Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York

Adaptation of Gail Parent's celebrated novel about a quirky young woman who heads to New York City in search of a husband, but "finds herself instead" (as they say). Despite soupy production, bad editing and godawful music, Jeannie Berlin manages to shine as Sheila (she's utterly unpredictable and unconventional as a leading lady); Roy Scheider is also terrific in support as an eligible doctor (his spin-the-bottle monologue near the end is gorgeously done). Dated to be certain, but I got many laughs from sad-sack Sheila's predicaments. It's an offbeat, be-true-to-yourself serious-comedy, though hurt overall by a lack of restraint and a jerky narrative. **1/2 from ****