Very well executed

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Barbara (Bette Midler) and Dave Whiteman (Richard Dreyfuss) are a wealthy Beverly Hills couple. He makes clothes hangers and is sleeping with the maid Carmen (Elizabeth Peña). She's obsessed with gurus and new age stuff. Their son Max is bitter with them and always filming with his camera. Their daughter Jenny (Tracy Nelson) is away at college with eating issues. The family is weird Hollywood and even the dog has a psychiatrist. Jerry Baskin (Nick Nolte) is a bum. His dog has left him. He tries to drown in Whitemans' pool. Dave rescues him and invites the not-so-grateful homeless man to stay. Orvis Goodnight (Little Richard) is the next door neighbor.It's interesting that grumpy Nick Nolte is not likable at the beginning. It's also interesting that he becomes more likable as Dave becomes more angry at him. At first, it concern me where the movie was going with the character. It may not hit with big laughs but it's biting in skewering the Hollywood stereotypes. In the end, it's a fun time with some memorable characters.

Based on a French play, 'Down and Out in Beverly Hills' is great fun! An engaging film that comes in-tact with a well-done screenplay & knock-out performances by its superb cast.'Down and Out in Beverly Hills' Synopsis: A millionaire adopts a homeless bum only to make things go crazy. 'Down and Out in Beverly Hills' is entertaining from start to end. Sure, there are some loose ends in the writing, but for the most part, the film works largely. The Adapted Screenplay is well-done & pretty funny too. Paul Mazursky's Direction is crisp. Cinematography, Editing & Art Design, are fabulously done. Performance-Wise: Nick Nolte is simply flawless as the homeless bum. He emerges a scene-stealer here! Richard Dreyfuss & Bette Milder are excellent, as well. The on-screen chemistry between Dreyfuss & Midler is, electric! On the whole, 'Down and Out in Beverly Hills' succeeds.

I haven't watched this since the late 80's and just watched it again. It's really a masterpiece. It's a psychological/sociological/historical expose about the California life before the crash. It's also very prophetic in many ways; Such as Dreyfuss' character, Arnold was humping his help, all the hanger makers are in China now, and alternative medicine/practices are endemic outside of California now... :-)Prophetically also was Nolte's pre-incarnation as the "Dude" Labowski played by Jeff Bridges two decades later... I have a family member that became a millionaire from property value growth, growing a business, and then selling it all before the crash. Dreyfuss, Midler, and Nolte have proved to be three of the best performers of our lifetimes. Anyway, try it. You'll like. I'd love to see the Cohen brothers make a sequel or remake... :-)

One of the charms of Down and Out is it's "dated" quality. Paul Mazursky has a great talent for capturing an era in popular culture and some of his movies, such as Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice are incredible historical records of their times as well as durable entertainment. Down and Out jump-started Richard Dreyfuss' flagging career, as well as Bette Midler's as a movie actress and Little Richard as a popular singer. This is something modern audiences probably don't know, just a historical side note. Nick Nolte prepared for the part by actually living on the street and not bathing for a month. An actor who takes his parts seriously.Another fun quality of Mazursky's films is that he puts his friends and family into his movies. Don Muhich, the dog psychiatrist, was Paul's psychotherapist in the '70s and has that role in two other Mazursky movies (B&C&T&A and Blume in Love)