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List Price: $9.98 | | Label: 20th Century Fox
Salesrank: 61020
Released: December 13, 2005 |
| Our Price: $5.27 |
| Used Price: $3.75 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Larry Lapinsky (Lenny Baker) is a young man seeking fame and discovering independence in Paul Mazursky's bittersweet comedy set in the 1950's. His mother (Shelley Winters) is distraught when he leaves his traditional family home in Brooklyn and moves to bohemian Greenwich Vilage. As a struggling actor, he gets entangled with a group of free spirits, discovers adult romance and, hardest of all, copes with his overbearing Jewish mother.
Description of Next Stop, Greenwich Village:
Writer-director Paul Mazursky's transparently autobiographical Next Stop, Greenwich Village is a film of considerable charm and appeal. His alter ego in this case is Larry Lapinsky (Lenny Baker), an aspiring actor in his early twenties who leaves his Brooklyn home, kvetching mother (Shelley Winters), and hen-pecked pop (Mike Kellin) and moves to Greenwich Village, a few subway stops and several worlds away. This is the Village of the mid-'50s; Dylan and the folkies wouldn't take root there for years, and even the beat poet scene wasn't yet in full bloom. But it was the hippest place in town, filled with counter-culture artist types, and Larry, an aspiring actor, settles right in, hooking up with a gang of pals and a foxy girlfriend Sarah (Ellen Greene) almost immediately and then dealing with life's various triumphs and vicissitudes. Baker, who made only a couple more films before dying of cancer in 1982 (Greenwich Village was released in '76), is fine in the central role; an actor playing an actor, he has a field day with the rapid-fire repartee and shtick Mazursky writes for him (Greene would go on to play Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, but it's the young supporting actors, notably Chris Walken, Jeff Goldblum, and Lois Smith, who would have the more stellar careers). Overall, the film is smart and well-observed, with ample humor and warmth, along with an improvisational feel. It also tends to play very real, especially the scenes involving the two young lovers; only Winters's scenery-chewing Jewish stereotype gets tiresome. The sole bonus feature is a commentary track with Mazursky and Greene. --Sam Graham
Next Stop, Greenwich Village Reviews:
Excellent movie, great acting, real... and it's the Village! 
2009-11-27 - Excellent acting. Fun movie with real situations of life which seldom are exposed that openly today. It is nice to "feel" the old Greenwich Village, and NYC again. Loved it.
Next Stop Greenwich Village 
2009-05-12 - I recommend this wonderful film. Being Jewish, having lived in New York as a young girl, it was rather nostalgic for me. Typcial Jewish family "Drama" and I love it!!! Shelly Winters, most magnificent in her role as the domineering mother. All the actors were right on target. I hightly recommend this film, grab some popcorn (Kosher) and enjoy the film. BTW Excellent acting.
Next Stop, Greenwich Village
2009-05-12 - I recommend this film, being Jewish myself, and having lived in New York as a young girl, and being a "baby boomer" it was a nostalgic film for me. Just like life, there are the joys, the triumphs, the dramas, the family member embarrassments, the betrayals, etc but most of all it all seems to "work" itself well in the trapestry of life. If you lived in the East Coast (or didn't) I feel you will like this film. Great acting, Shelly Winters did a magnificent job as her role as the Jewish mother,the son, forever trying to escape the manipulative Jewish mom, the passive father, the cast of characters who were his friends, all made it a terrific film! Grab some popcorn (kosher ,LOL) and sit back and enjoy.
A few anachronisms 
2008-12-15 - The Dave Brubeck music tracks backing the action were recorded long after 1953 when this film was set, as any jazz fan will immediately notice. And the street light poles are circa 1970s. Still, there's something warmly effective about this NYC period piece, even if Shelly Winters gets on your nerves as the Jewish mother. It's fun seeing 1976 New York set-dressed to look 20 years younger. The Caffe Reggio hasn't changed, though, even today. A little dated, overall, but worth the watch, as any Mazursky film usually is.
And the fine soundtrack
2008-07-08 - In addition to the fine acting (Shelley Winters and Mike Kellin) and script, don't overlook the Brubeck soundtrack (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074963/soundtrack -- not available on CD) that sets the mood, time, and place perfectly.
A gem of a film.
