Soup for One (1982) User Reviews (6)

Very dated but worth a watch and it comes with a killer soundtrack.

[littledevilshortfilm · 6/10 · 16 March 2022]

I was able to stream this online after a lot of perseverance. It's good and features one of my favourite soundtracks of all-time, especially Sister Sledge's 'Let's go on Vacation'.

The film follows Allan, (Saul Rubinek) a deeply neurotic and dopey looking television producer living in NYC whose unearned shallowness knows no bounds. He dates many women far out of his league in hopes of meeting his dream girl, and when he blatantly reveals his lack of interest in each and every one of them, that only makes them want him more and Allan begrudgingly beds each woman, because why not, right? Ugh.

Allan becomes so obsessed with looking for his dream girl that he somehow convinces a sketch artist to sketch her based off his description. Shortly after that, Maria (Marcia Strassman) enters Allan's life and convinced that she is his dream girl, he spends the rest of the film stalking her, annoying her and displaying so much aberrant behaviour towards her that she just gives up and accepts his many marriage proposals. However now that Allan has everything he wants - is he happy now? Spoiler alert: No, because Allan is a jerk.

After reading the above description, you may be thinking this just sounds like a typical Woody Allen rip-off and you would be very right. Although, there are also amazing things about this film that include:

• an opening sequence featuring disco dancing rats.

• an awesome disco soundtrack produced by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers (the co-founders of CHIC).

• a glorious cameo of the late and great Teddy Pendergrass as a nightclub singer.

• Christine Baranski and Andrea Martin making cameos as horny one-night stands.

• A scene involving actor Gerrit Graham and BDSM.

SOUP FOR ONE may have been just another generic rip-off when the film was initially released, however its chaotic absurdism is strangely appealing now and leaves it open to be re-discovered as a "cult" film.

Recommended.

Post-Woody Allen; pre-Adam Sandler

[mollytinkers · 6/10 · 23 January 2023]

In short, this film is a romcom revolving around issues with commitment, specifically marriage. It gets its MPAA rating from obligatory bare female breasts, a gimmick overly utilized by the film industry at the time to lure pubescent and post-pubescent boys into the theater. Surprisingly, it's actually a bit touching emotionally.

The best part of this movie for me is the bit-part players. There's Anrea Martin of SCTV fame giving a scene-stealing performance. Teddy Pendergrass sings songs produced and/or cowritten by Nile Rodgers during his Chic affiliation. Even Christine Baranski shows up at some point.

If you're a fan of Adam Sandler movies, and perhaps Woody Allen movies, you'll probably appreciate this somewhat throwaway of a gem.

looking for Woody

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 30 January 2023]

New Yorker Allan Martin (Saul Rubinek) is struggling with his singledom. His best friend Brian Reed (Gerrit Graham) breaks up with his girlfriend. They run a little-seen local cable news program. Allan is desperately looking for the one. He even goes to the police to do a missing person sketch. He meets his dream girl, Maria Giannini (Marcia Strassman), and she promptly tells him to F off.

I've never heard of this movie. I'm surprised to see a few familiar faces. Andrea Martin and Christine Baranski have a couple of fun scenes. I get the attempts at humor although they're not making me laugh. Saul Rubinek is not really a funny leading man. He's trying to be Woody Allen, but he's not the same. He has since become a great support actor.

Souperior and funny film with a few explicit scenes

[inkblot11 · 26 October 2005]

Allan is a television producer for a far-out cable channel. His friend and partner is an aging lothario. Allan, however, had a police artist sketch the composite of his perfect woman and he is determined to find her. On the long journey of love, Allan has one disastrous date after another, including the one on a restaurant boat. He finds himself leaving in a rowboat and paddling as fast as he can. Nevertheless, he meets his dream woman. She won't have anything to do with him. Is fate unkind?

Saul Rubinek is charming and funny as Allan. He handles all of his dating woes with a wistful humor. Marcia Strassman is also wonderful as the longed-for lady. Yes, there is an R rating attached to this movie for a few sexual scenes that go out of bounds. Hopeless romantics may have to hit the fast button on the remote now and again. The funny script and performers, though, carry this winning film. Try the seek and ye shall find method to get a copy of this loving comedy into your hands today.

Send-up of the early 80s singles scene

[MisterJuggins · 7/10 · 5 July 2005]

This early 80's comedy is far more sombre than you might expect. With definite shades of Woody Allen, it begins as a pretty funny send-up of the singles scene, but somewhat awkwardly changes into a film about social and parental conditioning, ending with a psychological twist that no rom-com today would risk. Most of the jokes are a bit labored, and there is a weird S/M subtext that (along with the low-budget TV station setting) evokes inappropriate memories of Videodrome. No lost classic, but a passable evening's entertainment, Soup For One is just about worth seeing, although the soundtrack (by Chic) is probably the best thing about the movie.

One of the rare non-musical movies worth watching for its soundtrack only!

[preservedprivacy · 10/10 · 31 May 2006]

We knew about Lalo Schiffrin, burt bacharach, Michel legrand, john barry or Laurie johnson et al ... but did you know that super producers/Composers Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards (aka CHIC) did most of the score of this movie? Today this is highly sought after rare groove (track Soup for One, which also served as a sample for the planetary hit Lady" by Modjo). Evertyhting that BE and NR touched turned into music gold at this time... Makes this average movie actually enjoyable! without this outstanding score I doubt this movie would have ever got that recall. The music clearly makes it twice better. Interestingly enough, BE and NR did not venture too heavily in film production despite their very eclectic approach to music (which made them what they became, later, producing the likes of Madonna or David Bowie, and so many more). That's why this score is so particular. I've also heard that Nile rodgers has produced a track for the last X-men : the last Stand (2006), from his director friend Brett Ratner. this track is being extremely warmly received in the club scene and is supposed to be on the next upcoming Chic album. Can't wait to put my hands on that one.