Lester (Eric Stolz) has a new girlfriend in Ramona (Annabella Sciorra). She is a beautiful lady, with a swell job in a Brooklyn museum, and she is continuing work on a graduate degree at Columbia. Substitute teacher Lester, however, is obsessed with Ramona's past relationships. He was burned by a couple of former girlfriends and fidelity is paramount to him. When Ramona actually gives Lester a book to read, written by a former boyfriend, Lester is stunned. Not long after this, Lester stumbles upon the nouveau-celebrity author at a therapy group. Ah ha! If Lester assumes an alias and becomes part of the group, he has a chance to find out more about Ramona's past and her predilections for loyalty. Yet, even as Lester discovers revelations about his new girlfriend, he may be endangering his own chance of survival with Ramona, by not living in the present alone. Should he continue? This film has an offbeat charm that makes it attractive. The script is thoughtful, clever, and original, daring the viewer to listen closely to every word and idea presented. The actors, in addition to the two stars, are very fine, with Chris Eigeman giving a nice turn as the newly famous author, and Bridget Fonda, Peter Bogdanovich, and others on hand to help out in a big way. The costumes are attractive and the NYC setting always a winner. However, this is not the typical romcom by any means. It has a slower pace and its commitment to dialogue over action makes it a hard sell for the ADD crowd. This said, do catch Mr. Jealousy at your earliest opportunity, if you like to vary your viewing habits. Here is one movie that offers charm and intelligence without losing its own unique identity.
21 Reviews
Enjoyable Romantic Comedy
gbheron20 November 1999
MR. JEALOUSY doesn't aspire to greatness; just a small, quirky, romantic comedy. To this end it succeeds. Set in Manhattan, Eric Stoltz plays a young thirty-something wannabe writer earning a living as a substitute teacher. Annabella Sciorra plays his girlfriend, and they are falling in love with one another. Eric's problem is that he is pathologically jealous and is being eaten away by thoughts of one of her earlier lovers who is now a successful writer. So obsessed is Eric that he joins the ex-boyfriend's group therapy session under the guise of his best friend. And far from being irate, the friend begins to dig on this, receiving therapy vicariously through Eric.
Of course the whole shebang unravels and...well that's the movie. As far as 'date' movies go, this is better than most and is heartily recommended for the guys when the lady wants this kind of movie brought home.
Of course the whole shebang unravels and...well that's the movie. As far as 'date' movies go, this is better than most and is heartily recommended for the guys when the lady wants this kind of movie brought home.
I like these kind of movies
Movman25 July 1999
For all of you Whit Stillman fans (Metropolitan, Barcelona, and Last Days of Disco) check out this movie as well as Noah's earlier film Kicking and Screaming. The premise of the movie is very good and it lives up to its title. If you hate the kind of movie where everyone spends the whole movie talking to one another then skip this one because there are not any jokes involving people being kicked in their midsection or everyone's favorite bathroom humor. Instead you have an intelligent comedy that will add nothing of value to your life but will hopefully make you laugh as you examine other peoples neurosis. I think that there is chemistry between Stoltz and Sciorra despite what a previous reviewer said. I also think this film is better than Kicking and Screaming.
Devoid of that annoying silliness
jtur8826 April 2001
The downfall of nearly all comedies is that Silliness is so often used as a substitute for humor. In this film, I never felt embarrassed for any of the characters, who were allowed to seem like genuinely real people in the context of a genuinely humorous development. It was also literate, which was nice given the thread of narrative running through the thing. I felt that simply reading the script would have been a nice rainy-day read, but at the same time, the lines were not literarily pompous or turgid.
Altogether, this was not a great film---but nicely, nothing happened in it to make it a bad one, either. If you're fed up with variations on same-old-same-old, sit back and just let this film flow over you.
Altogether, this was not a great film---but nicely, nothing happened in it to make it a bad one, either. If you're fed up with variations on same-old-same-old, sit back and just let this film flow over you.
Witty, charming, just what you'd expect
KnightsofNi1129 May 2011
It seems that wit and charm are the two things that make a good romantic comedy. Mr. Jealousy possesses these two things but doesn't always use them to its advantage. The movie is Lester Grimm, played by Eric Stoltz, who has had a jealousy problem ever since he started dating. This becomes a much bigger issue when he falls in love with Ramona, a girl who has been with an abundance of other men before Lester. One of these other men is author Dashiell Frank. Concerned that that Ramona may still have feelings for Dashiell, Lester starts going to group therapy sessions with him to find out the secrets he feels are being kept from him. This creates an amusing amount of clever situations that are all humorously brought about by Lester's own jealousy.
This is one of those films that isn't very consistent in its quality, but if you stick with it, everything will be worth it in the end. The movie starts off fairly shallow and cliché. We meet our protagonist, Lester, and learn about his past dating experiences. We learn things that aren't surprising and are to be expected from this kind of film. Lester's not a hunk, but he's not a loser either. He's just a typical guy who has gone through pretty typical things. After a brief history of his character we meet the supporting cast, including Lester's girlfriend Ramona. Things develop in a typical manner and the film tries a little too hard to be a quirky comedy. There are specific cuts and quirky editing techniques all placed throughout for comedic effect, but not to much avail. It's amusing, but nothing special.
The film really starts to get good when the plot thickens and the growing situation comedy aspect starts to bloom into something very entertaining. It starts with the group therapy sessions, which become the backbone of the story's progression, and the way these situations unfold are very entertaining. I think somewhere along the line Noah Baumbach, writer and director, realized that the comedy of this film comes from the clever wit the story's progression bares, rather than a bunch of sporadically placed and forced jokes. Towards the middle of the film I stopped regretting watching this movie and actually became engaged. The film also realized that the quirky style it had tried so desperately to make work in the beginning hadn't really gone anywhere, so it abandoned that and things greatly improved.
And luckily the ending of the film doesn't disappoint. It doesn't wow you and it isn't terribly unexpected. It isn't the typical idealized romantic comedy ending. It is more realistic and bittersweet. When you break it down you can find some areas for improvement and I'm not saying the ending is perfect. But it fits and it isn't disappointing. It is basically what you would expect. It meets the same tone that most of the film has had, wrapping up the story nicely and making Mr. Jealousy a worthwhile watch.
I didn't expect much from this film, and I after I started watching it I really felt like this was going to be an hour and forty minutes I would never get back. But as things move along the film gets much better. It isn't laugh out loud funny, but it is amusing and it is clever. Mr. Jealousy is nothing special, but it isn't a bad movie at all. It is a film that enjoys itself, with likable characters and very entertaining situations. I wouldn't watch it again, but I have no regrets.
This is one of those films that isn't very consistent in its quality, but if you stick with it, everything will be worth it in the end. The movie starts off fairly shallow and cliché. We meet our protagonist, Lester, and learn about his past dating experiences. We learn things that aren't surprising and are to be expected from this kind of film. Lester's not a hunk, but he's not a loser either. He's just a typical guy who has gone through pretty typical things. After a brief history of his character we meet the supporting cast, including Lester's girlfriend Ramona. Things develop in a typical manner and the film tries a little too hard to be a quirky comedy. There are specific cuts and quirky editing techniques all placed throughout for comedic effect, but not to much avail. It's amusing, but nothing special.
The film really starts to get good when the plot thickens and the growing situation comedy aspect starts to bloom into something very entertaining. It starts with the group therapy sessions, which become the backbone of the story's progression, and the way these situations unfold are very entertaining. I think somewhere along the line Noah Baumbach, writer and director, realized that the comedy of this film comes from the clever wit the story's progression bares, rather than a bunch of sporadically placed and forced jokes. Towards the middle of the film I stopped regretting watching this movie and actually became engaged. The film also realized that the quirky style it had tried so desperately to make work in the beginning hadn't really gone anywhere, so it abandoned that and things greatly improved.
And luckily the ending of the film doesn't disappoint. It doesn't wow you and it isn't terribly unexpected. It isn't the typical idealized romantic comedy ending. It is more realistic and bittersweet. When you break it down you can find some areas for improvement and I'm not saying the ending is perfect. But it fits and it isn't disappointing. It is basically what you would expect. It meets the same tone that most of the film has had, wrapping up the story nicely and making Mr. Jealousy a worthwhile watch.
I didn't expect much from this film, and I after I started watching it I really felt like this was going to be an hour and forty minutes I would never get back. But as things move along the film gets much better. It isn't laugh out loud funny, but it is amusing and it is clever. Mr. Jealousy is nothing special, but it isn't a bad movie at all. It is a film that enjoys itself, with likable characters and very entertaining situations. I wouldn't watch it again, but I have no regrets.
Plot Wags the Characters
sjanders-8643016 September 2020
Stoltz is handsome, but his thrust is weak. He is in a maze searching for past lovers with whom his girlfriend has hooked up. He stalks. Even joins a therapy group with his girlfriend's ex boyfriend using another identity. Characters become laughable, because they are led not by legitimate feelings but complex plot moves. Romance must have a natural flow: Mr. Jealousy borders on slapstick. American romance doesn't take itself seriously. Why must there always be romantic comedy?
Baumbach's second film is a slightly bland but overall solid, quality romantic comedy
agboone77 July 2015
Noah Baumbach's second film, "Mr. Jealousy", is a like an amalgam of François Truffaut, Whit Stillman, and traditional Hollywood romantic comedy. I'm not a huge fan of Baumbach on the whole, but he's a fairly good filmmaker, and of the five films I've seen by him, he's never delivered a bad one. "Mr. Jealousy" is probably the weakest of the ones I've seen, but overall, it's still an above average film that welcomely deviates in many ways from the norms of the genre.
Noah Baumbach's quirky sense of humor reminds me in that way of other contemporaneous American filmmakers like Wes Anderson, Richard Linklater, and Alexander Payne. In fact, he co-wrote "The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou" with Anderson. Without a doubt, though, the American filmmaker that Baumbach bears the most resemblance to is Whit Stillman. Of course, the presence of Chris Eigeman in both directors' films certainly adds to this resemblance, but it's more than just that. It's that idiosyncratic brand of humor that they share. It's their focus on youth on the verge of adulthood, or young adults on the verge of having to become real adults. Both filmmakers were clearly inspired by the French New Wave, and I've always said that Baumbach is the François Truffaut of modern American cinema, while Whit Stillman is the Eric Rohmer of modern American cinema.
Truffaut's influence on Baumbach's cinema is immense. It's incredibly obvious, and like Brian De Palma with Alfred Hitchcock, he makes absolutely no attempt whatsoever to hide it. We can feel in Baumbach's films the very same carefree abandon that permeated most of Truffaut's work (apart from his stretch of films in the mid-'60s when he put a ridiculous amount of effort into imitating Hitchcock's style and tone — "The Soft Skin", "Fahrenheit 451", "The Bride Wore Black"). The quirky male protagonist (so often portrayed by Jean-Pierre Léaud in Truffaut's films) and his clumsy attempts at romance and intimacy will all be very familiar to anyone who knows the work of François Truffaut.
The problem with a filmmaker being so heavily influenced by another filmmaker is that he's ultimately so busy imitating the source of his inspiration that he fails to develop any real, unique, individual identity as a filmmaker. He adopts someone else's vision of life, and therefore fails to develop his own vision. This, of course, is not entirely true of Baumbach, who certainly has his own identity as a filmmaker, to a certain extent. Still, I would much rather see him drop all the Truffaut emulation and start making films that are more his own. Truffaut's presence is felt so strongly in many of Baumbach's films that it can really be quite a distraction. "The Squid and the Whale" — especially its ending — was almost embarrassingly similar to "The 400 Blows", and although I think it was a very good film overall — probably the best I've seen by Baumbach — the lack of originality at times was off-putting. And then, of course, "Frances Ha" was a complete Truffaut ripoff (or we can be nicer about it and say "pastiche"). I'm not as big of a Truffaut fan as a lot of people to begin with, and so I'm even less enthused by a director who is attempting to emulate Truffaut. Nevertheless, as I've said, I think Baumbach is a quality filmmaker, and I'll never protest to watching one of his films if I haven't seen it.
"Mr. Jealousy" stars Eric Stolz, whose first non-television role was in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High", and who had also shown up in Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" before taking on a role in Baumbach's debut film, "Kicking and Screaming". The female lead in the film is Annabella Sciorra, who I'm not very familiar with. Chris Eigeman costars, as does Peter Bogdanovich, who I love. Bogdanovich is a filmmaker (he directed the fantastic 1971 feature, "The Last Picture Show"), a film scholar, and a bit of an actor. Bogdanovich has taken a shine to Noah Baumbach. I'm not sure why he's picked Baumbach out of the bunch, but he's played roles in several of his films, and seems to serve as a somewhat of a mentor to him, from what I can tell. He had high praise for "Frances Ha", as I recall, and seems to be a big fan of Baumbach's work in general.
The plot of "Mr. Jealousy" revolves around the relationship between a jealous man (played by Eric Stolz) and a "tarty" female (played by Annabella Sciorra) with a long list of past lovers. The film reminded me a bit of "Love & Sex", released three years later, although I think "Mr. Jealousy" is without question a better film. Both films start off with flashbacks to youthful romantic mishaps that traumatized the protagonist and led to his or her current problems with romance. "Mr. Jealousy" also reminded me somewhat of Payne's film school thesis film, "The Passion of Martin". Baumbach's film progresses with a plot line that is a bit far-fetched at times, but it's fairly entertaining all the way through, the performances are solid, and it's basically an enjoyable film.
I'll continue to look for a little more substance and thematic depth from Baumbach than I've found in films like "Mr. Jealousy" or "Frances Ha" — "The Squid and the Whale" is probably closer to what I'd like to see from him. "Mr. Jealousy" plays very much like a standard romantic comedy at times, and yet, at other times, it achieves a new, fresh take on the genre and, for those who know Baumbach well enough, his hallmarks will certainly be recognizable. For fans of his films, "Mr. Jealousy" will probably be satisfactory at the very worst. On the other hand, for those who don't care for Baumbach, there's probably nothing here that's going to change your mind.
RATING: 6.33 out of 10 stars
Noah Baumbach's quirky sense of humor reminds me in that way of other contemporaneous American filmmakers like Wes Anderson, Richard Linklater, and Alexander Payne. In fact, he co-wrote "The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou" with Anderson. Without a doubt, though, the American filmmaker that Baumbach bears the most resemblance to is Whit Stillman. Of course, the presence of Chris Eigeman in both directors' films certainly adds to this resemblance, but it's more than just that. It's that idiosyncratic brand of humor that they share. It's their focus on youth on the verge of adulthood, or young adults on the verge of having to become real adults. Both filmmakers were clearly inspired by the French New Wave, and I've always said that Baumbach is the François Truffaut of modern American cinema, while Whit Stillman is the Eric Rohmer of modern American cinema.
Truffaut's influence on Baumbach's cinema is immense. It's incredibly obvious, and like Brian De Palma with Alfred Hitchcock, he makes absolutely no attempt whatsoever to hide it. We can feel in Baumbach's films the very same carefree abandon that permeated most of Truffaut's work (apart from his stretch of films in the mid-'60s when he put a ridiculous amount of effort into imitating Hitchcock's style and tone — "The Soft Skin", "Fahrenheit 451", "The Bride Wore Black"). The quirky male protagonist (so often portrayed by Jean-Pierre Léaud in Truffaut's films) and his clumsy attempts at romance and intimacy will all be very familiar to anyone who knows the work of François Truffaut.
The problem with a filmmaker being so heavily influenced by another filmmaker is that he's ultimately so busy imitating the source of his inspiration that he fails to develop any real, unique, individual identity as a filmmaker. He adopts someone else's vision of life, and therefore fails to develop his own vision. This, of course, is not entirely true of Baumbach, who certainly has his own identity as a filmmaker, to a certain extent. Still, I would much rather see him drop all the Truffaut emulation and start making films that are more his own. Truffaut's presence is felt so strongly in many of Baumbach's films that it can really be quite a distraction. "The Squid and the Whale" — especially its ending — was almost embarrassingly similar to "The 400 Blows", and although I think it was a very good film overall — probably the best I've seen by Baumbach — the lack of originality at times was off-putting. And then, of course, "Frances Ha" was a complete Truffaut ripoff (or we can be nicer about it and say "pastiche"). I'm not as big of a Truffaut fan as a lot of people to begin with, and so I'm even less enthused by a director who is attempting to emulate Truffaut. Nevertheless, as I've said, I think Baumbach is a quality filmmaker, and I'll never protest to watching one of his films if I haven't seen it.
"Mr. Jealousy" stars Eric Stolz, whose first non-television role was in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High", and who had also shown up in Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" before taking on a role in Baumbach's debut film, "Kicking and Screaming". The female lead in the film is Annabella Sciorra, who I'm not very familiar with. Chris Eigeman costars, as does Peter Bogdanovich, who I love. Bogdanovich is a filmmaker (he directed the fantastic 1971 feature, "The Last Picture Show"), a film scholar, and a bit of an actor. Bogdanovich has taken a shine to Noah Baumbach. I'm not sure why he's picked Baumbach out of the bunch, but he's played roles in several of his films, and seems to serve as a somewhat of a mentor to him, from what I can tell. He had high praise for "Frances Ha", as I recall, and seems to be a big fan of Baumbach's work in general.
The plot of "Mr. Jealousy" revolves around the relationship between a jealous man (played by Eric Stolz) and a "tarty" female (played by Annabella Sciorra) with a long list of past lovers. The film reminded me a bit of "Love & Sex", released three years later, although I think "Mr. Jealousy" is without question a better film. Both films start off with flashbacks to youthful romantic mishaps that traumatized the protagonist and led to his or her current problems with romance. "Mr. Jealousy" also reminded me somewhat of Payne's film school thesis film, "The Passion of Martin". Baumbach's film progresses with a plot line that is a bit far-fetched at times, but it's fairly entertaining all the way through, the performances are solid, and it's basically an enjoyable film.
I'll continue to look for a little more substance and thematic depth from Baumbach than I've found in films like "Mr. Jealousy" or "Frances Ha" — "The Squid and the Whale" is probably closer to what I'd like to see from him. "Mr. Jealousy" plays very much like a standard romantic comedy at times, and yet, at other times, it achieves a new, fresh take on the genre and, for those who know Baumbach well enough, his hallmarks will certainly be recognizable. For fans of his films, "Mr. Jealousy" will probably be satisfactory at the very worst. On the other hand, for those who don't care for Baumbach, there's probably nothing here that's going to change your mind.
RATING: 6.33 out of 10 stars
Typical Baumbach!
pangipingu16 June 2020
A truly delightful film.
karen-12815 April 2000
This film caught me by surprise on cable one night, and I went out and rented it again to show my friends. Eric Stoltz and Annabella Sciorra look gorgeous and have a wonderful chemistry together, and Chris Eigeman (from 'Metropolitan' and 'Barcelona') is the perfect Brett Easton Ellis-esque foil. It's rare to find a funny film about romantic jealousy, but this is it. Carlos Jacott just about steals the film with his impersonation of a British gentleman, and the rest of the cast is superb. The cinematography is sumptuous and the music is perfect. A great date movie..
Mix of different influences makes for an enjoyable, if unmemorable comedy
laurenspierre25 August 2023
Mr. Jealousy (1997)
If you were to ask your AI bot of choice to analyze this film, the algorithm used to describe it would look something like this:
The first 10 minutes are like the beginning of a Wes Anderson film with less attention to aesthetic formalism.
Clearly and by his own admission Baumbach's biggest influence. This film especially borrows heavily from Annie Hall, in that it's about a relationship between two neurotic and insecure intellectuals from the NY upper-middle class, which is ultimately doomed because of their self-sabotaging tendencies. It also shares the same sort of nostalgic atmosphere that permeates Annie Hall and there is even a director cameo that seems like a direct homage to a scene from that film. Despite the parallels in style and subject, the dialogue is never quite as sharp as that of those early Woody Allen films.
A group of late twenties-, early thirties intellectuals who aren't quite ready to be real adults yet and talk endlessly about their issues in heavily stilted dialogue. Also, Chris Eigeman. He is amazing and makes every film he is in better.
There are cases of mistaken identity that keep getting more absurd until it inevitably all comes to a head, resulting in a big, comical confrontation with all the main characters involved. This brand of comedy is something Baumbach would return to in Mistress America (more successfully in my opinion), where he managed to infuse the climactic confrontation with the manic energy needed to pull off a successful screwball climax. It helps of course to have Greta Gerwig be the center around which the other characters gravitate.
Ultimately, what you end up with is a film that doesn't seem completely sure of what it wants to be. 'Mr. Jealousy' teases the possibility of a darker film, a character study of a person with pathological trust issues. However, the film never really delves deep enough into its main protagonist's psyche for that. Despite the potentially dark subject matter, the tone is kept rather light by focusing on the chaos and the comedy that ensue from the characters' ill-advised actions, culminating in the a sitcom-like showdown where everything is revealed. But then again, the build-up to this moment lacks the frenzied energy of a true screwball comedy and so the payoff isn't really there on a comedic or a dramatic level.
So in the end, 'Mr. Jealousy' is an entertaining and easy to digest (romantic?) comedy that never really reaches the heights of those sharper and wittier influences it so clearly wears on its sleeve.
If you were to ask your AI bot of choice to analyze this film, the algorithm used to describe it would look something like this:
- 10% Wes Anderson:
The first 10 minutes are like the beginning of a Wes Anderson film with less attention to aesthetic formalism.
- 40% Woody Allen:
Clearly and by his own admission Baumbach's biggest influence. This film especially borrows heavily from Annie Hall, in that it's about a relationship between two neurotic and insecure intellectuals from the NY upper-middle class, which is ultimately doomed because of their self-sabotaging tendencies. It also shares the same sort of nostalgic atmosphere that permeates Annie Hall and there is even a director cameo that seems like a direct homage to a scene from that film. Despite the parallels in style and subject, the dialogue is never quite as sharp as that of those early Woody Allen films.
- 30% Whit Stillman:
A group of late twenties-, early thirties intellectuals who aren't quite ready to be real adults yet and talk endlessly about their issues in heavily stilted dialogue. Also, Chris Eigeman. He is amazing and makes every film he is in better.
- 20% Screwball comedy:
There are cases of mistaken identity that keep getting more absurd until it inevitably all comes to a head, resulting in a big, comical confrontation with all the main characters involved. This brand of comedy is something Baumbach would return to in Mistress America (more successfully in my opinion), where he managed to infuse the climactic confrontation with the manic energy needed to pull off a successful screwball climax. It helps of course to have Greta Gerwig be the center around which the other characters gravitate.
Ultimately, what you end up with is a film that doesn't seem completely sure of what it wants to be. 'Mr. Jealousy' teases the possibility of a darker film, a character study of a person with pathological trust issues. However, the film never really delves deep enough into its main protagonist's psyche for that. Despite the potentially dark subject matter, the tone is kept rather light by focusing on the chaos and the comedy that ensue from the characters' ill-advised actions, culminating in the a sitcom-like showdown where everything is revealed. But then again, the build-up to this moment lacks the frenzied energy of a true screwball comedy and so the payoff isn't really there on a comedic or a dramatic level.
So in the end, 'Mr. Jealousy' is an entertaining and easy to digest (romantic?) comedy that never really reaches the heights of those sharper and wittier influences it so clearly wears on its sleeve.
Mr. Self-Absorbed ...
Howlin Wolf28 April 2016
Warning: Spoilers
The narrator was beyond annoying - show, don't tell! It's forgivable if the narrator is there to establish proceedings, or is in fact the main character commenting on his own actions, but neither of those functions were in use, here... If you can't create interest in a character without telling us what he's thinking, your premise doesn't work for me.
The storytelling technique made the film as a whole insufferably smug; my opinion is that Baumbach has done much better work, and it's a shame, because I liked Stoltz and Sciorra together.
The subject had potential, but was ruined for me by a framing device that only serves to keep the viewer at arms length from the characters, instead of preoccupied with them. I couldn't gain any satisfaction from the optimistic ending, because I was constantly being told who the characters were (or weren't!) instead of being afforded the luxury of discovering them for myself.
The storytelling technique made the film as a whole insufferably smug; my opinion is that Baumbach has done much better work, and it's a shame, because I liked Stoltz and Sciorra together.
The subject had potential, but was ruined for me by a framing device that only serves to keep the viewer at arms length from the characters, instead of preoccupied with them. I couldn't gain any satisfaction from the optimistic ending, because I was constantly being told who the characters were (or weren't!) instead of being afforded the luxury of discovering them for myself.
Worth Renting
shark-437 October 2001
Warning: Spoilers
The thing this film has going for it is a great hook - the main plot has such a smart take (SPOiler ****** SPOILER **** SPOILER)
ON the whole group therapy scene and how the lead character uses it to keep tabs on an ex-boyfriend of his current girlfriend (who he is very jealous about). Eric Stoltz (who is capable of good work: Mask, Pulp Fiction and lame, sleepwalking work: Killing Zoe, many others) is strong in the title role and gets great support from the rest of the cast especially from Chris Eigeman who gives a three dimensional performance as the successful writer/ex-boyfriend. Smartly written, my only problem with the film is the unfocused, rambling beginning. The movie doesnt really click until the first therapy session - then it just keeps rolling along into uncomfortable, delightful comedy.
ON the whole group therapy scene and how the lead character uses it to keep tabs on an ex-boyfriend of his current girlfriend (who he is very jealous about). Eric Stoltz (who is capable of good work: Mask, Pulp Fiction and lame, sleepwalking work: Killing Zoe, many others) is strong in the title role and gets great support from the rest of the cast especially from Chris Eigeman who gives a three dimensional performance as the successful writer/ex-boyfriend. Smartly written, my only problem with the film is the unfocused, rambling beginning. The movie doesnt really click until the first therapy session - then it just keeps rolling along into uncomfortable, delightful comedy.
Mildly amusing
=G=30 July 2002
"Mr. Jealousy" is a somewhat tedious heavily narrated Woody Allen-esque intellectual musing of relationship issues, specifically jealousy, with a NYC Gen-X milieu. A romantic-comedy tale of a tentative Stoltz's affair with a too experienced Sciorra, this emotionally sterile and somewhat heady flick is not likely to evoke more than an occasional chuckle nor milk a single tear nor give anyone the warm and fuzzies. Okay stuff for those into microscopic examinations of relationships though not likely to have broad appeal. (C+)
And a familiar man is he!
jcappy2 August 2001
Mr. Jealousy while not everyman, is certainly a typical kind of man, especially in today's world of endlessly mixed sexual signals. So convincingly, poignantly, and sympathetically portrayed here by Eric Stoltz, Mr Jealousy hardly allows us to ignore our own (mister's) part in his makeup. We love his humor and sense his pain too.
I think it is the wonderful restraint and a great complementary cast that helps bring this home to us. One can fully relax (no squirming, trust me) with the manner and content of this comedy, which makes this film a kind of gem, I think. And the therapy scenes deserve special notice. The opening may be a bit thin, and the ending both thin and forced, but the body is of a different terrain, a bittersweet movie unto itself. (someone think of a better ending!)
I think it is the wonderful restraint and a great complementary cast that helps bring this home to us. One can fully relax (no squirming, trust me) with the manner and content of this comedy, which makes this film a kind of gem, I think. And the therapy scenes deserve special notice. The opening may be a bit thin, and the ending both thin and forced, but the body is of a different terrain, a bittersweet movie unto itself. (someone think of a better ending!)
Note as bad as the title denotes
weirdodan14 June 2003
Aside from a thoroughly misrepresentative title, "Mr. Jealousy" is actually quite entertaining. With good acting, a good story, and the brand of direction one only gets from the writer, the film is a genuinely charming romantic comedy. The humor is subtle and the dialogue poetic, but if you like that kind of thing (think "Royal Tenenbaums" meets "Kissing Jessica Stein," with most emphasis on the Stein) you should rent it. It's esoteric, but if you get it you'll like it.
Noah's Art
wes-connors19 May 2014
Perennially jealous Eric Stoltz (as Lester Grimm) is an aspiring writer and substitute teacher. He finally meets the right woman – Brooklyn art museum tour guide Annabella Sciorra (as Ramona Ray). She's a little clumsy, but very pretty. They make a great couple, but Mr. Stoltz is unnaturally jealous of Ms. Sciorra's old boyfriends – especially successful writer Chris Eigeman (as Dashiell Frank). To learn more about the man, Stoltz joins Mr. Eigeman's group therapy, posing as his friend Carlos Jacott (as Vince). They become friends. Further complicating matters, Mr. Jacott joins the group posing as another character. Although they pretend to be each other, "Vince" and "Leo" contribute nicely...
This story of relationships and jealousy is largely the work of writer/director Noah Baumbach. Characters are very well-played, but we do not care about their pairings. Stoltz could have hooked up with Marianne Jean-Baptiste (as Lucretia) or John Lehr (as Lint) for all it mattered. "Lint" had no luck, but he showed everyone's name pointed to their purpose. Director Peter Bogdanovich appropriately appears as "Dr. Poke". Narration seemingly inspired by Woody Allen and/or Francois Truffaut is a dead weight on the proceedings, but soundtrack music by Dean Wareham and Luna helps. Obviously skilled, Mr. Baumbach has succeeded in making a good film – but, one that it's difficult to like.
***** Mr. Jealousy (9/11/97) Noah Baumbach ~ Eric Stoltz, Annabella Sciorra, Chris Eigeman, Carlos Jacott
This story of relationships and jealousy is largely the work of writer/director Noah Baumbach. Characters are very well-played, but we do not care about their pairings. Stoltz could have hooked up with Marianne Jean-Baptiste (as Lucretia) or John Lehr (as Lint) for all it mattered. "Lint" had no luck, but he showed everyone's name pointed to their purpose. Director Peter Bogdanovich appropriately appears as "Dr. Poke". Narration seemingly inspired by Woody Allen and/or Francois Truffaut is a dead weight on the proceedings, but soundtrack music by Dean Wareham and Luna helps. Obviously skilled, Mr. Baumbach has succeeded in making a good film – but, one that it's difficult to like.
***** Mr. Jealousy (9/11/97) Noah Baumbach ~ Eric Stoltz, Annabella Sciorra, Chris Eigeman, Carlos Jacott
a kind of screwball comedy
ron-18215 December 2000
A film about relations; you may think: Oh no not an another one, not a Woody Allen remake. Wrong, this is a screwball comedy like the films with Cary Grant en Katherine Hepburn. Makes group therapy slightly ridiculous. Stoltz is great as the jealous lover, obsessed with the past of his present girlfriend.
very funny
mg16425727 November 2005
I caught this movie on cable one night and about laughed my head off. Needless to say, it's not very well-known and I'm surprised it doesn't have a large cult base--how can this be!?! I don't know anyone who's seen it, besides the friends I've recommended it to. Great quotes, simple unpretentious non-fluffy script, funny take on how far jealousy can get you (or not). Carlos Jacott and John Lehr are ridiculously hilarious. "It's fun just to follow people sometimes. Anyone." I've always loved Chris Eigeman's matter-of-fact, dry tone. Eric Stoltz and Annabella Sciorra have great chemistry and play a persuading couple. It's not your run-of-the-mill Hollywood movie, but it's quite clever. Go rent it if you can find it. Heck, buy it if you can find it.
Near Perfect
LynxMatthews25 October 2004
If you haven't seen this film yet, just wait a few minutes until IFC shows it again. They seem to like it there.
And me, I like it too. I find it to be a really smart, romantic and bittersweet film with a lot of funny moments and genuinely good acting. There is a certain pretentiousness, but it is self-effacing. Eigeman, for instance does a turn on his pompous shtick, adding subtle elements that make him a level-9 fop. Stoltz and Sciorra are perfect together. Jacott is hilarious in just about every scene he's in, particularly his wedding vows.
I like movies where the central conceit of the movie does not become the entire movie. Jealousy is a theme in Stoltz's character, but it is not all of what drives him, which I guess is why some people have a problem with the title. Similarly, the plot device of invading someone's therapy group would be used as an entire basis for farce in a less subtle director's hands. Here it is merely another hilarious bit of detail off of which branch many smaller truths.
For as much as IFC shows this, I can't stop watching it any time I begin.
And me, I like it too. I find it to be a really smart, romantic and bittersweet film with a lot of funny moments and genuinely good acting. There is a certain pretentiousness, but it is self-effacing. Eigeman, for instance does a turn on his pompous shtick, adding subtle elements that make him a level-9 fop. Stoltz and Sciorra are perfect together. Jacott is hilarious in just about every scene he's in, particularly his wedding vows.
I like movies where the central conceit of the movie does not become the entire movie. Jealousy is a theme in Stoltz's character, but it is not all of what drives him, which I guess is why some people have a problem with the title. Similarly, the plot device of invading someone's therapy group would be used as an entire basis for farce in a less subtle director's hands. Here it is merely another hilarious bit of detail off of which branch many smaller truths.
For as much as IFC shows this, I can't stop watching it any time I begin.
A rare smart romantic comedy with bite
runamokprods16 November 2011
Maybe it was just my mood, but this struck me as that very rare thing, a successful, intelligent romantic comedy.
Granted there are a few moments when there is a little too much Woody Allen influence, but then, Woody has certainly borrowed from others as well.
The acting is subtle, the writing witty, and some of the jokes are really funny.
Not every moment works, but most do, and there is a lot of thoughtfulness among the laughs as Eric Stoltz works to overcome his crippling jealousy.
Granted there are a few moments when there is a little too much Woody Allen influence, but then, Woody has certainly borrowed from others as well.
The acting is subtle, the writing witty, and some of the jokes are really funny.
Not every moment works, but most do, and there is a lot of thoughtfulness among the laughs as Eric Stoltz works to overcome his crippling jealousy.
review
K8-23 November 1998
A film (intended to be charming) about one thirtysomething yuppie's obsessive jealousy and its detrimental effects on all his relationships, especially his most recent one. A modern-day fairy tale as viewed through the prism of pyschotherapy and overexamined melodramatic tendencies of 1990s New York singles.
The film begins with an interesting premise (joining someone's group therapy in order to dig up dirt on the promiscuity of your current girlfriend) but it's long, slow-moving and a little lazy. A few of the plot diversions (one involving Bridget Fonda as a girl with a stutter) feel like directorial in-jokes.
Eric Stoltz and Annabella Sciorra are great individually but the chemistry is lacking. Chris Eigeman is believable as a pretentious "voice of his generation" writer and fans of his should rent this film to admire some of his more subtly hilarious moments (one involving a hit Cat Stevens song).
Overall not as charming or as naturally sweet and thought-provoking as Baumbach's Kicking and Screaming.
The film begins with an interesting premise (joining someone's group therapy in order to dig up dirt on the promiscuity of your current girlfriend) but it's long, slow-moving and a little lazy. A few of the plot diversions (one involving Bridget Fonda as a girl with a stutter) feel like directorial in-jokes.
Eric Stoltz and Annabella Sciorra are great individually but the chemistry is lacking. Chris Eigeman is believable as a pretentious "voice of his generation" writer and fans of his should rent this film to admire some of his more subtly hilarious moments (one involving a hit Cat Stevens song).
Overall not as charming or as naturally sweet and thought-provoking as Baumbach's Kicking and Screaming.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
