It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

MAX DUGAN RETURNS is a lightweight comedy from Neil Simon about a widowed schoolteacher (Marsha Mason) with a young son (Matthew Broderick, in his film debut), struggling to make ends meet, who one night is reunited with her estranged father (Jason Robards), who shows up on her doorstep wanting to make up for lost time with $687,000.00 in tow. Mason is reluctant to get involved with Dad because the money is not really his but when she learns that he is dying, she softens and decides to grant his dying wish...to spend some of his final time on earth with his grandson. Throw into the mix a police detective (Donald Sutherland) who, upon finding out who Max is, is definitely torn between getting his man and or getting the girl. This comedy charms from start to finish with a lot of classic Neil Simon one-liners and Robards turns in one of his most charming performances as Max Dugan. Yes, there are plot points that are left dangling and you just have to accept that, but if you can, MAX DUGAN RETURNS is a delightful and diverting comedy that will grown on you with multiple viewings.

Probably one of the best Neil Simon has done. The story is based on a widowed schoolteacher raising her teenage son on her paltry salary and trying to raise him to be a good person but her long lost terminally ill father reenters her life seeking to spend his last six months with her and his grandson. Complicating matters is he is also bringing along a satchel with 647 thousand dollars he skimmed off a casino while working as a blackjack dealer. Although the money was originally his when he owned the land the casino he stole from "legally separated" him from it, his daughter is still worried about the influence of such dealings on her son. There is also a special appearance by the late Charlie Lau, former batting coach for the Chicago White Sox. Great for the whole family.

Neil Simon, did ya read Les Miserables recently? To say that this movie is loosely based on a modernized version of that book would be accurate; the script would be totally different if Victor Hugo never existed. Let's run down the list of parallels. Robards is Jean-Valjean: he served time in prison and now dedicates his life to the happiness of a young child, Matt(Cossette). Like Valjean, he has three aliases and --SPOILER-- disappears at the end. Although in Les Miserables, Hugo meant his disappearance to symbolize death. Robards' life in this movie revolves around being pursued and followed by a detective(Javert in Les Miserables). Javert's life-long ambition was to wrest Valjean, just as Sutherland becomes obsessed with this concept as it applies to Robards. Simon's theme is that family ought to be highly valued--one of the multiple themes contained in Hugo's novel. Swirl corny 80's elements--the baseball games--into to the rancid bowl, and a movie compiled of Hugo's ideas forms.This "comedy" has some other horrific extras that force the characters to act like slow-witted Kawala bears. When Robards goes out in public, he wears a dark jacket, a black hat, and sunglasses...because that doesn't look suspicious at all. Were you trying to look like a criminal, Roby?If you're into typical family-oriented 80's slosh(and many people evidently are) then I recommend this film with one reservation. Sutherland and Robards, the two best actors in this treasure, only have one scene together because that makes sense!

"Max Dugan Returns", written by Neil Simon, was one of the best and most interesting films I've seen. It's about a family of two: Nora the mother and Michael, the son. The father of Nora returns fo live the time that his doctor gave him until death. Find out the surprises they had when her father returned. The sad part of the story is that Nora's father Max left her when she was little. Max never called her or saw her since he left. A good thing happened when Max came to live with them, but did he stay long enough?The theme Neil Simon is trying to bring out is honesty. The Policeman was looking for Max. He had to lie about everything. It was obviuos he lied. It did not last long because the truth had come out. Jason Robards played as Max. He is a great actor at his age. The part I like most is when he first came. It was scary, but I like it.Nora McPhee was played by Norah Mason. What I like about her is that she took good care of her son. The two were closed even tho were poor. A negative about her is when he first came, she worried a lot. Brian went out with her and he knew something was happening in her home.The Policeman, Brian Castella was the biggest Max had conflict. Brian helped Nora and gave them a motorcycle for transportation. Once Nora acted strange Brian went in to their house and saw Max. Find out what happened next! Michael was a nice guy. I think he is just like the average person. Even if he tried his best at plying his sport he did not give up. He was excited when he saw the things Max did. I would give this movie and eight. It was not boring. The whole time something new and excited happend. Everything happened the way you did not expect. One thing I like is what Nora learned from the two girls that cheated at school. I recommend this movie for other people to see. I believe that kids will love this movie as well as their parents. The actors were great. The movie had bad words but it was excellent.