Laase Hallstrom's "Once Around" tells the tale about the Bella family, who are a tightened up Italian-American family who reside in Boston, Massachusetts. Joe (Danny Aiello) is the king of his domain who's been married for almost 35 years to his classy wife Marilyn (Gena Rowlands) and have three adult children Tony (Danton Stone), Jan (Laura San Giacomo) and Renata (Holly Hunter). Tony is already married, Jan is about to tie the knot leaving Renata anxious as to when her boyfriend Rob (Griffin Dunne) is going to propose. In a heartbreaking act, Rob confesses that he has no intentions of marrying Renata, so she moves back home to her parents. Renata quits her job as a waitress and travel to the Caribbean where she enrolls in the business of real estate specializing in selling condominiums. There she meets a hotshot real estate agent named Sam Sharpe (Richard Dreyfuss) and is immediately attractive to his high-spirited, confident and spontaneous appearance. He gladly takes her back home to Boston where he is introduced to the Bella family. The Bellas take a while to warm up to this chain-smoking, rather radiant behaving Sam, but after a while, they progressively get adjusted to his unorthodox charisma. However, Jan does not like him which causes friction between both sisters. But after a while, Jan accepts him and gives Renata her blessing. Sam eventually marries Renata and relocates his business from New York to Boston to spend more quality time with Renata and the rest of the Bella clan. At Joe's mother's funeral, Sam sings a tribute song for her, but Marilyn finds it rather disrespectful and rather tasteless and that Sam was the wedge that's tearing her family apart. But they eventually make up afterwards as Renata gives birth to a brand new baby girl. At the christening, Sam suffers a severe heart attack and is rushed to the hospital. Now wheelchair bound, Sam returns home and celebrates Christmas with the Bella clan. Renata goes skating by a frozen lake as Sam and the baby look on. While she is skating Sam dies peacefully in his sleep, with his daughter by his side. At his funeral, Renata gives a eulogy thanking Sam for changing her life for the better and in his honour, Joe leads the procession on a traffic round-about.Most people under the middle-aged demographics might find this story to be uncool and just another clichéd formulaic romantic comedy. The over 30 club might have more tolerance to it, but might refrain from using outstanding applauses which makes this movie quite forgettable. The film was dismissed of any awards and the box office ticket sales was quite low. In general this romantic comedy put in better terms is lost in the shuffle and will never be memorable. Although it is simplistic, it's not very enjoyable and the sad ending will surely turn people off. How I felt about "Once Around" is that it is a character driven film and that the interactions and the responses towards each character is quite riveting. Sam and Renata truly deserve each other and their reasons to fall for each other is what drives people to see this film. Renata loves Sam because he's fun, caring and uplifting in charm, plus he's wealthy. Sam loves Renata because she's intelligent, easy-going and care-free. Sure it takes a while for the other Bellas to get used to him because his charm can cross the line to the point of obnoxiousness and refuses to accept when enough is enough. Over the years, a myriad of romantic comedies offer men and woman who fall in love avoiding romantic interludes and just randomly fall in love. "Once Around" is different being that this couple has a legit purpose why Sam and Renata should belong together. Sam's high-strung behaviour caused his previous wife to divorce him, while Renata's ex-boyfriend refuses to marry her. The two come from different worlds. Renata has no savings or really any career driven ambitions except just to get by and her family is her only social existence and outsiders are not welcome unless they're willing to commit in marriage. There's no doubt that "Once Around" has more good qualities than bad ones. The flaws don't keep this film from being bad. It takes a while for Joe and Marilyn to feel comfortable of Sam's outspoken behaviour. The situation involving Jan's subtle affair with family friend Jim (Greg Germann) was handled oddly. Sam's over-the-top toast at Jim's wedding reception garnered no responses. And at times it felt Sam's outrageous personality was too manipulative for Renata who just seems too easily charmed by him. but these flaws shouldn't hinder your spirits. If you like low-key romantic comedies you have to check this one out.

Lasse Hallström's first American film has a structure that is both refreshing and frustrating. Is "Once Around" a light romantic comedy? A melodrama? A tragedy? Most likely, it is all of the above.Holly Hunter stars as Renata, an unlucky-in-love Bostonian who falls for Sam (Richard Dreyfuss), a smooth-talking salesman who is similar to her parents in age but worlds away from them in personality. Conflicts arise when Sam, a strong-willed Lithuanian, forces his beliefs on Renata's equally strong-willed Italian parents, Joe and Marilyn, played by Gena Rowlands and Danny Aiello.The performances are excellent, though Hunter's exaggerated New England accent is a distraction at times. Aiello keeps his cool in a role that could easily have lent itself to overacting, and as a special bonus, he sings — quite well, I might add. A scene with Marilyn castigating Sam at a funeral stands as an example of the pivotal performances Rowlands delivers even when she's a supporting character. Renata and Sam's relationship takes some rather stagy turns, and some of Sam's disputes with Renata's family seem a bit contrived, but "Once Around" is worthwhile for its outstanding ensemble cast.

During one insomnia driven night/morning, I found this movie playing. I enjoy Holly Hunter's acting so I thought I would watch this film "Once Around." I found Sam's character to be wildly inappropriate and selfish. Sam could not take "no" for an answer on anything he wanted to do. The funeral scene in which Renata's father had buried his mother was particularly telling of Sam's poor qualities. Sam insisted upon singing his Lithuanian song to celebrate Joe's mother. His wife intervened politely and then quite sternly, but Sam was relentless in believing he was right. Not until Joe and Renata became involved in the seemingly silly argument was Sam forced to step aside albeit briefly. The next opportunity to rub his precious song in their faces was just after Renata gave birth. As the Renata's family circled her and her little baby girl, Sam brought in some musicians so he could sing his damn song. If I had been the matriarch or patriarch of the family I would have slugged him. Sam would not let anyone deter him from doing what he always wanted.I thought the screenwriters did not confront the allegations brought up between the Renata's sister and Joe. The conversation occurred during the wedding reception and Joe thought Sam was essentially buying off Renata and not treating her as an equal. I agreed and yet this was never disproved in the movie. Frankly, the age gap, economic disparity, and personality differences made me a disbeliever of this so-called true love. Sam was deranged and could probably qualify for a couple of personality and mental disorders found in the DSMVI. Sam was also too friendly with Renata's mother, sister, and almost every other female character. He was a rich playboy with money to rule and behave as he wished. While not a total jerk in regards to providing for Renata and her family, he lacked the moral intellect and partnership skills necessary for true human relationships.Sam soured my viewing and enjoyment of the film. His death was actually a relief. The supporting cast did an excellent job, but with one of the main characters so abhorrent and the storyline cautious, the movie was a disappointment.

After watching the preview a local tv-station broadcast a couple of times I expected a kind of lame film about a silly romantic girl who falls for the wrong guy who presents himself as a rich spoiled arrogant piece of work and then turns out to be the imposter type. The only reasons I decided to watch it nonetheless were a lack of alternatives at the time, Holly Hunter and good old Richard Dreyfuss. Since the first film I saw with Dickie in it (Moon over Parador) I can't help but love the guy. And I am a man for crying out loud! Anyway, now you know why. And I have no regrets whatsoever. Holly is charmingly innocent, clumsy, all the ingredients for disappointment in life waiting around every corner are present. She clearly is the type who can't do a thing without her father telling her how, when where en with whom. She hasn't exactly grown up and become an independent woman yet. Then her fiance finally bursts her bubble admitting he is not going to marry her. This event triggers her growing up (the theme of the film). I won't reveal the story, but the good thing is it never becomes the true cliche you expect it to. Richard can do the arrogant -yet loving, caring- schmuck on autopilot and clearly has a ball portraying his character, so full of energy. The rest of the cast also display great performance in this little film that keeps surprising. Even though it is an all-American product, it has got none of the typical cheap traits so often spoiling Hollywood films. If you ask me, that explains the relative meager score here on IMDb, I wouldn't be surprised if people just missed the point in this film. A pearl! (8/10)