Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

it is not impressive, interesting or remarkable. it is just a nice comedy who has in lead characters good actors far to give the role of their life. it is funny , with few crazy amusing scenes, almost fake but a not wrong choice for entertainment. so, not great expectations. in same measure, it has, in little measure, the flavor of old situation comedies and this fact saves the construction. a film like a childish game, it is inspired occasion to reflect to serious roles of Streisand and O Neal and to laugh at absurd parts. is it enough ? maybe not. but if you are disappointed, it is only your guilty. because The Main Event can be only funny. not serious, not important, only a childish game.

Unfortunately, this film suffers by comparison to "What's Up, Doc" which also starred Streisand and O'Neal. While it doesn't match the cleverness or zaniness of that film, it does move fast with enough clever lines and plot twists to keep us entertained. After "What's Up, Doc" and "The Owl and the Pussycat," this is the funniest straight comedy with Streisand.Streisand says on the DVD commentary that she hates boxing and the movie is really a metaphor for a woman trying to make it in a man's world. That seems about right. Actually Ryan O'Neil was a boxing fan, so there is some authenticity to the boxing, at least as much as the "Rocky" movies.William Mayo and Patti D'arbanville give nice support.Everybody seems to be having fun making the movie. Just sit back and enjoy.Incidentally, according to Barbara, it was the soundman who came up with the ending. It is quite a ridiculous ending, but it actually is a perfect ending.

1979's THE MAIN EVENT was a lame attempt to rekindle the chemistry that Barbra Streisand and Ryan O'Neal created in WHAT'S UP, DOC?, in an attempt to make lightning strike twice at the box office. Well, the chemistry between the stars is still evident, but the story just does not do them justice this time. Streisand plays Hillary Kramer, a cosmetics tycoon who learns that her accountant as absconded with everything she owns and the only thing she has been left with is the contract of a washed-up ex-boxer (O'Neal). So to recoup her money, she makes him start boxing again and becomes his manager. Streisand works very hard to make her character likable but it is a struggle and O'Neal is just miscast as a boxer. He just doesn't look or act like a boxer. It's not boring, but both stars have been seen to better advantage. The best thing about this movie is the powerhouse theme song that Barbra sings over the closing credits. It is an absolute "Wow!"

The Main Event tries to capture some of the flavour of those old '30s comedies in which the main characters were fast-talking, argumentative types who ultimately fell in love with other against all expectations. Barbra Streisand and Ryan O'Neal are re-teamed seven years on from their much-admired What's Up Doc? but this film isn't really from the same league. It is, however, moderately enjoyable and sharply written. Streisand plays Hilary Kramer, a successful business-woman who runs a perfume corporation. She discovers that her accountant has fled to South America with all her money and all her assets, leaving her ruined. However, the one contract that the accountant forgot to take with him is that of a boxer, Eddie "Kid Natural" Scanlon (Ryan O'Neal). Hilary threatens Kid Natural with breach of contract if he won't fight for her (even though he's barely been in the ring for goodness knows how many years). Eventually, Kid Natural agrees to box again but he turns out to be pretty useless. Undeterred, Hilary fixes up a lucrative fight with one of his old adversaries, but complications arise when she realises that she has actually fallen for him. Fans of Streisand will undoubtedly enjoy the film. For others, it's a bit irritating. She gets into the role with heart and soul, but her constant fast-talk, put downs and wise one-liners becomes very wearing if you're not an admirer. O'Neal is frustratingly laid-hack and seems to be playing his role with the minimum of effort, but he somehow just about gets across a likable enough performance. The situations and incidents that comprise the plot are nicely thought-out. The only moment which feels wrong is the ending, wherein Streisand does something really crazy to prove her love for O'Neal but what she does would, in actual fact, probably annoy the hell out of him, yet he takes it really well and it all seems somewhat unbelievable. Still, The Main Event is undemanding entertainment and you could do a lot worse.