Simply Perfect

Just perfect...

Don't listen to the negative reviews

Blistering performances.

Prior to the start of the 21rst century, movie franchises that had sequels were more or less on time with their releases. Other sets of movies were created not long after. This was due to movie studios finding it to be profitable and producing a sequel almost every year. Whether or not they actually were of good quality is a separate matter. The point is, sequels came in a rather systematic fashion. Rarely were sequels made years later except for some. A very mainstream movie series that has quite a number of years in between its entries was James Cameron's The Terminator (1984) film. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) came several years later and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) was even longer still. However the longest awaited sequel ever to be made might in fact be this movie since its predecessor goes back three decades!The Odd Couple (1968) was based on a play written by Neil Simon. This story would then also receive a TV show adaptation. But as for this sequel, the script was also written by Neil Simon but was completely original. Nothing had been written before as to what would happen if the two main odd balls would reunite. For this film, it just so happens that the daughter of Felix Unger (Jack Lemmon) and son of Oscar Madison (Walter Matthau) are getting married. When Oscar and Felix cross paths, the madness begins. The question is, will they reach the wedding in time? For being a sequel that came far after its original, the play out to this feature is not as bad as one might think. Heading the production was Howard Deutch. He's mainly known for directing TV shows now. Deutch also worked with Matthau and Lemmon in Grumpier Old Men (1995).What does work here are the two stars and thankfully much of the supporting cast. Even for thirty years later Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau are great at reprising their all time famous roles. Lemmon still plays Felix as about as stressed as ever, while Matthau plays Oscar just as relaxed and out of touch as well. Both still have the same likable chemistry and great wisecracks towards each other. The next actor to have some funny scenes is Richard Riehle the local sheriff. As Oscar and Felix try to reach their family's wedding, they continuously run into Riehle's character. Seeing his reaction every time after the first gets more comical. As for the couple getting married, Brucey (Jonathan Silverman) and Hannah (Lisa Waltz) are both okay in their roles but they really don't have a lot of shine time.The parts that aren't effective in the story deal a lot with how the script was written. The plus side is that Neil Simon takes the scenario between the iconic duo and shows the audience what happens when these two are let out of their cages. Yet somehow there's a lack of witty dialog among the whole running time. Matthau and Lemmon are wonderful no doubt, but they can't work alone. Part of what made The Odd Couple (1968) funny was the funny supporting cast. Aside from Riehle, there's not many other actors to find hilarious. On top of that, there a couple of scenes that have the two leads dropping the "F" bomb. The original movie did not use that word at all and it was still hilarious. So what was the point of using it now? Lastly there's a brief subplot that comes up out of nowhere and is quickly settled, so again, why bring it up to begin with?But aside from this there are appearances from other actors like Mary Beth Peil, Christine Baranski, Jean Smart, Rex Linn, Jay O. Sanders and even Earl Boen. For camerawork, the shots captured are decent for the picture. Credited as cinematographer was Jamie Anderson. Unlike the original where much of the settings took place in the apartment, now the whole adventure takes place outside and there's lots to see. Anderson was also the DP to movies like Piranha (1978), Unlawful Entry (1992) and Small Soldiers (1998) that same year. Lastly, bringing forth the music was composer Alan Silvestri. Being known for all kinds of scores Silvestri did a great job revisiting the famous main theme from the original and it is repeated quite often in full orchestra. A job well done.While the script may suffer from unnecessary add ins and occasionally less energetic dialog, the rest of the viewing experience is still enjoyable. Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon remain the highlight of the feature, with great exchanges, acceptable cinematography and respectable music.

The Odd Couple 2 (1998): Dir: Howard Deutch / Cast: Jack Lemmon, Walter Mathau, Jonathan Silverman, Christine Baranski, Jean Smart: The original film was a big hit in 1968 and led to the engaging comic pairings of its leads. This thirty year new sequel is nothing more than a road movie with lackluster locations and a complete lack of anything that made The Odd Couple so memorable. What is truly unfortunate is that Jack Lemmon and Walter Mathou are hilarious but in the original they emerge as personalities whereas in this dreadful sequel they are merely props. They play Oscar and Felix and the road trip to get to a wedding between Oscar's son and Felix's daughter. Boring setup trudges the formula and arrives at absolutely nothing. Directed by Howard Deutch who previously directed both leads in Grumpier Old Men. He does his best here but is up against a wall in creating anything as good as the original. The supporting roles are basically there to sideline the humour spewed by the leads. Jonathan Silverman plays Oscar's son in complete one note fashion. Christine Baranski also appears to what avail. The Odd Couple is hilarious and engaging so it is with great regret that after thirty years the best that could be constructed for a sequel had to be this pathetic and sorry sequel that should be dropped in an inner-state during the filming of this dull road odyssey. Score: 1 / 10

Oscar Madison (Walter Matthau) and Felix Ungar (Jack Lemmon) are reunited 30 years after the classic Original....Oscar is still a Grumpy,Gambling Grouch....and Felix is still a fusspot allergic to everything - and both are reunited as they attempt to get to their Daughter and son's Wedding - but keep getting thwarted time after time by exploding rental cars, an elderly Car driver who dies on them, Redneck Husbands who end up kidnapping them and they end up getting arrested by the same despairing officer.The Odd Couple 2 was the 10th and Sadly LAST Film to star both Matthau and Lemmon and was a Financial disappointment (It made less than $19M in it's entire U.S Theatrical run) and has been regarded as a mistake by many Critics (Professional and on IMDb)Admittedly It doesn't reach the heights of the Original - But to be honest I can't see many people really expecting it to do so.The Writing (again by Neil Simon) is Very Good and Matthau has loads of great one-liners sprinkled throughout delivered with his classic dead-pan charm, and both Matthau and Lemmon seem to be enjoying themselves.. Matthau was 77 & Lemon 72 at the time of Filming - so I guess This Movie was a 'Now or Never' project for them.I won't say this was the BEST Movie I've ever seen, but it is a very enjoyable and pleasant movie to watch and it's great to see both stars, who are both no longer with us.Sadly Matthau died two years later at the age of 79 and Lemmon died barely a year after Matthau at the age of 76.***1/2 out of *****

I'm a great admirer of (Neil Simon). He is one of the comedy's greatest writers ever, but you may think that he becomes sort of sluggard as he aged. Since the mid 1980s his work, save a few movies, came to be less bright, for instance : (The Slugger's Wife - 1985), (The Marrying Man - 1991), and now (The Odd Couple II - 1998). There is something hasty about this comedy. Surely (Simon) was out of his pulse.OK, so there is some marriage that will gather the 2 mortal-enemies-friends again but (Simon) occupies himself with very easy sketches without fair climax that may utilize the attitude till its end (hysterical wedding for example).He weakly made the whole thing into 2 halves. The first seems as an extension of a pale road movie yet has all the possible comedy. And the second one is too short, without any laughs, where even the main irony lazily is not utilized at all.(Simon) used to be the master of the wickedest, most hilarious lines. Here, the dialog was lively but not effective. The lines were short, quick, and unbroken but not quite droll. There weren't even good enough ones to hide the little situations. The survivors are 2 or 3; like Oscar saying to a young girl : "I'm not as old as I look. I had this plastic surgery done recently, and the quack doctor botched it up", and when the girl asks about the silent Felix beside him, Oscar says : "He's the doctor who botched it up !!". It is funny, but just imagine how the rest was always lower than this.It's nearly an incomplete TV show; some joy out of seeing the original odd couple ride again, a few cynical situations, couple of gags, and that's it. The most memorable thing about it, is that it's the last movie for the genius partnership between (Jack Lemmon) and (Walter Matthau). At the time, I told myself when the two bid farewell to each other at the end, it could be real farewell, and sadly it was. As (Matthau) died in July 2000, and in less than a year (Lemmon) died in June 2001.Don't compare it with the 1968 movie because it'll look like the commercial exploitation. It was not satisfying as a sequel for the odd couple, or as a swansong for both of the 2 comedy legends.It's not a whole good night, it's just g.n. !