Matcollis
This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.
Stellead
Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful
Ezmae Chang
This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.
blanche-2
Amy Irving, Richard Dreyfuss, Lee Remick, and Sam Wanamaker star in "The Competition," a 1980 film, written and directed by Joel Oliansky. The story concerns pianists gathering for the semifinals of a competition in San Francisco. Paul Dietrich (Dreyfuss) has one last shot at a career as a pianist, given his age, and the fact that his parents have been supporting him, and his dad is in bad shape. Heidi (Irving) knew Paul from a summer program. She studies with a top teacher, Greta Vandeman (Remick) and is there basically to see how far she can go. Despite Paul's attempts to put off the smitten Heidi, he finally admits his feelings, and the two fall in love. Greta isn't happy - she's afraid Heidi is going to lose her competitive edge and take a back seat so that Paul can win.This very good movie is just about overshadowed by the brilliant music and the magnificent fingerings and look of the actors as they're playing. They obviously had the benefit of great coaching.The film gives a realistic look at the tension of competitions, and the various states of mind that people have going into them. For Paul, it's his last shot; the Joseph Cali character wants to use it as a steppingstone to Vegas and a Liberace-type act; Heidi has nothing to lose. There is a lot of psychoanalysis throughout the film, which some may find off-putting. It does go on.Amy Irving is an excellent actress, and she does a beautiful job here. Dreyfuss is also excellent, coming off as desperate, arrogant, and sad. Lee Remick is the ultimate piano teacher who knows too well the pitfalls of being a woman, particularly a woman in love.If you like classical piano, don't miss "The Competition."
moonspinner55
Richard Dreyfuss plays an egocentric jerk to perfection. His agitated mannerisms and witty retorts were becoming something of a pain around the time of this film's release (critics said he was phoning it in); however, looked at these many years later, one can see Dreyfuss' apparent dedication to bringing out the humanity in a puffed-up non-celebrity like his Paul Dietrich, and (despite a make-over on Dreyfuss that gives him a disconcertingly wizened appearance) he's the best thing in the movie. Plot about a piano competition has too many muddled sub-plots among its participants, though virginal Amy Irving's first affair with Dreyfuss is played out quite honestly. The piano mimicry is fabulous, giving the finale a real kick, but most of the supporting characters just get in the way. The overall feel of the picture is maudlin and stuffy, and the film's gray, chilly look is a visual downer. ** from ****
smoke0
In 1980 this was a heartwarming love story. In 2005 this is a stale piece of soap. Stand by Your Man should have been the piece Amy Irving played in the competition, because throughout the entire film her character's growth consists of becoming a doormat for the Richard Dreyfus character. I could hardly sit through this two decades later, amazed at Irving's masochistic need to take anything Dreyfus dished out.In this movie, love means having to say you are sorry, over and over again, especially when you have nothing to be sorry for.Ugh.
psafir
I have just watched the Competition for a third time, once when originally released, once with my late mother who was a pianist, today with my new bride. Although not a classical music big fan, the music is presented with such passion I found myself drawn into it. Young Amy Irving and Richard Dreyfuss are very appealing and believable. Other characters are fun and interesting as well. It is a great blending of a lot of music, the tension around a competition, the stirring of a love story. I recommend it enthusiastically but you must be willing to sit through the piano music sequences.
