Film

10

Name: 10
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Released: 1979
Cast: Dudley Moore, Julie Andrews, Bo Derek, Robert Webber, Dee Wallace

Comedy

A 1979 romantic comedy about a middle-aged songwriter's obsessive pursuit of an impossibly beautiful woman, while the woman he actually loves watches from the wings. It's funny, occasionally tender, and very much a product of its era—a film that knows exactly what it is and doesn't apologize for the shallowness of its premise. For anyone curious about how Hollywood once approached desire and regret.

TMDb rating

2.9

If you liked this

Arthur1981

Dudley Moore's similar everyman charm in a role built around his deadpan delivery. A wealthy, alcoholic man-child learning what actually matters, with genuine warmth beneath the comedy and excellent supporting cast chemistry.

But The premise—rich guy learns money isn't everything—feels dated and occasionally saccharine by modern standards.

Starting Over1979

Released the same year, this explores mid-life romantic entanglement with more emotional depth. Burt Reynolds navigates divorce and new love with humor that doesn't dismiss real feelings, and the supporting performances are excellent.

But It takes itself more seriously than 10, which some will find earnest to the point of slowness.

Private Benjamin1980

Goldie Hawn's fish-out-of-water comedy has the same '80s sensibility and romantic complications, but sharper writing and genuine character growth. It's far smarter about what it's doing.

But The Army-comedy framework won't appeal if military settings bore you.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from 10

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Looking for Mr. Goodbar1977

Both films are obsessed with the gap between fantasy and reality—the person we pursue versus the person we actually need. But where 10 treats that gap as comedy, Goodbar treats it as tragedy. They're the same story told in different registers.

Diane Keaton in a film that takes the flip side of 10's equation seriously: a woman choosing her own desire, independence, and risk. It's sexy and funny but also genuinely tragic in ways that expose the cost of the fantasy. A buried masterpiece about the gap between who we want to be and who we are.

But It's dark, occasionally brutal, and doesn't offer the comfort of resolution. Some of the content is extremely difficult.

The Graduate1967

The spiritual ancestor of 10's mid-life-crisis-through-seduction story, but Nichols' direction and the score turn existential anxiety into tragedy. Benjamin's confusion feels earned and consequential in ways that matter.

But It's considerably darker and less forgiving of its protagonist. If you want laughs, this will frustrate you.

American Gigolo1980

A portrait of male vanity and the fantasy of desire as a commodity. Richard Gere's beautiful vacancy becomes the point. Stylish, haunting, and a genuinely adult take on attractiveness and its limits.

But It's a thriller with a moral darkness 10 isn't interested in exploring. Slow and meditative rather than comedic.

Splash1984

Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah in a romantic comedy that balances comedy and genuine sweetness without condescension. The mermaid element is absurd, but the film earns its emotional moments.

But The magical-realism premise requires buy-in early. If you want reality-based romance, this isn't it.

Tootsie1982

Dustin Hoffman's mid-career comedy about performance, attraction, and what men actually owe women. Witty, sharp, formally clever, and willing to interrogate its own premise in ways 10 wasn't built to do.

But At two hours-plus, it can feel overstuffed. The cross-dressing conceit ages unevenly.

Breakfast at Tiffany's1961

Audrey Hepburn as the dream woman a man pursues and misunderstands—but shot through with genuine affection for her character's unknowability. Visually perfect and genuinely romantic beneath the surface glamour.

But It's older and slower. Some plot elements haven't aged well, and the supporting characterizations are troubling by today's standards.

Groundhog Day1993

A comedy about a self-absorbed man learning to see another person clearly. Bill Murray's performance lets you feel his actual transformation, and the film has layers that reveal themselves on rewatching.

But It's more interested in philosophy than in seduction, which shifts the emotional core significantly from 10's preoccupations.

Phantom of the Paradise1974

Both films hinge on a man's fantasy of an unattainable woman, but Paradise is willing to follow that fantasy to its logical, grotesque conclusion. It's what happens to the premise of 10 if you don't let it off easy.

Brian De Palma's operatic rock horror-comedy about obsession, desire, and the damage it does. William Finley's performance is unhinged and heartbreaking. It's visually audacious, the music is great, and it's genuinely funny in ways that are also genuinely disturbing.

But It's a horror film with shock moments and body-horror elements. The tone whips around wildly, and if you're expecting straightforward narrative, you'll be lost.

In a Lonely Place1950

Both films are about men in the entertainment industry fantasizing and pursuing women—but this one asks whether the man is worth pursuing back. It's the same subject at a completely different emotional temperature, and it suggests that 10's lightness might be a luxury.

Humphrey Bogart as a volatile Hollywood screenwriter; Gloria Grahame as the woman who loves him anyway. Ray's direction transforms what could be a standard romance into a portrait of how charm and monstrosity can coexist in one person. Visually gorgeous and morally unsparing.

But It's in black and white and moves at 1950s pace. The ending is deliberately ambiguous and unhappy. If you want clear emotional resolution, you won't find it.