Parents' Guide to

Crossing Delancey

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Delightful '80s romcom has some profanity, sexuality.

Movie PG 1988 97 minutes
Crossing Delancey Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

Isabelle Grossman (Amy Irving), in her 30s, is very pleased with her life as CROSSING DELANCEY opens. She loves and is loved in her workplace, a respected independent bookstore, where she schedules the readings, meets literary icons, and has a gigantic crush on prolific author Anton Maes (Jeroen Krabbe), who's head-over-heels in love with himself. Her Jewish grandmother, Ida (Reizl Bozyk), is not satisfied, however: Izzy needs to find a proper husband. And so, much to Izzy's chagrin, Ida has hired a matchmaker to find "the one." When the already reluctant Izzy discovers that "the one" is a plainspoken pickle maker, her answer is an adamant no. She's simply not interested in Sam Posner (Peter Riegert). The radiant glow of the Upper West Side intelligentsia and the charm of Anton Maes is enough for Izzy; she's happy without a relationship. Sam is smitten, however, and Izzy can't help but be impressed by his quiet intelligence and thoughtfulness. When she fixes Sam up with a nice Jewish girl, and when Anton finally returns Izzy's interest with fervor, things get complicated on the streets of Manhattan. But Ida's not worried; that clever and worldly wise Jewish grandmother has overcome bigger obstacles than this one.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

A smart romantic-comedy that remains charming and fresh decades after it was made is a rare treat; Amy Irving and a delightful company of actors make it happen in this movie. Director Joan Micklin Silvers' characters and settings are rich examples of 1980s New York City -- the "bookish" set and the recent Jewish émigrés who arrived before and after World War II. It's a transitional film as well. Released on the heels of the 1970s women's rights movement, Izzy is a new breed of woman: ambitious, loving the career she's forged all by herself, and keeping romantic entanglements either casual or lusting from afar. In the 1980s finding a balance among love, marriage, and independence was a new phenomenon; Silver brought that paradox to the screen. It's a simple story, in its way wonderfully predictable. No other ending would have been right for Izzy. A wonderful film for families to watch together, especially for teens who like romance that feels real and has a beating heart at its core.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the specific settings in this movie. How do the filmmakers use both the bookstore and Izzy's grandmother's house to define the heroine's character?

  • Movies about different ethnic or societal groups offer a glimpse into communities with which we may not be familiar. Which movies have you seen that enlightened you about a specific culture? In what ways does knowledge about different cultures increase your empathy and your appreciation?

  • Famous singer-songwriter Carole King wrote music for this movie. How do her songs contribute to the story? To the characters?

  • Could this movie have taken place in any city other than New York? Why, or why not?

Movie Details

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