The previous reviewer said that "Next Stop, Greenwich Village" was one of the last chances to show Greenwich Village in its original form before it got gentrified. I have to admit that I wouldn't have known that. But whether or not one knows that, the movie is still fairly enjoyable, as a young man (Lenny Baker; happy birthday, Lenny!) moves to the area hoping to make something of himself. I will say that it seems sort of like Paul Mazursky made the movie more to please himself than anything else, as the movie drags at times. But overall, it's a pretty enjoyable flick. Also starring Shelley Winters, Ellen Greene, Lois Smith, Christopher Walken, Antonio Fargas (Huggy Bear on "Starsky and Hutch"),Lou Jacobi and Jeff Goldblum.

New York City, 1953. Eager and ambitious aspiring actor Larry Lapinsky (a fine and likable performance by Lenny Baker) moves out of his parents' Brooklyn apartment and goes to Greenwich Village in search of fame and success while coming to terms with his overbearing mother Faye (a suitably hysterical, but still moving portrayal by Shelley Winters).

Writer/director Paul Mazursky relates the engrossing story at a steady pace, offers an engaging blend of sharp humor and poignant drama, and presents a flavorsome evocation of 1950's New York that astutely captures both the sexually permissive mores and the vibrant artistic bohemian nature of Greenwich Village at that particular point in time. Moreover, Mazursky brings a winning surplus of real heart and warmth to the semi-autobiographical plot as well as populates the picture with vividly drawn characters who are quite affecting and believable in all their flaws and quirks. The fine acting from a tip-top cast keeps this film humming: Ellen Greene as Larry's liberated, yet apprehensive girlfriend Sarah Roth, Lois Smith as suicidal depressive Anita Cunningham, Christopher Walken as suave womanizing dandy Robert Fulmer, Dori Brenner as the sarcastic Connie, Antonio Fargas as flamboyant homosexual Bernstein Chandler, Mike Kellin as Larry's meek father Ben, and Lou Jacobi as hearty deli owner Herb. Popping up in funny bits are Joe Spinell as a surly cop and Jeff Goldblum as pretentious wannabe thespian Clyde Baxter. Arthur J. Ornitz's crisp cinematography provides a pleasant bright look. Bill Conti's jaunty'n'jazzy score does the tuneful trick. A sweet little sleeper.

Writer-director Paul Mazursky's ode to his colorful hungry years, and the experience of leaving home for the first time and setting out on your own. Cheeky Jewish graduate from Brooklyn in 1953 relocates to the Village, getting an apartment, a semi-serious girlfriend, and a spot in the avant garde crowd. Though his mother disapproves, our hero, working in a health food shop, studies to be an actor, gets his girl pregnant, and clearly sees the dreams and hopes of his new friends flair up and fizzle out--yet never losing his own personal ambition. Mazursky, who also co-produced the film, has created a meticulously-detailed encapsulation of a particular time and place, peopled with characters one can easily recognize. There's a sweet simplicity in the protagonist's friendships--and with his over-protective parents--but nothing is really nuanced for us. Mazursky lays it all right there on the surface (which is why the film will work best on a first-time viewing: everything you need to catch can be caught). While it isn't always subtle, and the gloppy cinematography and poor lighting sometimes causes the actors to look a bit frightful, the movie has a very big heart. This is detectable early on, yet it isn't until the finale that you come to appreciate what the characters have gone through (the parents as well). The picture is also a showcase for lots of budding talent circa 1976, with Chris Walken, Antonio Fargas, Dori Brenner, Jeff Goldblum, Michael Egan, and John C. Becher all doing terrific bits of business. In the lead, Lenny Baker is photographed very badly (with his jagged teeth glinting in the movie lights),but he warms to his role, and by the finish has created a three-dimensional man whom we really hope will succeed. **1/2 from ****