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While the romantic comedy is considered one of the most clichéd movie genres, there are some that subvert the genre to the point where it’s almost anti-rom-com. These movies have the trappings of a rom-com, where girl meets boy and girl falls in love with boy, but they also turn those expectations on their head to deliver something fresh and exciting. Enter Crossing Delancey, a film where girl meets boy, but keeps getting in her own way when she tries to follow the path of a conventional life, only to find happiness in her mistakes.
Written by Susan Sandler (based on her own stage play of the same name) and directed by Joan Micklin Silver, Crossing Delancey follows Isabelle (Amy Irving), a thirty-something New York intellectual working at a bookstore on the Upper West Side, who balances her life of bohemian splendor with old Jewish traditions — especially when she spends time with her bubbie (Reizl Bozyk) on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
And since Isabelle is in her ‘30s, her bubbie tries to set her up for marriage with a nice Jewish man, like Sam (Peter Riegert), a humble pickle shop owner who is more than he seems. As Isabelle tries to reject Sam because of his lifestyle and occupation, she increasingly becomes more attracted to him because he’s ultimately a very good man.
However, time and time again, Isabelle keeps getting in her own way with every meet-cute, interaction, and date. Crossing Delancey seems obsessed with how Isabelle makes the wrong decision at every opportunity, while hovering on the verge of “cringe” comedy — nearly 15 years before it was popularized with Ricky Gervais and the original version of The Office.
But there’s a sweetness and awkwardness between Isabelle and Sam that’s cute and endearing, while audiences are rooting for the pair to finally get together, it just doesn’t happen because of Isabelle’s inability to just be happy with someone special.
Crossing Delancey also serves as a snapshot of life in New York City during the ‘80s where it seemed affordable for someone who works as a bookstore without any side hustle — especially for the Upper West Side, or anywhere in Manhattan. A bygone era, for sure.
The Criterion Collection resurrected this film for modern audiences, while Crossing Delancey only received a VHS release during the ‘80s and ‘90s, as well as a DVD release during the early 2000s. Now, viewers can watch this gem of a movie in glorious 4K Ultra HD with bonus features, like new interviews with Amy Irving, Peter Riegert, and Susan Sandler, and an older interview with Joan Micklin Silver. The release also features artwork by Samantha Dion Baker that really captures the film’s quirky and lovable tone and sensibility — almost like a picture book.
Crossing Delancey is a charming film that’s full of energy and style. It may seem like a breezy little rom-com, but there’s more going on just under the surface, like a barrel of pickles.
The post Home Video Hovel: Crossing Delancey, by Rudie Obias first appeared on Battleship Pretension.
The post Home Video Hovel: Crossing Delancey, by Rudie Obias appeared first on Battleship Pretension.
