Call it sentiments of generation X before generation X. This movie was fantastic. It asks the sincere question: do you see yourself as successful, or do others see it in you? And what would happen if you and society found your success in different places? The last scene captures the outcome visually with great symbolism.

Bored with his job as an assistant linguistics professor at a California university--and equally disenchanted with the indifferent woman in his bed--young Adam hears of a relative's funeral in Missouri and hits the highway in his Porsche, in search of the Meaning of Life. The political and socioeconomic issues raised by screenwriters Stephen and Elinor Karpf seem to flare up out of nowhere, while brooding-but-sincere Michael Douglas seems unsure how to respond to the hubbub. The Karpf's main concern, as it turns out, is in finding Adam an understanding woman to love, which makes this 'unconventional' movie just as formulaic as all the other coming-of-age dramas released in the wake of "The Graduate". Professionally done, and with a finale not unlike that of "Five Easy Pieces", released the same year. ** from ****

It's the small details in this quiet film about a young man (Michael Douglas) trying to find himself that stand out in this obscure slice of life drama that shows him long before he began to remove his clothes for sexual thrillers like "Fatal Attraction" and "Basic Instinct".

Working as a linguistics professor in a California college, Douglas is lost in a world he's desperate to get out of and decides to go to the country for an escape from the big city life he's stuck in. The death of a grandmother is just the excuse he needs and he connects with aunt Grayson Hall and uncle Dana Elcar, and finds love (or so he thinks) with the very available Lee Purcell. Her parents are far too supportive of him dating their daughter, raising suspicions to their motives, especially since he's now working in clearing land for future development.

It's interesting to note that Douglas never mentions exactly where in California he's actually from, especially since the locals in the Missouri town he's in keep mentioning local towns and cities. The location shooting is very pretty, and it's amazing how fast he to his new life period there's a great scene between him and a group of the local men where uncle Elcar tells him off for the type of films Hollywood is making (simply because they are talking about California),focusing on the film "Blow-Up" to make his point.

I would have liked to have seen more of Grayson Hall as his good-natured aunt, sounding a bit like Carol Channing here, as well as Marge Redmond as a local saloon owner. Joe Don Baker is very good as one of Douglas's co-workers who takes him under his wing, and Louise Latham and Charles Aidman are memorable as Purcell's parents. This seems now like something that may have played better as a TV movie, fine for the small moments but overdone for a rather simple story made complex for no real discernable reason.