Lost in America (1985)
“It’s a very sacred thing, the nest egg.”
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Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:
Response to Peary’s Review:
Meanwhile, “he still thinks himself clever enough to talk himself out of every difficulty — only to find out that no one goes along with what he says so convincingly.” (To that end, Garry Marshall is perfectly cast “as the humorless Vegas casino operator whom Brooks tries to convince to return Haggerty’s [gambling] losses in order to get good publicity for the hotel.”)
Peary argues that while “this is not the masterpiece that Brooks is capable of,” “it has several extremely funny scenes (particularly Brooks’s one-on-one dialogues with people in authority positions) and again Brooks reveals his unique perception of American characters.” However, he takes issue with the fact that “Brooks eventually forgives Haggerty for her gambling stupidity” given that “our opinion of her never becomes high again”:
… though I would point out that Brooks is far from admirable, and my opinion of him was never high. These boomers may be realistic in their self-absorbed foibles, but are not necessarily individuals we want to watch for an hour-and-a-half. You can skip this one. Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:
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