Comments on: Coming Home (1978)

By: christian

christian — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:05:42 +0000

BEING THERE is one of my absolute Ashby faves. For Peter Sellers alone, but there’s a great supporting cast. It’s pure satire so I go along with the plot and with Chance in that awesome final scene.

But I’ve never seen COMING HOME. I will now.

By: Joe Valdez

Joe Valdez — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:00:44 +0000

Daniel: A distinction here is that there wasn't a single Vietnam themed movie to be released until five years after the war, with the vast majority not even coming until Platoon was released thirteen years after the war. I think a case could be made that these Iraq-themed films and TV shows haven't gone over well with audiences because the fighting still hasn't been resolved. That said, Stop-Loss looked like the class of the bunch and I'm interested in seeing it. Chuck: We're two sides of the same coin here. I'm in awe of what Ashby was able to accomplish in the '70s, but while Coming Home is my favorite film of his, Being There might be my least favorite. That was a movie I could not buy into, with the President of the United States and Shirley Maclaine and all that business. Peter Sellers is tremendous. I just wasn't able to relate to it like I was this film. Of course, my opinion might change later in the week as well.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:56:26 +0000

I’m an Ashby fanboy, and I think Coming Home has its merits, but I thought it was too beholden too its “message”, the characters don’t run away with this picture like they do in other Ashby films. Matter of opinion of course, but my preferred Ashby would probably be, whew that’s a tough one, I’ll go with Being There, but that could change any day of the week.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:15:45 +0000

I really need to see this again, especially since I was touched by Stop-Loss (even though I was in the minority there). Thanks for your thoughts, Joe. I wait anxiously for your review of A Simple Plan…