Looking for Mr. Goodbar to these events, which the book details, Theresa is a child suffering from ugly duckling syndrome, followed by an ordeal as an adult in college in which she is engaged in a committed relationship with a married man who is using her as a companion. The relationship ends, and Theresa experiences a bevy of sexual encounters that are fleeting and pathological. By 1973, having published three novels, Judith Rossner was a writer of "impeccable literary credentials." Invited by Nora Ephron to contribute to a special women's issue of "Esquire" magazine, Rossner wrote an article about a real-life murder that had
Looking for Mr. Goodbar (film) in an orgy of blood and drug-induced surrealism. The film's soundtrack included numerous disco tracks from the era. A soundtrack album was released by Columbia Records (JS 35029). The film opened to mixed reviews, but solid box office. Many critics praised Diane Keaton's performance. The film currently holds a "fresh" 76% rating on "Rotten Tomatoes", with the consensus "Diane Keaton gives an absolutely fearless performance in a sexual thriller whose ending will leave audiences trembling." Some critics found the film lurid and muddled; a review by Frank Rich for "Time" magazine criticized Brooks for making "many crude miscalculations" in adapting