Instead of Minnie and Mickey Mouse, we have Minnie and Moskowitz. Seymour Moskowitz (Seymour Cassel) is unable to successfully speak to women without having to be harassed by other men. He hops a flight to California thanks to his mom (played by Mrs. Cassavetes) and winds up as a parking attendant in Los Angeles. Minnie Moore (Gena Rowlands) early in the film during a drunken night admits to her friend and co-worker that “the movies” gave her a bum deal. They made her believe that there was the idea of true love.
Minnie is set-up on what becomes a terrible date with a very miserable man, which leads her to meet Seymour in the parking lot and “saves” her and then “scares” her back to her work, where she is then dumped by her lover, played by John Cassavetes. Seymour almost immediately falls for Minnie and works like a dog to get her to love him back.
Minnie and Moskowtiz is an absolutely lovely romantic comedy that works well on so many levels. Watching Seymour struggle to get Minnie to love him is wonderful to watch, even when both parties slip up. One particular scene that is a turning point for the film is the moment Seymour cuts his mustache in the heat of the moment, the two finally share a loving laugh. But it is the moment when Seymour threatens to cut his long hair and Minnie embraces him to keep him from going any further. That is the exactly moment Minnie falls in love with Seymour.
One of the best scenes is toward the end of the film where Minnie and Seymour invite their mothers to a dinner where they announce their engagement after knowing each other for four days. Mrs. Moskowitz repeatedly, although lovingly, knocks Seymour’s looks, motivation, employment. Minnie defends Seymour against his mother, in that Seymour loves cars, and a working as a parking attendant is his best fit. Minnie sees the same in herself, Seymour is the best suit for her. The movies turned out to not be such a bum deal.
The chemistry between Rowlands and Cassel is impeccable and the love they give their characters is beyond believable. Watching these two talents disappear into their characters and fall in love is a joyous moment to watch unfold. In four days, Minnie dumps, is dumped, and is swept off her feet. In four days, Seymour takes several punches to the face, all to win Minnie’s love.
As you watch Minnie and Seymour fall in love, so do we. We fall in love with Minnie and Moskowtiz.
