What makes it so good is the gift Mazursky, Tucker and their actors have of fleshing out the small scenes of human contact that give the movie its almost frightening resonance.

[Paul] Mazursky does himself the disservice of letting us believe that there is nothing more distinctive within him than plastic storefronts and bubblegum philosophies.

This is introverted self-indulgence.

Mazursky's follow-up to his striking debut, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, is quite a pretentious imitation of the seminal 81/2 by maestro Fellini, who makes a cameo in the film but the acting of Sutherland is solid.