Production Year: 1995 - Drama - Director: Lasse Hallstrom - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Dennis Quaid, Julia Roberts, Robert Duvall, Gena Rowlands, Kyra Sedgwick, Brett Cullen, Muse Watson more
Lasse Hallstrom (THE CIDER HOUSE RULES, MY LIFE AS A DOG) directs this romantic comedy in which Julia Roberts plays Grace, a decent but naive southern woman who, happening to drive... more
emotionally repressed Southern belle (Julia Roberts) who separates from her husband (Dennis Quaid) after discovering he is an unabashed philanderer. Pressed by her do...
emotionally repressed Southern belle (Julia Roberts) who separates from her husband (Dennis Quaid) after discovering he is an unabashed philanderer. Pressed by her do...
Something To Talk About
Grace has a picture-perfect life. And it goes dizzyingly out of focus the day she ... more
discovers her husband Eddie has been unfaithful. In one of her best-ever roles, Julia Roberts is Grace, whose reaction to the infidelities of Eddie (Dennis Quaid) turns the lives and loves of the people around her into something like falling dominoes. Robert Duvall, Gena Rowlands, Kyra Sedgwick co-star in this juicy, truthful story written by Callie Khouri (Thelma And Louise) and directed by Lasse Hallstrom (What's Eating Gilbert Grape?). Folks are talking about Grace. You owe it to yourself to see why.
Production Year: 1995 - Drama - Director: Ang Lee - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Greg Wise, Hugh Laurie, Robert Hardy
Production Year: 1981 - Drama - Director: Franco Zeffirelli - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Brooke Shields, Martin Hewitt, Shirley Knight, Don Murray, Richard Kiley, Penelope Milford, Beatrice Straight
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
A review by sunmeilan on Something To Talk About (DVD) November 20th, 2006
Author's product rating:
Did you enjoy it?
Liked it
Story
Satisfactory
Characters / Performances
Satisfactory
Special Effects
Standard
How does it compare to similar films?
Satisfactory
Advantages:
Much better than I expected
Disadvantages:
There's nothing special about it
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
My mum and sister have completely different tastes in films to me. They like nothing better than to sit down with a mushy rom-com, whereas I tend to go for thrillers and horror. At a recent visit to my parents, I felt like watching a film, so had to choose from a selection of what looked like hideous, vomit-inducing romances. I picked this one purely because it was one I hadn't heard of and it starred Dennis Quaid, who I generally think of as a good actor. I had no expectations of it being a good film, so perhaps for this reason, I actually quite enjoyed it.
Grace is a happily married woman with a successful career and a young daughter. Or at least she thinks. One day while out driving around town, she spots her husband Eddie kissing another woman. It soon becomes clear that he has been a serial cheater and that some of the women he was seeing were Grace's friends. Feeling that she has been made a total fool of, she takes her daughter and seeks refuge with her sister, Emma Rae.
Eddie quickly comes to regret his actions and tries to win Grace back. However, her pride is far too hurt and the temptation to get her revenge is far too strong. Following the suggestion of an elderly relative, she does indeed wreck her revenge, although just as she realises that maybe her marital problems are not as clear cut as she thought. Will Grace be able to save her marriage? Or will she fall for the attractive new man in town?
I have to admit that I quite enjoyed this film. By no means was it brilliant, but it provided an interesting look at relationships; not just marital ones, but also family relationships. One of the reasons that Grace was so reluctant to forgive her husband is that she had seen her mother put up with her father's philandering when she was a girl, and this in turn calls into question the relations between her own mother and father and between parents and daughters.
Acting-wise, there is nothing of any great merit to talk about. Julia Roberts does a reasonable job as Grace. I like Julia Roberts as an actress; she looks fabulous, but nearly always plays slightly ditzy roles to which many women can relate. However, she is merely a competent actress and is certainly not always particularly realistic. There are some scenes in this particular film where she totally over-acts. Yes, Grace has had a tough time and is probably heading for a nervous breakdown, but Julia's way of handling this is to exaggerate the screaming in a way that is just not life-like.
Likewise, Dennis Quaid also does a reasonable job as Eddie. I do believe that he is a good actor, but there is just not the scope in this film for him to show off his talents. I'm also not sure the way his character changes during the course of the film is completely convincing, but that is the fault of the script-writer rather than his acting.
The name of Robert Duvall, who plays Grace's father, is very familiar, but I couldn't for the life of me remember anything that he has been in (actually he's been in films such as Apocalypse Now, Mash and The Godfather II). He is perfectly proficient in the role, as is Gena Rowlands as Grace's mother, but he certainly won't be winning any Oscars for it. Probably the scene stealer for me is Kyra Sedgwick as Emma Rae. Line-wise, she certainly had the best ones and there is a marvellous scene where she kicks Eddie in the balls….sounds cruel, but at the time, he certainly deserved it!
Script-wise, it was nothing special. It was a gentle story about a couple splitting up, its effect on their daughter and Grace's strained relationship with her parents. There is nothing in it to get excited about, but then again, there was nothing in it to make me want to switch off, which is my general reaction to romantic films. It was not sickly romantic, but rather was about a woman standing on her own two feet for once and re-evaluating her life; as someone who had a complete life change in my mid-30s, I could really identify with this.
I was quite surprised to see this film was directed by Lasse Hallstrom. Having directed films such as What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Chocolat and The Cider House Rules, I wouldn't have expected him to be involved with a film such as this. Perhaps he saved the film from being a total mess. Goldie Hawn as the executive producer was also involved - that was much less of a surprise.
I don't feel that the film deserves any more than three stars. I enjoyed watching it, but I doubt I will ever watch it again. It also just isn't anything special. If you happen to come across this film, then by all means watch, but I wouldn't recommend that you go out of your way to get hold of a copy unless you're a huge fan of Julia Roberts or Dennis Quaid.
I watched the VHS version, hence the film-only review. However, the DVD is available from play.com for £5.99.
Advantages: Very funny and enjoyable Disadvantages: Not a family movie as it is rater 15
...Borat - Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan is a brilliant movie. There is a story-line to this movie but it is mainly a full of laughs comedy that has wierd and wonderful charecters throughout. The brilliants of borat is shown in this movie as he undermines unsuspecting ameican in his journey through the United States. I watched this movie at the cinema and i have also brought it on DVD. I dout i will ever get bored of this film as it always gives me somethingtotalkabout with my mates. If you are a big fan of comedy movies you will without a dout love this film. Its a must see!...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: Classic Disney animation. Disadvantages: Boring, lacks the Disney comedy.
...Not the best Disney offering by a long stretch. Although it does have that Disney feel about it, it lacks the fun loving charasmatic charactorisation so familiar in most of the other animated classics. It is also devoid of almost all comedy moments, focusing on a very sterile story telling approach...
This is definately one to complete your collection of all 40something films rather than to entertain todays youth.
The DVD is also pretty much a vanilla offering (devoid of special features worth talkingabout) so there is not much else to bolster your interest. Although a special edition is unlikely as it is not a mainstream, popular release.
At the end of the day if your a Disney fan as I am this will appeal and you will want it for your collection. Just dont expect too much... If you're not a Disney fan you would...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: A British Legend Disadvantages: Not long enough
...on Show Day) is something you'll always remember.
The DVD takes you to an interview with Air Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding talkingabout the expeiences of WWII and into the Blitzkriegs and the Spitfires against bomber formations.
Then we step into Eagle Day, The Moment that the Luftwaffe were going to Crush the RAF in the Skies and on the Ground.
There is also some details of the Battle of Malta, this Battle wasn't well known about.
(A bit about it!)
In 1942 the Axis Powers decided to squash the tiny Island of Malta as the RAF had staged Sorties against Axis Supply Ships heading for North Africa. The Battle of Malta lasted THREE times Longer than the Battle of Britain.
The DVD 6 Scene Scelections, an Interactive Menu.
Also like other DVDs from the "War Files" there is Excerpts from 10 other titles and a Stills Gallery.
All in All...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Plot: A woman who appears to have it all; happy marriage, beautiful daughter, successful career, catches her husband passionately kissing another woman. Now things are very different...
Lasse Hallstrom (THE CIDER HOUSE RULES, MY LIFE AS A DOG) directs this romantic comedy in which Julia Roberts plays Grace, a decent but naive southern woman who, happening to drive by her husband, Eddie (Dennis Quaid), one afternoon, is shocked to discover him locked in a passionate embrace, in public, with another woman. She immediately confronts her errant hubby, setting the town gossips' tongues wagging, and moves back in with her wealthy parents, provoking reactions from her imperious dad (Robert Duvall), who believes that a wife's duty is to stand by her man, and her sarcastic sister, Emma Rae (Kyra Sedgwick), who thinks that the bum got what he deserved. Soon Grace has caused a town scandal by openly questioning anyone who may have had an affair with Eddie and also starts to unearth problems in her parents' relationship. The film is ultimately a story about women who attempt reconciliation with their cheating spouses by exploring a new set of rules on their own terms. The screenplay is by Callie Khouri, the Academy Award- winning screenwriter of THELMA AND LOUISE.
Technical information
Special Features: Trailer, Interactive Menus, Scene Access
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Dubbing Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 English French Italian
"...Unique....The movie retains its viewer's sympathy..." (Sight and Sound, p.52-3, 01/01/1996)
"...Casting Sedgwick as Roberts' sister is inspired..." (USA Today, p.4D, 04/08/1995)
"...[The film] has its share of laughs and entertainingly ticklish situations....Duvall loads his glances and line readings with amusing doses of scorn and superiority..." (Variety, 31/07/1995)
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