Overrated and overhyped

The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.

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

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

It's funny to me every time I read about a "modern" TV show/movie/etc. about racial/gender/class issues being "groundbreaking," because Norman Lear was doing some pretty brave "groundbreaking" as far back as the early 70's. "All in the Family" was arguably the greatest, most "realistic" (in TV terms) family sitcom EVER to grace TV (followed closely by "Roseanne"). As if AITF wasn't enough, "Maude" and her ahead- of-her-time politics spun out of that universe, as did "Good Times," which was the first sitcom to really show the gritty reality of lower- class American life since "The Honeymooners." Yes, there were stereotypes . . . yes, there was manipulative "button-pushing," yes, there was lots of "jive talking,'" but like Roseanne, at the heart of all that bravado was a family that REALLY loved and supported each other, and were trying desperately to reach that "American dream." Of course, it was usually futile, mainly because they wanted to keep the shows going, but ironically, it actually reflected the reality of the times . . . which is that unfortunately, that dream is just out of reach for many. But "Good Times" was so well-cast, well-acted, and well-staged (like a very good play), we could overlook its faults . . . because we cared about the characters. Esther Rolle and John Amos had great chemistry together, and the kids were also perfectly cast. I remember hearing things on this show that I had never heard before, like VD, teen pregnancy, the poor resorting to eating dog to survive, the constant struggle of the father figure to provide for his family . . . it just goes on and on. Things that we middle-class white Americans had NO idea of. And that opening - that HAS to be one of the greatest opening montages of images and theme music EVER (The Sopranos comes to mind as a contender). They just don't make 'em like that anymore. Although things began to slip once John Amos left (in one of those "I'm moving on to bigger and better things" mistakes that TV actors often make . . . assuming that a hit TV show is a sure road to super stardom, never to be heard from again except in minor, supporting bits), it was still one of the best of the 70's. So whenever you hear somebody talk about a "groundbreaking" TV show/movie, keep in mind that that ground was "broken" long ago . . .

A great concept gone completely bad. One of Norman Lear's many spin offs, from a spin off, of another spin off of All In The Family... and even though this, like all of Lear's other shows, had a blatant political agenda, this show had a great potential. But it failed to deliver it. When it first aired it seemed promising... despite the reverse discrimination and broad sweeping hatred of all whites by the youngest son Michael, who they called the militant midget.But as time passed, it became a mockery of itself. The crown jewel of catch phrase based comedies. The first step down was killing off John Amos. The second step down was when Esther Rolle left because she felt the show negatively reflected on black youth by how it portrayed JJ Evans as a womanizing self absorbed goof. Then the final blow, after the 2 stabilizing figures left the show, was the addition of the character Penny, horribly played by the young Janet Jackson and the sudden focus on family friend and relentless insult comic, Willona.Even before then, the script writers had degraded to a formula: write an entire script around JJ's many catch phrases. Without fail, there was always the expected phone call for him to answer and say "Chello!" A compliment for him to respond to with "What can I say?!" or "I Knooooow". Always followed by an extended laugh track.To add a large anvil to the sinking ship was the addition of Bookman. Someone thought it would be funny to add a fat man to the show for Willona and the rest of the cast to insult. If you watch the pulse of the show, it became a series of insults every few seconds, met by a overwhelming laugh from the "audience". Worst yet, this fat man would do really poor imitations of real celebrities. Particularly, John Wayne. Also met by an abundance of canned laughter.It's no wonder Esther Rolle left and wanted to have nothing to do with the show. The main character had become a douche that had to get a laugh every few seconds with a worn out catch phrase. The replacement character Willona was basically an insult comic, peppering lame insults between JJ's catch phrases. And Penny was the final nail in the coffin with some of the worst acting to ever disgrace the tube. Hell, years later, we know she can dance and sing with the help of an auto-tuner, but acting, not so much.

Another Norman Lear hit detailing the problems that African Americans had to go through in the turbulent 1960s and 1970s.With Esther Rolle and husband along with 3 children living in a Chicago high-rise project in a predominantly black neighborhood, the show depicted what black people were going through with a landlord (black agent Mr. Bookman) as well as prices and the day-to-day problems of just existing.The 3 children depicted how people seem to face their problems differently- from the comical JJ to the militant Ralph Carter, to their daughter who also aspired to attain success, this show was a perfect description of African-American life.

Reading all of the comments Are very exciting. but can someone please tell me the name of the real artist that painted the pictures for the good times broadcast. I realize that everyone refers to j.j. as the artist in the family but, there was a real family that has the real artist, and he hasn't gotten any credit in this sight yet. So if you don't mind if someone can tell the name of the real artist I would also like to tell him "job well done". I know this Sight is for the GOOD TIMES cast but, wouldn't you agree that he has also touched the hearts of us all. I would like to know if he still paints or, if he is still alive. I would like to have some of his work displayed in my home.