My Favorite Year (1982)

IMDb plot summary: A dissolute matinee idol is slated to appear on a live TV variety show.
Directed by Richard Benjamin. Starring Peter O'Toole, Mark Linn-Baker, Jessica Harper, and Joseph Bologna.

I was already somewhat familiar with the story because I was familiar with at least the cast recording for the musical based on the film (Tim Curry played the Peter O'Toole part and had some great songs). I sometimes find when I'm watching a movie that I already kiiiiind of know the story to, that it's difficult for me to really immerse myself in it as much as I want to. This is one of many reasons why I don't watch trailers if I can help it and it's why rewatches are often unsatisfying.

That happened a little bit with this movie, and as a whole I found myself mostly just indifferent to it, though objectively I thought it was good. Fortunately, it was able to win me over by the end. Peter O'Toole really is great here, and the last 10 minutes are extremely moving after all the set up to get us there. Halfway through, I'd have said I wasn't going to remember this movie much, but that ending really worked, and that's what's going to stick with me the most.

3.5 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
My Favorite Year > Blow Out
My Favorite Year < The Artist
My Favorite Year > Peter Pan Live!
My Favorite Year > Away We Go
My Favorite Year < The Glass Menagerie (1973)
My Favorite Year < The Theory of Everything
My Favorite Year > Lord of the Flies
My Favorite Year < The Big Short
My Favorite Year < Ikiru
My Favorite Year > Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (1997)
My Favorite Year > Victor/Victoria (1982)

Final spot: #767 out of 2533.