Up, Close and Personal *** (1996, Robert Redford, Michelle Pfeiffer, Stockard Channing) – Classic Movie Review 1710

An A Star Is Born-style romantic drama is transferred to American local TV, where Michelle Pfeiffer is a bright and shiny young and ambitious worker, helped in her career by brisk and crinkly veteran newsman boss, Robert Redford.

Though they fall for each other, he’s taught her enough for her to need to graduate from Miami to national TV, but he’s still stuck in his has-been groove and she can’t help him.

The older man, younger woman relationship produces no surprises and the over-familiar nature of the story does work against director Jon Avnet’s appealing 1996 romantic drama. But Redford and Pfeiffer are excellent together, sharing a rare warm romantic chemistry, in this meticulously handled and enjoyable heart-wrencher. Expert writers Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne carve something intriguing out of Alanna Nash’s book Golden Girl.

Stockard Channing, Joe Mantegna, Kate Nelligan, Glenn Plummer, James Rebhorn, Scott Bryce, Raymond Cruz, Dedee Pfeiffer, Miguel Sandoval and Noble Willingham co-star. It’s a fine cast, and everybody is excellent. Avnet makes sure of it.

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