Best movie ever!

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

I can recall when this movie was released to theaters. At the time Al Pacino was one of the hottest box office stars around. In the five years prior to this film he starred in THE GODFATHER 1 & 2, SCARECROW, SERPICO and DOG DAY AFTERNOON. So the odds are that he would have a turkey eventually. This is the giant turkey, one big enough to feed a family or two come Thanksgiving.Pacino stars as formula race car driver Bobby Deerfield. Bobby lives the high life, plenty of fast cars and money, married to a top model and yet bored to death. When a friend is involved in a terrible crash, he goes to visit him in the hospital and there meets Lillian (Marthe Keller). Strongly attracted to her he tracks her down and insists on spending time with her.The two begin an affair but Bobby soon discovers her reason for being reluctant to do so. Lillian has a terminal illness and the odds of her surviving are slim at best. And yet she lives her life to the fullest. She presses Bobby to do the same, to spend the time he has with her to discover life.I won't reveal anything here about the plot but it has all been done before and much better. On top of that the movie is a snooze fest that was difficult to watch. Pacino can be one of the most dynamic performers ever seen on screen but here he's left to mope around and contemplate life, something that lends itself to boring to watch. Which this film is.I was stunned to see the number of positive reviews for this film online. I remember when it was released it was savaged by critics and died an agonizing death at the box office. Seeing it I can see why. Word of mouth on this film had to have driven the nail in its coffin. It wasn't so much that I found myself dozing off at various moments in this film (though there were those moments) it's that I kept hoping something would happen that would draw my interest. I wanted to have characters that I cared about and yet I found myself not caring on iota about any of them. While potential tragedy with the lifestyles of the rich and famous should not interfere with feeling sympathy, here you find yourself with a lack of caring that matches those of the characters on screen.Keller, on the rise prior to its release having done MARATHON MAN and BLACK Sunday never seemed to recover after this film. Pacino, a star by this time, was much more fortunate. Director Sydney Pollock also did well after. That's good news because had their careers been determined by this film we might not have ever heard from them again.Twilight Time has again made a great presentation of this film for those that love it. If you are among those make sure you get a copy since as always they've limited the number of copies being made.

the beautiful performance of Marthe Keller. the usual precise exploration of character by Al Pacino. romance and search of sense , seductive scenes and few splendid landscapes. a romance who can not be a masterpiece but it is so profound, touching, honest, fragile than it may impress in great measure. a film about the circles of solitude. in this case, the solitude is only another name for life. a self definition - the other as mirror. and inspired music. movie of a soul state, it is not easy to describe it. or analyze it. it is one of films who not must see it. only meet it. and it is enough. because it is special at whole.

I saw this movie when I was too young to really "get" it. Then, I tried watching it again a few years later, and I thought it was boring. HOWEVER, I absolutely LOVED the soundtrack and I wish it would become available again. The music is so moving, and it's great to listen to when one is in a 'sad' mood....it has a feel to it which is strangely enjoyable. I wonder how many people are aware, really, that they experience a sense of 'joy' even in their own pain/grief? I doubt many are aware of it at all. But I've noticed this myself. There is music for every mood. And the music in this movie is peculiarly uplifting, perfect to induce a "feel good" pleasure, while experiencing the various emotions that most people might try to deny, yet secretly enjoy within. If I was rating the music, I'd give it a 20! But I want to get this movie, just to have the music, since they don't make the soundtrack. If you're lucky enough to know someone who has an LP, consider yourself fortunate! You could then have the honor of listening to a great, original score!

"Bobby Deerfield" enjoys,so to speak ,a very low rating on the site ,which is probably unfair.Pacino's usual characters and Bobby Deerfield are worlds apart.And coming after the brilliant " dog day afternoon" it could only be a let down.I saw the movie when it was released and even at the time it seemed rather obsolete and old-fashioned.Adapted from an Erich Maria Remarque novel,it mixed a Douglas Sirkesque melodrama with French nouvelle vague with a bit of the long Cassavetes-like conversations thrown it. It's European to the core.Besides,the two actresses are Swiss (Keller) and French (Duperey).The former is the only interesting character of the movie but it's an endearing one:a short chat with a nurse tells us about her health ,but it will be an hour and a half before Pacino learns it.Keller's joie de vivre is infectious and sometimes the things soar.But it never really lasts and some scenes are boring.The metaphors are a bit ponderous ,as Keller is off on a balloon trip.The races -Deerfield is a race driver- are dully filmed and won't convince "Grand Prix"'s fans.The best scenes are to be found in the hospital where Deerfield pays a visit to an injured friend,and then the small trip through the splendid landscapes of Switzerland .Although BD cannot match Pollack's best works (they shoot horses don't they?;Jeremiah Johnson;This property is condemned)it's a whole lot better than later mediocre thrillers like "the firm".