From my favorite movies..

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

A lot of reviewers rightfully state this movie is not like the book. The storyline is actually based on Steinbeck's lesser known "sequel" to Cannery Row, a book titled "Sweet Thursday." It is a great read if you liked Cannery Row. I would encourage anyone to read "Sweet Thursday" and then re-watch this film. It is still not the best, but better knowing the source of the screenplay. That being said, just watch and enjoy! Well I guess IMDb needs more lines to validate this review, not sure why ten lines is a minimum requirement but that's cool. So, I have two lines to go. Okay, now one line. There is so much one can write about a movie that is admittedly unremarkable, but entertaining.

Nothing to do with the book, just used the names of the characters and the location names. It's a simple formula Hollywood movie, boy meets girl, they get on each other's nerves a bit and then it's time to fall in love. I can only imagine that the positive reviews here are from people who hold some sort of financial interest in the film. The story line, again nothing to do with the book really, was scattered and nonsensical. What a waste of my time. Read the book. Skip the movie. This movie actually ruined the book experience for me. Steinbeck would turn over in his grave if he saw this. Now I am reading East of Eden and see that a movie was made about that too. I will watch the film after I finish the book, but I am sure that it will be a poor remake too. As for Cannery Row, you will note that there was no romance between the characters, or any big focus on Dora's whore house. This is all changed in the movie. And the book takes place during the time the canneries were open for business. The film is set at a time when all the factories have closed and the industry had shut down. The characters are never really developed and none of them are likable in any way.

When this film was released, it was under-marketed and for studio-based political reasons, all but buried. Additionally, some critics tried to frame it as a failed attempt at "art-house" cinema. However, this simply is one of the best films ever made of a Steinbeck work, and one of the best films of the 1980s. Poignant, masterfully photographed, funny and sweet, brilliantly acted and directed, it is a must see for anyone who loathes mainstream American film making and yearns for literate cinema. Nolte is at his best, acting with a magnificent range. Winger is perfect as Suzy. The adaptation of Steinbeck's "Sweet Thursday" is spot on. The ensemble acting of the tramps led by one of the greatest character actors of all time, M. Emmett Walsh and Frank McRae and the soundtrack including Doctor John's piano stylings, make this a film of metaphor and wonderful enchantment. If you haven't seen this film, turn off your phone, light a fire, and settle in for the ride of your life, emotionally and artistically.

Excellent commentary, very well done. If you liked A Christmas Story type of movie, you'll like this one! All the characters are great - the movie runs along at a good clip with nothing getting stale. There's just one thing after another here. If it's not mack and the boys and their shenanigans it's the relationship with Nolte and Winger, and if it's not that it's a party that goes haywire. I love it. By the end of the movie I was wishing to live at Cannery Row! Now if someone in the US would just WAKE UP and get this into DVD region 1 format, we'd have it made! I just don't understand why it hasn't been done yet with all the other movies now back on DVD.Jeff