chevy Chase’s Nick Gardenia as he’s kidnapped and forced to participate in a bank robbery – with the bulk of the picture detailing Nick’s efforts at clearing his name and winning back his ex-wife (Goldie Hawn’s Glenda). It’s an appealing premise that’s employed to decidedly hit and miss effect by Sandrich, as the filmmaker, working from Neil Simon’s script, delivers a mostly-watchable comedy that suffers from a handful of lulls within its 100 minute running time – with the rather claustrophobic midsection, which transpires mostly within Glenda and her husband’s (Charles Grodin’s Ira) estate, certainly doing little to alleviate the erratic atmosphere. It’s clear, then, that Neil Simon’s Seems Like Old Times benefits substantially from the uniformly charismatic work of its various performers, as Chase and Hawn’s affable, chemistry-loaded efforts here are matched by an off-kilter assortment of periphery players – although there’s little doubt that Grodin’s scene-stealing turn remains an obvious highlight. By the time the frenetic (and not entirely successful) climax rolls around, Neil Simon’s Seems Like Old Times has confirmed its place as a decent-enough endeavor that admittedly does boast its fair share of laugh-out-loud funny bits and gags.

**1/2 out of ****