While this has some amusing moments of a light slice of life and some decent character development, it's the type of film that is long on exposition and short on a strong plot. It's very 60's in its attitude which gives it both nostalgia and pastiche, which works for and against it. If the viewer is an older Jewish person with connections to the New York City that was the age of Aquarius, they'll appreciate it more, still wondering when the story is really going to get going.
Basically, it's four Jewish men of varying ages trying to find out where the funeral of a friend is going to be and trying to get there. It seems like a play that might have been Off Broadway opened up to get varying shots of New York City, particularly some more obscure locations of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
The four men are the younger George Segal, slightly older Jack Warden, and the mature Sorrell Booke ("Dukes of Hazard") and Joseph Wiseman, all of completely different temperaments and varying humors. Wiseman is the most serious of them all, with Warden overly gregarious. Booke quietly acerbic and Segal made to seem older but definitely free spirited.
Strong extended cameos by Jessica Walter, Phyllis Newman and Zohra Lampert gives a female perspective on the life of the deceased and Geoffrey Cambridge and Alan King have amusing smaller roles. Of course getting there is more about incidents and differences between the men, and you wonder if they even know if they're at the right service. The direction by the great Sidney Lumet isn't its strongest here, simply because of the limited appeal and a rambling script. Worth viewing as a nostalgic look but goes on too long while saying little.
Basically, it's four Jewish men of varying ages trying to find out where the funeral of a friend is going to be and trying to get there. It seems like a play that might have been Off Broadway opened up to get varying shots of New York City, particularly some more obscure locations of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
The four men are the younger George Segal, slightly older Jack Warden, and the mature Sorrell Booke ("Dukes of Hazard") and Joseph Wiseman, all of completely different temperaments and varying humors. Wiseman is the most serious of them all, with Warden overly gregarious. Booke quietly acerbic and Segal made to seem older but definitely free spirited.
Strong extended cameos by Jessica Walter, Phyllis Newman and Zohra Lampert gives a female perspective on the life of the deceased and Geoffrey Cambridge and Alan King have amusing smaller roles. Of course getting there is more about incidents and differences between the men, and you wonder if they even know if they're at the right service. The direction by the great Sidney Lumet isn't its strongest here, simply because of the limited appeal and a rambling script. Worth viewing as a nostalgic look but goes on too long while saying little.