Steve Martin made quite a few low-brow movies during the early 1980’s, including The Man with Two Brains and Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid. The Lonely Guy is probably the best of them only because it’s more human and genuine.
Larry Hubbard (Steve Martin) has just been dumped by his girlfriend (Robyn Douglass). He finds her in bed with another man, but doesn’t even react with much anger. He simply accepts the fact and leaves, even taking out the garbage as he exits.
Carrying all that he owns with him, Larry retreats to the park, where he meets Warren (Charles Grodin), a “lonely guy” who immediately recognizes Larry as a new “lonely guy.” Larry doesn’t understand the term and Warren initiates him into the world of the lonely guy, where a fern becomes a friend and cardboard cutouts substitute for friends at parties.
Larry begins his quest for a new girlfriend, trying all kinds of gimmicks including “fake sweat,” which will make it seem like he’s been working out longer than he actually has. While out “jogging” one day, Larry meets a woman (Judith Ivey) who understands what he’s going through and really seems right for him. She gives Larry her name and phone number on a napkin and leaves. Larry inadvertantly wipes his mouth with it, rendering it useless. He frantically calls nearly every number in the phone book to find her, to no avail. For the rest of the film, chance encounters between the two of them fuel Larry’s desire to leave the world of the lonely guys and find happiness with the woman of his dreams. Fate, however, has other plans for Larry.
Martin’s performance is good, but the real scene stealer is Grodin as the introverted Warren Evans. If you only know Grodin from his CNBC talk show, this performance will have you cracking up because it’s so much different than what you’re probably used to.
Cameos from Merv Griffin, Steve Lawrence and Dr. Joyce Brothers date the film pretty severely, but, if you can overlook that, you’ll find a rather warm little comedy here, with an occasional off-the-wall bit of ridiculousness thrown in for good measure. Worth renting for a chuckle or two.
3.5 out of 5.0 stars
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