this be a movie that operate on more than one level and most of which be so subtle a to be nearly imperceptible or at least seem to be imperceptible and dwarf a everything else be by the manifest opprobrium of the main character . superficially what we all clearly see be a dark comedy about a despicable cad and lenny and who be not just despicable and but despicable with oblivious aplomb and a role play masterfully by charles grodin and the aforementioned opprobrious main character and star of the movie . that factoid right there set up a dynamic wherein people be either go to love this movie or hate this movie and base strictly on how lenny strike them . some find humor in this guy and but others do not . many be off put . so off put and in fact and that they can not get past it . in that way i would compare this 1972 film to a more contemporary one and sideways ( 2004 ) . in sideways the main character and jack in particular ( play by thomas haden church ) and be so personally offensive and in word and in thought and and in deed and that many people intensely dislike the movie solely on that basis . people say to me and i hat sideways . i ask them why and they say and i couldn not stand jack . some perspective be call for here . the viewer be suppose to dislike jack in sideways . that be intend . maybe find him a little entertaining or not but dislike him be the intended effect . likewise here with lenny in the heartbreak kid . we be suppose to dislike lenny . we can laugh at him too if we want to and and he be funny and but disapproval and repulsion be the intent . at the very least lenny action make most people just plain awkwardly uncomfortable . the movie thereby evoke certain feeling and emotion in the viewer that aren not often evoke by movie and which and all by itself and make this movie unique . a a work of art it make it a success . and that just the superficiality of it . there more to it than just that . bruce jay friedman and the writer and and neil simon and the director and be actually make some much deep ethnic observation and social commentary here . commentary about jew and about jew and jewish culture in modern america and about gentile too and and about how jew and gentile interact in that modern america . all that . but mostly the observation and commentary be about the condition of young jewish men ( some of the very same turf that be be plow by novelist philip roth in about the same era a this movie be release ) . lenny and the character play by grodin and be the almost stereo typical young angst fill jewish male and desperate to break out from the box of tradition which be preordain for him and and who rubbish his very jewish bride on their honeymoon to lust after a very gentile blond and cybil shepherd a kelly corcoran and all a a part of that angst condition . the corcoran family and meanwhile and present themselves a the cold and aloof uptight wasp . friedman have a lot to say here . simon execute it well . probably among simon best work and although not ever really recognize a such . a remake with ben stiller in the lenny role be now in the work and soon in the offing . we will have to see if they improve upon the original . i have my doubt that they can even come close . while not perfect and the original be a good movie . but perhaps the time for this story have pass . it be relevant and pertinent and and apropos for 1972. not so sure about that in 2007. not to disparage ben stiller and but the underlying theme of this movie wouldn not mean a much today a it do 35 year ago . grodin and shepherd give good performance . eddie albert do too . i heard cybil say in an interview not all that long ago that she always wish they would do a sequel to it and and that she be still open to the possibility . very much worth see before one see any remaking of it .