How Good Is it?

I saw it in Philly when it was first released. A friend and I passed the line for Easy Rider and saw Me, Natalie, instead! Yes, the era was interesting. Her apartment had a sofa made out of an old bathtub with the side cut out and a big pillow placed inside.

"Two more swords and I'll be Queen of the Monkey People." Roseanne

Oh I totally disagree! "You'll Like My Mother" is a formula distress thriller, but "Me, Natalie" is something extra special, well-written and often achingly lovely. Martin Balsam (playing Natalie's beloved uncle who praises his niece's inner beauty, then turns around and marries a buxom bombshell) is terrific, and the relationship between the two is extraordinary. James Farentino has never been shown to such a good advantage since, and Patty Duke...well, what can you say about her? She's so in the moment, so pity and real, that you hang onto every word she says. A wonderful, unique picture.

It uses an awful lot of voice-over exposition (the sign of a weak screenplay).

But if you're prone to sentimentality (or ever felt the feelings Natalie is going through), then it's still worth 2 hours.

I saw this film one late morning on TBS when I was a teenager. I just wanted to see Al Pacino, (only a minute he was in the film) but I fell in love with the story. It's kind of emotional. There's always hope for everyone to be loved.

"SG"