I had a bit of an interesting personal experience while watching this movie. I could not watch the whole thing at once so I watched half on one day and half the next day. During my personal intermission I thought that there was a philosophical question that was being asked about relationships and love: does a relationship require intimacy? I looked at this question up and down and at different times agreed and disagreed with her choice. As the second half began I realized that there was so much more to the film: the value of how one sees one's self in the mirror, the complications of the parent / child relationship, etc. And then it dawned on me: I was the Jeff Bridges character in the movie. As an analytical person with a background in mathematics I appreciate the beauty and symmetry of numbers. Like his character I tend to solve problems using my rational mind. Of course, not every solution is found this way.

The women in this movie completely steal the show. While Bridges plays his role perfectly the best scenes are the ones with Streisand and Bacall. I would even throw in Mimi Rogers - she has always been an underrated actress that just seems to have never gotten the roles that would put her in the top tier of Hollywood. I have always admired the actresses of Bacall's era - they always had a presence and charisma that few actors today seem to have. Streisand's direction and music choices often give the film a feel that it was made during another time.

All of that said, I am still intrigued by the question that was asked during the first half of the film. This question was taken up in one of the better films of 2020, Straight Up.

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