The story meanders a bit but finally "gets there". Some side story lines about the sister and daughter could have been better developed or eliminated altogether, as they are, they seemed tacked on.Stanley and Iris are played by big name "stars" but that being said, they might have been more believable if played by "lesser lights". It's really hard to accept Jane Fonda having to be convinced that she is pretty. Come on ! Stanley's dad and Iris's son, Richard, get a special mention as very believable.The plight of the adult illiterate was explored quite thoroughly. One of the most fascinating aspects of this film was seeing all of the processes in the bakery but somehow I don't think that was what the filmmakers were "going for".For me : Worth a watch but not a "keeper".

Sharyn Wolf discusses the film "Stanley and Iris" in her book "Guerrilla dating tactics". The book is definitely the best thing since the introduction of De Ruyter's hundreds and thousands. She mentions the film only in passing, and does not actually recommend it, but to me that incitement was enough. By the way, Wolf starts her discussion with a reference to the (non-existing) love life of the Cartwright family in Bonanza! This is really poking in my very first life experiences! Stanley and Iris has some positive points in anticipation. The writers also created the film Norma Rae (read my review). Jane Fonda and Robert DeNiro helped to change the perspective on the war in Vietnam. I can honestly say that the result has not disappointed me. The play is credible and moving without becoming sentimental. It was a pleasant surprise, that the story is also a portrayal of the bitter poverty among marginalized workers (perhaps working poor sounds more familiar). It is at least as much a drama about social conditions as a love tale. Many scenes unfold in a cookie factory. To a large extent the personal problems originate from the drawbacks of the society. Some people just don't get true opportunities. It's amazing there on the shady side. Nonetheless, the script also dives deep into the personal characters. The result is satisfying, considering that empathy comes naturally. Can I present any hidden layers or meanings in this review? That depends on what you want to see. I advise to look more than once (an intention not yet proved by myself). I would not be surprised if on a closer examination the narrative is quite ambivalent. Just an example which stands out: near the end Stanley gets an excellent job in another state. Yes, again the American dream turns into reality! Amazing, you never get fed up with it. This is so much the usual pattern: of course he wil forget his sweetheart on the assembly line, who has helped him advance, and marry a rich woman. I will not disclose the end, there are already too many spoilers, so go and see for yourself.

I came in in the middle of this film so I had no idea about any credits or even its title till I looked it up here, where I see that it has received a mixed reception by your commentators. I'm on the positive side regarding this film but one thing really caught my attention as I watched: the beautiful and sensitive score written in a Coplandesque Americana style. My surprise was great when I discovered the score to have been written by none other than John Williams himself. True he has written sensitive and poignant scores such as Schindler's List but one usually associates his name with such bombasticities as Star Wars. But in my opinion what Williams has written for this movie surpasses anything I've ever heard of his for tenderness, sensitivity and beauty, fully in keeping with the tender and lovely plot of the movie. And another recent score of his, for Catch Me if You Can, shows still more wit and sophistication. As to Stanley and Iris, I like education movies like How Green was my Valley and Konrack, that one with John Voigt and his young African American charges in South Carolina, and Danny deVito's Renaissance Man, etc. They tell a necessary story of intellectual and spiritual awakening, a story which can't be told often enough. This one is an excellent addition to that genre.

I just read the comments of TomReynolds2004 and feel I have to jump in here. I understand he doesn't like the film, but his reasons are not evident. My feeling regarding this film is that it is not afraid to travel the darker roads of loneliness, failure, disappointment and sorrow. Each of these two people, as portrayed, have plenty of reasons to be bitter and angry, yet find tenderness and comfort in each the other. Only great acting could make this work without becoming an emotional quagmire, sentimental and sappy. I really became interested in these people because of their overwhelming humanity given to them by such strong performances. I have every reason to dislike Jane Fonda for her Vietnam era actions, but personal feelings apart, she is fabulous in this role. Robert DeNiro is superb as a man whose intelligence and goodness begins to fail him in a world indifferent to his abilities. This is the first I have seen DeNiro using tenderness rather than toughness to sell a character and I really like it. This film was a big surprise when I first viewed it and I look forward to seeing it again.