Overview
An unexpected romance unfolds over annual rendezvous, challenging the boundaries of love and commitment.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- wistful
- warm
- intimate
- date night
- quiet evening
What critics said
Critics were divided, with many praising Ellen Burstyn and Alan Alda's performances and Robert Mulligan's sensitive visual treatment while others found the screenplay flat and insufficiently funny.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
George and Doris meet at the same inn on the same weekend each year, with separate scenes showing the intervening changes.
The central bond begins as an affair between two people married to others and continues across many years.
The film retains the stage play's emphasis on two principal performers, recurring rooms, and dialogue-driven encounters.
The romantic inn and surrounding California coast repeatedly frame the couple's private annual meetings.
Films like Same Time, Next Year, and why
The Four Seasons
intimate romantic comedy centered on an unconventional long-term relationship and changing personal circumstances
Heartburn
adult relationship drama balancing marital complications, comedy, and emotional reconciliation
The Bridges of Madison County
romantic drama about enduring connection, infidelity, and relationships across changing life stages
Movie Details
- Director
- Robert Mulligan
- Release Date
- 1978-04-23
- Runtime
- 119 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (89)
Cast
- Alan Alda
- Ellen Burstyn
- Ivan Bonar
- Bernie Kuby
- Cosmo Sardo
- David Northcutt
- William Cantrell
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Same Time, Next Year about?
- Two married strangers sustain a deeply personal annual affair that becomes a measure of how love and identity change over time.
- What is Same Time, Next Year like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Same Time, Next Year as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Same Time, Next Year violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Same Time, Next Year.
- What did critics think of Same Time, Next Year?
- Critics were divided, with many praising Ellen Burstyn and Alan Alda's performances and Robert Mulligan's sensitive visual treatment while others found the screenplay flat and insufficiently funny.
- Which films are like Same Time, Next Year?
- Films with a similar feel include The Four Seasons, Heartburn, and The Bridges of Madison County.
- How long is Same Time, Next Year?
- Same Time, Next Year runs 119 minutes.
- Where can I watch Same Time, Next Year?
- In United States, Same Time, Next Year is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
