Twice in a Lifetime

Amazon.com

Harry MacKenzie (Gene Hackman, in a rare domestic outing) has just turned 50. The steelworker lives near Seattle and roots for the Seahawks. He and his wife of 30 years, Kate (Ellen Burstyn), have three kids, Jerry (Darrell Larson), Helen (Ally Sheedy), and Sunny (Amy Madigan, Oscar-nominated for her fiery performance). On the surface, life is good. Truth is, Harry's bored--until be meets barmaid Audrey (Ann-Margret). Written by Colin Welland (Chariots of Fire) and directed by Bud Yorkin (Divorce, American Style), Twice in a Lifetime takes an even-handed look at the consequences of divorce. Harry doesn't just shatter Kate's world when he takes up with another woman, but his entire family. The film works double-time as an ode to a city that no longer exists, as when Harry and Audrey take in a game at the Kingdome. Featuring a score by Pat Metheny and title track by Paul McCartney. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Description

Gene Hackman is a middle-aged steelworker content with his job and family, but feels that something is missing in his life. Visiting a local tavern he finds himself enchanted with the sexy barmaid. He resolves to leave his wife in favor of a fresh start.

Customer Reviews:

Hackman's Great.......2005-09-19

Gene Hackman is not handsome or suave. He isn't a tough guy in the mold of Bogart or Cagney though he has a manly presence. He doesn't have a romantic persona on screen, but somehow he carries off a believable middle-age romance with Ann Margret in Twice in a Lifetime. Well, who wouldn't if the object of affection was Ann-Margret?

When a man leaves his family after fifty, dumps his wife, lovely Ellen Burstyn, and separates himself from his angry daughter, Amy Madigan of the short hair do and Ally Sheedy of the Brat Pack fame, well, all hell breaks lose. If blue collar, Mariner and Sea Hawk rooting, Harry MacKenzie wants a second chance at love, he has to face the wrath of all those that love him.

This is an uncharacteristic look at middle-age divorce and love so rare in a Hollywood film. Harry has wrought a moral and ethical riddle. The audience will have to decide.

an adult classic is given lousy treatment.......2005-09-01

for anyone waiting for a decent presentation of this fine film, keep waiting. The transfer is old and grainy and is only availabe in full screen. In this day and age of wide screen TV's and the DVD boom, how can a studio still release product without the slightest consideration for FILM FANS.....BEATS ME?

HORRIBLE DVD QUALITY.......2005-08-03

Gene Hackman is my favorite actor, but with technology the way that it is, I would expect a better DVD transfer than this! It's dirty with scratches and spots and dropouts. Plus, it's only in full-frame format. NO WIDESCREEN!
I gave it 1 star because of Gene Hackman's performance but for me, it's unwatchable.
The tragedy is that this may be the only transfer done of this movie, since it's not a block buster.
COME ON GUYS, LET'S SPEND A LITTLE MORE TIME ON THESE MOVIES! THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF GENE HACKMAN FANS OUT HERE!
By the way, same review for TARGET, although it is in widescreen. That was also very disappointing.

Fine Movie, Shoddy Presentation.......2005-07-11

"Twice in a Lifetime" is a good drama and worth seeing. Unfortunately, this new DVD is not widescreen as Warner Home Video originally announced, but instead is an especially poorly done pan-and-scan presentation. I do not recommend this disc and am posting this as a public service to those who might be misled by Warner's original announcement or Amazon's "technical details," which are incorrect.

Finally on DVD - Great!.......2005-06-06

I saw this at the theater when it was released and also purchased the VHS. This is an excellent movie and it really mystifies me as to what took so long for it to be released on DVD when so much plastic is committed to garbage every week for movies that were better left to deteriorate on film (and were a waste of that film to begin with).

This is one of Gene Hackman's lesser known movies but he did a wonderful job of acting, as a long-time married man who meets a new woman bartender (Ann Margaret) on his birthday and begins an affair with her. The film deals with the complications of Hackman's and Margaret's new found love as well as guilt, along with the anguish it causes his wife (Ellyn Burnstyn) and kids. Perhaps Amy Madigan's acting as Hackman's forever-angry daughter is a bit over the top but I felt all of the acting was superb, as was the script. True, adultery is not an acceptable behavior but it happens and in this movie we see the temptations that led to this happening, as well as the effect is has on everyone in a very realistic and emotional portrayal.

As an aside, I also enjoyed the bits of Pat Metheny's music that was used in the score. This is a "talky" movie and contained too much profanity for my tastes but I also thought it fit with the movie. Now that it is on DVD I am looking forward to its release because this is one of my favorites, and I prefer DVD over VHS. Highly recommended if you are a fan of relationship movies.

DVD:

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DVD