Hopscotch (1980)

A different way of telling a story

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Yo, there's no way for me to review this film without saying, take your *insert ethnicity + "ass" here* to see this film,like now. You have to see it in order to know what you're really messing with.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Hopscotch is a light-hearted, fun film that treats us to witty dialogue, gorgeous European locations, a sumptuous Mozart score and a battle of wits between ex-CIA man Matthau and his former boss Beatty.It's hard to believe that Hopscotch received poor reviews when it came out. If you approach it with the right frame of mind--that is, looking for a clever, enjoyable film--then you'll have a ball. Maybe the reviewers wanted sex and violence? Sorry, none of that here. Maybe they wanted a movie that needed to make a deep point? Outside of satirizing the government and its feeble-minded minions, there is none. No, you'll have to settle for an elegant, sophisticated show filled with memorable characters that help you root for the good guys (or good guy). Can't imagine who would object to that.

I love films where a smart guy outwits a bunch of buffoons in authority. Walter Matthua plays the veteran CIA agent who decides to resign in a blaze of glory, by revealing all the secrets of his occupation via a book. He leads his former colleagues on a merry dance throughout Europe and America, one step ahead of his dim-witted pursuers all the way. He pauses only to flirt with a very sexy Glenda Jackson, before she turned into a shrieking harridan of an MP. Humiliate your stuff shirted bosses AND have a lot of fun doing it? Am I jealous or what...The script crackles with funny dialogue and ludicrous situations, and as Matthua's plans become more convoluted, so the entertainment factor increases by a notch. He's like the funny uncle I never had (Sorry to my two present incumbents, but it's true) and his sheer presence in every scene is almost enough to make you grin. Give me this guy over 007 any day. 7/10

Hopscotch (1980)A lightweight, enjoyable entertainment about an aging spy who has fun going renegade in his final weeks. I have to admit I liked the movie for the congeniality of Walter Matthau. While not as zany (and original) as the much earlier "Charade" (also with Matthau), "Hopscotch" shares a lot of the feel of that movie, with villains who aren't quite villainous, and a leading man who is part bumbling and part a step ahead of the game. The supporting cast is fun, though just barely--both of the key CIA guys after our hero are good actors at their best, but they are not at their best here, especially Sam Waterston in a wishy-washy role. Most peculiar of all, and almost scotch-taped into both the plot and the casting, is very British and very different actress Glenda Jackson, a former spy who chips in as needed, and plays a growing role as things proceed.British director Ronald Neame (who directed "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" and "The Odessa File") is completely in charge here, making the most of a middling script that uses well worn or barely surprising twists and gags to keep a potentially violent espionage film from ever leaving light comedy. Because in fact the pace is consistent and the filming (under the eye of Arthur Ibbeteson, also British) is completely fine, if nothing to write home about. In fact, this feels like high budget British television, which is something different than pure Hollywood. Or it might feel like 1960 Hollywood widescreen with minor updates--not including the 1960s Hollywood star, Mr. Matthau.But it is Matthau's movie, fortunately. He can be a convincing bumpkin and a warm hearted fellow, and he can be clever beneath his seeming simplicity. All of this is an advantage here, and you are completely on his side as he thwarts, with winks and tricks, the supposedly superior forces of a full press CIA assault. Expect some fun, and you won't be disappointed.

The great thing about this film is the nonchalant and natural way the actors have fun with the film. Matthau, Jackson, Waterston, and Beatty all play their parts with great ease and sense of a good time. The problem is that the story is simply too thin and the characters don't evolve. There are many scenes, but they fail to build up any sort of complexity; instead they are basically repeats of the same idea over and over. The characters are given no chance to move beyond their initial (albeit charming) characterizations.Do we know anything about any character after their first scenes? Not really. We're given delightful cartoons and then they are set to work on a plot. Anyway, the film showcases some great talent, but don't expect to remember much a couple of weeks later.