Love Story (1970) moves fluidly and isn’t dated, but it pays so much attention to the two young lovers, Jenny (Ali MacGraw) and Oliver (Ryan O’Neal), and not much to the other characters, that it gets a bit stifling.  Neither lover is all that interesting, especially since Jenny is incessantly cynical and smirky with hardly a trace of amatory tenderness.

MacGraw, who was better in Goodbye Columbus, can’t really handle her.  She’s superficial—smug when she should be more than that.  O’Neal is passable, neither strong nor weak.

Erich Segal’s novel may have value, but the movie doesn’t.

Cover of Love Story