SEASON 3, EPISODE 2 - THE DIANE KEATON DOUBLE FEATURE TRIBUTE: LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR and BABY BOOM

The Rad Revival House is proud to present our Double Feature Tribute to the late great Diane Keaton.

Joining our discussion is Jeanne Marie Denizard, “The Sleepless Critic,” one of New England’s most revered and esteemed film critics. She and our host, Professor Cesare, analyze two of Keaton’s most notable yet notably underrated pictures, LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR, and BABY BOOM. Both films were critically- and commercially-acclaimed on their respective years - 1977 and 1977- but are largely underseen by today’s audiences.

First in LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR, Keaton plays the complex and tragic role of Theresa, a teacher with a dark double life. A teacher who assists deaf children by day, Theresa scours the New York City streets by night where she partakes in a progressively-increasing path to self-destruction. Showering herself in alcohol and drugs, Theresa also meets scores of young men, many with less-than-honorable intentions. Backed with a strong supporting cast of then-unknown actors like Tuesday Weld, William Atherton, Levar Burton, Tom Berenger, and Richard Gere, Keaton tackles this difficult role with a combination of grace and wild abandon, right to the film’s horrifying climax.

In contrast, Keaton also stars in BABY BOOM, an 80s comedy that tackles motherhood and the decade’s corporate lifestyle. As the “Tiger Lady” J.C., Keaton portrays a sharp-as-a-tack, ambitious working woman who finds her life turned upside down when she is unexpectedly made the guardian of a very small baby, the daughter of a deceased distant relative. Now trapped with this life-changing development, Keaton balances a no-nonsense corporate fierceness with a sweet comedic edge that she was armed with since her funny 1970s heyday. 

Both Jeanne and Cesare hope all aspiring actors would watch both of these two particular performances and learn to utilize versatility and raw gifts for drama and humor combined, just like the great Diane Keaton!