A wonderful tragicomedy. My acquaintance with the work of Jack Lemmon for a long time was somewhat one-sided. I, like many others, knew him from his role in the great “Only Girls in Jazz.” It wasn’t until years later that I saw the amazing Glengarry Glen Ross (Americans), which became one of my favorite movies, and I’ve watched it many times. Jack played a deep and tragic image of an aging real estate seller there, proving he's not just a comedian. Then I saw the hilariously funny "The Visitors," and then I finally saw "The Prisoner of Second Avenue." What do we see here? A typical metropolis couple, he's a successful manager, she's a housewife. The life of this world will be one of them, and it will be one of them. Retelling the plot of a comedy is a thankless business, I would rather write that it is actually very, very funny (although there are sad moments - everything is like in the best Soviet films). The film has wonderful dialogue, rich and also funny. To be honest, by the end of the movie I was tired of laughing. Little chips scattered throughout the film (for example, when Edna, returning home, kindly held the elevator door to a thief carrying her TV) remember periodically and laugh again!
For me, this comedy was the first in a long time really funny, not even expected. But it’s not just a comedy, it’s also a drama. All the more surprising is its extremely low rating here, don't believe it.
Lemmon and Bancroft's performances are beyond praise, though the roles aren't as easy for both, despite being a comedy. I highly recommend watching this atmospheric comedy, you will not be disappointed.
10 out of 10