Al Pacino is obviously a great actor, but when he goes soft for a role, he can be insufferably soft. Here, as a New York City playwright with a new show about to open on Broadway, he's mechanically turned on, yet there's no sparkle in his eyes. Pacino's wife walks out on him, leaving him to care for his gaggle of kids and step-kids, but the viewer is ready to feel more for the wife (Tuesday Weld) than we're expected to. This Neil Simon-wannabe tries putting a funny spin on the divorce-movie formula (with a little "Goodbye Girl" tossed in for good measure), but the scenario is unconvincing and the jokes are tepid. Dyan Cannon gives it a big boost as a movie actress trying her hand on the stage, but poor Al just looks beat. Who knows? Maybe he thought this would be his "Kramer vs. Kramer". ** from ****
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