“Hopscotch” is an appealing but lousy movie. It looks like pea soup, the script is dull, and the acting is forgettable (I’m talking to you, Ned Beatty). But I’m a sucker for Matthau and Glenda Jackson so I sat through the whole thing, curled up on the couch with my wife over the weekend. Sometimes, it doesn’t matter that a movie is bad. If you are cozy with the Mrs watching Matthau humming Mozart, sipping beers, being Matthau, things could be a lot worse.
Interesting ... I saw this in theaters as a kid when it came out, and I have very fond memories of it.
I had fond memories of it too. Was surprised that it was so cruddy. But that didn't disrupt my pleasure watching it!
Any moving casting Matholemieux as a classy CIA type is worth my two hours.
Funniest Mathau moment is when he's the bad guy in a Cary Grant movie, and he falls through a trapdoor to his death and they play it in fast motion to appear more violent. I couldn't help but think that he even dies clumsy and big-footed.
Plus the guy who was the cheif inspector in the Pink Panther movies plays the head KGB spy...And then there is Sam Waterson looking exactly as he does today playing Matthau's apprentice.
I watched Charlie Varrick a few weeks ago. Pretty good. A little more edge than I'm used to expecting in a Matthau movie.