Terms of Endearment

What a lovely movie. You just don't see this kind of human, all-ages stories anymore. There would have to be an ironic twist to it today.

Some movies are real emotional rollercoasters, and I would definitely count “Terms of Endearment” as one of them. It's a tragicomedy that is lighthearted and funny at times, but later on won't leave a dry eye in the house. At its core, it's about the close and complicated relationship between a mother (Shirley MacLaine) and her daughter (Debra Winger), which is told over a long period of time. And even though the actresses apparently couldn't stand each other, their interplay is perfect. However, I would also say that Winger is the clear MVP of the movie for me. She manages with astonishing ease to make her character relatable and likeable at all times, even though she makes numerous questionable decisions. In any case, the extremely emotional final act only worked so well for me because Winger was so convincing beforehand. MacLaine is also strong in many moments, except that her romance with her neighbor (Jack Nicholson) left me rather cold. All in all, however, “Terms of Endearment” is a great movie that is still worth a look today.