"Up Close and Personal" proves again that charismatic stars and good production values can overcome a weak story. This story of two television journalists (Redford and Pfeiffer) has few surprises, no fresh insights about the news business, and its big moments are both predictable and overblown. Nevertheless, Redford and Pfeiffer provide enough star power to make for a reasonably entertaining couple of hours. There is one particularly funny line, though. When the Pfeiffer character says of a co-worker, "He's so stupid!" her boyfriend, the Redford character, with a quizzical expression on his face, says, "He's an anchorman." 6 out of 10, marginally recommended.

Sally 'Tally' Atwater (Michelle Pfeiffer) is ambitious and green starting out as a local TV reporter in Miami hired by news director Warren Justice (Robert Redford) from her amateur tape. They fall in love as he grooms her rise from weather girl to star reporter in the newsroom. Agent Bucky Terranova (Joe Mantegna) recruits her to a bigger Philadelphia station. She struggles from jabs by jealous anchor Marcia McGrath (Stockard Channing) and unkind public judgment. Warren has been struggling himself. Sensing her despair, he goes to Philadelphia to help her recover.

This is loosely based on the late NBC News anchor Jessica Savitch but it has more in common with the play Pygmalion. It's a bit too broad at first with Pfeiffer stumbling awkwardly to portray inexperience. It's so broad that it actually becomes off-putting. There is also the age difference but Pfeiffer and Redford are great enough to overcome it. The plot has much of the formula of a good romance but it just feels false. The actors' cinematic presence helps a lot. In the end, I don't feel it.

I think the overall score for this film is way too high and may be related to the fact that people like the stars. But their performance in this dreary retread was just sloppy and dull. Nothing about the film in any way made me prefer it to the original A STAR IS BORN with Janet Gaynor or the remake with Judy Garland. Both of these older films are marvelous classics, whereas this film looks like both the stars just did it for money. Additionally, while in this case it's becoming a top news anchor instead of a movie star, the films are essentially the same and any hack writer could have created the script--as there is nothing NEW or IMPORTANT to say in the film. Anyone who saw the original films KNOWS that Redford will ultimately buy the farm and Pfeiffer will be the next Barbara Walters.

Ultimately, I could have summed up the film with "WHO CARES?!", but IMDb doesn't allow such succinct reviews.