Next Stop Greenwich Villiage

Director: Paul Mazursky
Cast: Lenny Baker, Shelley Winters, Ellen Greene, Christopher Walken
Genre: Comedy/Drama 1976
Running time: 111 mins.
Rating:★★★★

A Coming-of-age story set in 1953. Aspiring to an acting career, young Larry Lapinsky (Lenny Baker) removes himself from his clingy Brooklyn mother (Shelley Winters) and escapes to bohemian, sexually liberated Greenwich Villiage. There he meets a new cast of characters, including a wildly pretentious actor (Jeff Goldblum), an oversexed poet (Christopher Walken) and a troubled girl (Lois Smith). Through it all, Larry may just make peace with his past and find a promising new future...in California!

The freedom of leaving home and the dangers of carelessness that is part of the journey that leads to adulthood. How much of what defines adulthood comes from society or parents? Or is it just enough that comes from within themselves. How much can one pretend that they know it all before they realize that they still have more to learn?

Wonderful to see an array of accomplished actors, most at the early stages of their career! Hilarious and provocative! It illustrates beautiful the struggles of growing up and finding oneself beyond one's parents.