Review of Memories of Me

Introduction

Billy Crystal and Alan King produced and star in this father and son reconciliation lump-in-the-throater directed by former Fonz Henry Winkler. Heart surgeon Abe Polin Jr (Crystal) has a heart attack working in the operating theatre. Recovering, he decides to re-evaluate his life and more importantly his relationship with is father (King). He travels to Hollywood, where his father makes a living as the king of the extras. Polin Sr does not have an embarrassable bone in his body, where the son has known nothing but mortification at his father`s antics. "Don`t you feel like a Putz?" he asks his Dad on numerous occasions. Polin Sr however has worked with all the greats - he was the 19th guy to say "I`m Spartacus", and if you want somebody to play a lobster in a commercial, he`s your man. He is devastated (in his way) to learn of his son`s narrow squeak with the grim reaper, but he has health problems of his own.

Watch out for a fleeting "hey, wasn`t that…" cameo from a shertain Shir.

Video

The movie is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The transfer is workmanlike and unremarkable. Of interest to film buffs is the use of the Paramount lot as a backdrop to some of the story.

Audio

Similarly unremarkable, sound is in Dolby Stereo 2.0.

Features

None of the usual suspects, although full HOH subtitles are included. In a move that occasionally throws up a curiosity ("arse" rather than "ass"), the subtitles are distinctly more UK than US, which clashes with the Crystal-King style of plenty of very Jewish-American jokes.

Conclusion

Billy Crystal is unusually uptight in this father-son reconciliation picture. Alan King gets all the good lines and the good gags as the life-and-soul actor father. Poltergeist`s JoBeth Williams turns in an engaging performance as Crystal`s love interest and everything goes swimmingly up to the last reel and the inevitable saccharin-loaded sucker punch for the soft-hearted.