Soup for One (1982)

Soup for One (1982)

“Soup for one… It’s the story of my life.”

Synopsis:
A single New Yorker (Saul Rubinek) hoping to meet Ms. Right falls in love at first sight with his “ideal woman” (Marcia Strassman) — then must convince her to marry him.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Dating
  • Flashback Films
  • Looking for Ms./Mr. Right
  • Romantic Comedy

Review:
After his successful role in Ticket to Heaven (1981), Saul Rubinek starred in this comedic film about the trials and tribulations of the dating scene. Unfortunately, Soup for One doesn’t offer much that’s new or original; while it’s clearly influenced by films like Annie Hall (complete with its New York setting and neurotic Jewish protagonist), it lacks both the insight and the close-hitting humor of Woody Allen’s brilliant early work. By the cliched final scenes, we’ve given up hoping for anything resembling real life or real emotions. Perhaps most egregiously, however, we’re once again presented with a beautiful female romantic lead (Strassman — a Margot Kidder lookalike) who has no reason on earth to be interested in the nebbishy male who is stalking her, yet somehow — through movie magic, one supposes — gives him a chance simply because he won’t give up.

This is sending the WRONG message to obnoxiously persistent men everywhere.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • A few mildly amusing moments — as when Strassman drops her glass slipper (er, diaphragm) while running away from Rubinek

Must See?
No. While it offers a few chuckles, this romantic comedy is ultimately a disappointment.

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One thought on “Soup for One (1982)

  1. First viewing. Not must-see.

    True, there’s the influence of ‘Annie Hall’, sometimes obviously. Rubinek and Gerrit Graham try hard but they’ve both been better elsewhere. Occasionally there’s a joke that works.

    It’s mostly a curio for the small roles played by some who went on to much better things: Christine Baranski, Andrea Martin, Richard Libertini, Maury Chaykin, Lewis J. Stadlen, Michael Jeter, Anna Deavere Smith. (Teddy Pendergrass appears as, what else?, a nightclub singer.)

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