Definitely had a Second Act problem, but ended strongly

I love this movie. Not top notch great cinema by any means, but a fun and enjoyable romp through an insane sliver of small town New England life. Just watched it after not having seen it for almost 20 years. I was maybe 12 or 13 last time I saw it. Lot to like about it.

It definitely lags in the second act though. The pacing during Andy's downward spiral was simply too slow, and was not broken up by enough comic bits (apart from the scene where he rolls a giant boulder over Mr. Sinclair, that was TOO funny).

The first act was well done. The movers were great, their initial forays into Redbudian life had plenty of great comic moments. My favorite moment from the early part of film is:

Mover: "We got lost"
Andy: "LOST?!....HOW COULD YOU GET LOST? I DREW YOU A MAP!!!"

That was great. I also love the two scenes with 'Mac'. How funny was that guy? And of course who could possibly not love Alice Drummond as 'Mrs. Dinges'. That woman is a treasure.

After Andy and Elizabeth decide to divorce, the film really picks up again, and I absolutely love the third act. The overreaction of the town to the ruse to sell the Farmer's home is simply wonderful. Strangely enough it's done so well it puts me firmly in the Christmas Spirit, even though it's a total sham. LOVED Kevin Conway's great scene as the mailman. That scene was built up so much throughout the film, and quite frankly, the payoff was good. My brother and I quote that weird little scene all the time. Very memorable.

So on the whole it's a bit uneven, but it ends well, and I always have a smile on my face when the credits roll. Casting was solid. Supporting characters were well played (Movers, Mrs. Dinges, Mac, The Sheriff, Brock, Mr. Sinclair, etc.). Some hilarious and memorable scenes. Fun and quirky score by the immortal Elmer Bernstein. I give it a solid 7.