Reviews (16)

An auroraborialis of a film!
The strikingly life-like performances in this gem of a film...give goose-bumps. I mean it!

Witness Marianne (Meg Tilly) attempting to have a quiet anxiety attack in the hotel bathroom. Darly (Christine Lahti) trying to babysit two very prissy children. Darly and Marianne, while watching fireworks, compare themselves to see who really is, "the most terrible".

This film knows something.

Watch it and you will fall in love, with this unpredictable, unforgettable and wonderful movie.

I could not give it more definite thumbs up! END

One of the best Christine Lahti movies!
Hearing that this movie is a sort of second-rate 'Thelma and Louise' may lead you to wrong conclusions. Nothing could be further from the truth, as this film never tries to imitate T&L. What we have here is a sweet, touching tale of two women whose pasts have been marked by sorrow and difficulties, and who end up joining and travelling to Alaska. It was supposed to be a comedy, and while having it's good humour at points (the scene where Christine lays an egg just has to be seen to be believed!!!), it's also deeply touching. Christine Lahti has here one of her best performances, altough many critics seem to disagree. Why? Because the film doesn't try to give explanations or hints about the future. The films develops as real life does, without predictability. And we still have to make decisions and take choices. In the end of the movie, we're left without knowing what the future will be or if the characters have taken the right decisions, but we are hopeful nevertheless. Just as in real life :) END

Absolutely Fabulous
This film is one of the best films I've ever seen. It touched me deeply. I, too, don't know why it's compared to "Thelma & Louise" -- why, because it's about two women? So is "Chicago" --so what?

Both actresses are great and there are some one wonderful lines (especially when Christine is smoking in front of the kids) and there is a beautiful outside scene where a lovely song with a vocal is played in its entirety... a sign that the director is obviously sensitive to music as well as all other elements which combine to make a great film. Totally underrated; absolutely fabulous. Where is the DVD version and why do we have to wait for it? It should be out and available now!

Kindness and intelligence
This is one of my ten favorite movies. I see it perhaps twice a year and weep every time (behind a closed door, I'm a straight white guy). It is one of the smartest, most decent movies ever made. Whoever is keeping it from being released on DVD should be blacklisted. Get a move on! These VHSs won't last forever.

A boost when you need it.
I picked this up at a video store--because it was on the monitor at the time. After I'd watched it the first time, I IMMEDIATELY rewound the tape and watched it again! It's an all-time favorite, one that I watch at regular intervals to lift my spirits. This movie delivers the same kind of surprises that life does. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This sad and quirky movie by Bill Forsyth (Local Hero), set in the 1950s, is a faithful adaptation of Marilynne Robinson's luminous book. Two orphaned girls (newcomers Sara Walker and Andrea Burchill) fall in love with their happy-go-lucky Aunt Sylvie (Christine Lahti) when she comes to live with them. However, the girls discover their quintessentially eccentric aunt is more crazy than idiosyncratic. She has a lifetime supply of newspapers and tin cans, and she doesn't like to turn the lights on in the house. As all crazy aunts are likely to have, she also adopts a large collection of stray cats. She carries crackers in her pocket for the imaginary children in the woods and disappears into the mountains for days on end.

This shunning of responsibility has a profound effect on the sisters' own relationship. Ruthie (the eldest and narrator of the story) is a tall and gangly teenager, never fitting in at school, and badly wanting to emulate Sylvie's free-spiritedness. But the younger Lucille longs for stability and the need to belong. She tries to help her older sister, but is met with strong opposition from Ruthie. Lucille decides to go it alone and Ruthie, at last, finds her Aunt Sylvie both literally and emotionally.

Unfortunately the townspeople of Fingerbone (a fictitious town beautifully filmed in British Columbia) decide it's time Aunt Sylvie got her act together. But Ruthie and Sylvie cannot conform, and so they escape the grasp of Fingerbone in a surprising and delightful manner. It's in this climax that Forsyth's unique eye for capturing strangely beautiful details opens wide. What Robinson does with language in her book Forsyth mirrors with poetic images. Lahti is simply wonderful as Aunt Sylvie, as are Walker and Burchill as Ruthie and Lucille. A graceful film and offbeat story. --Samantha Allen Storey ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Haunting.
I first saw this movie, or rather the last third of it, on a movie station at three in the morning while I was snowed in at my apartment with nothing but beer and popcorn and the roommates thankfully gone. The problem was that after it was over I had no idea what I had just watched. (I missed the part in the credits where they tell you) It wasn't until later, when I described what I had seen of the movie to a friend, that he said he had read a book just like it in college: Housekeeping. And sure enough, that was it. It has now become one of my favorite films. It is a quite and beautiful experience that captures the novel exquisitely: Thoughtful and haunting.

A quirky, sensitive, and charming film
I saw this film on television very recently and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Two young girls meet their mother's sister after the death of their Grandmother. Played ably by Christine Lahti, the girl's Aunt Sylvie is no run of the mill relative who has come to care for her nieces. She is free spirited, eccentric and totally crazy in the most delightful and offbeat way. Her nieces Ruthie and Lucille deal with her differently. Lucille is horrified by Sylvie's unconventionality, whilst Ruthie is drawn to her fey Aunt who sees the spirits of children in the wood, and likes to ride freight trains, and go sailing on the nearby lake in a rickety old boat and listen to the trains go over the town's old railway bridge. Eventually Sylvie's odd ways gets too much for Lucille to cope with and she goes to live with one of her teachers from school. Ruthie however grows to love her Aunt more and more each day, because in Sylvie the gawky and plain teenager sees something of her own nature that she can now express freely without fear of condemnation. However it is the 1950's, a time of family values coupled with conformity to the accepted norm and therefore the town of Fingerbone does not approve of Sylvie's way of raising her dead sister's child. Soon the interference begins with the arrival of the local Sheriff and then do-gooders from the local church. Sylvie tries to change for the sake of her niece but no matter how hard she tries she cannot fit in and soon the threat of loosing Ruthie becomes a terrifying reality. The scene were Aunt and niece hide in the closet together in order to avoid the do-gooders is poignant and touching. Sylvie will never fit into the Fingerbone community and both Aunt and niece know that if they stay they will eventually be separated so they decide to run away together, heading across the old railway bridge, something that no one has ever done before. The ending is surprising because of its abruptness but you are left with a sense of satisfaction. This is a great movie if want something slow, intelligent and thoughtful. Well worth buying or renting if you get the chance.

Poetic ode to nonconformity
Housekeeping is a low key film with a fascinating theme --how people on the fringes of society must sometimes choose whether to conform or hold on to their differences. The central character in this film, Sylvie (Christine Lahti), is really beyond the bounds of conventionality. She is a very interesting and original character --highly eccentric in a believable rather than romanticized way. In a conservative small town in what appears to be the 1950s, Sylvie is a drifter who falls into the role of guardian for her two nieces Ruthie and Lucille. It is the two girls' responses to their aunt that determines the course of the tale. At first, they are both happy to have Sylvie around, but gradually their basic difference in tempermant becomes apparent. Lucille (Andrea Burchill) soon tires of the isolated existence with her sister and aunt in a disorderly house where newspapers are piled to the ceiling and countless cats have the run of the place. She prefers the company of her schoolmates and longs for acceptance in society. Ruthie (Sara Walker), on the other hand, is introverted and more of a dreamer. She and Sylvie grow closer while Lucille drifts away, eventually getting adopted by a teacher. The town begins to pressure Sylvie to conform and raise Ruthie in a conventional manner. At first, she tries to comply, but her attempts are futile; she obviously is not suited for domestic life. When she takes Ruthie on an overnight trip that includes riding a freight train with tramps, the whole town finds out and things come to a head. What is brilliant about Housekeeping is the way it honestly explores the price people must pay to retain their individuality. A more superficial approach would have made Sylvie a charming eccentric whom the whole town eventually loves. Instead, we get a harsher and more realistic truth --that the life Sylvie chooses cannot be reconciled with the demands of everyday life. Sylvie and Ruthie are not portrayed as inherently superior to the conventional townsfolk, although they are, it must be admitted, more sympathetic. We can, however, also see things from the locals' point of view. They believe, with some justification, that Sylvie is an irresponsible guardian. Housekeeping has many lyrical scenes that showcase the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. There is a melancholy, nostalgic feeling to the film, which is consistent with the novel (by Marilynne Robinson) on which it is based. This is a very thoughtful, poetic and original film, one of my favorites.

Housekeeping the DEEP Movie.
This movie is a deep movie, not a "A Tidy Comedy" as stated on the cover. Part tragedy, this film focuses on people who can't mind their own business. The ending is fantastic, with visual and time elements that allow the watcher to THINK. Wonderfully acted, wonderfully made. But this wasn't a hilarious movie as I thought it would be from the cover.

Best movie ever!
This movie is my absolute favorite movie of all time. It is haunting and yet nostalgic--the commonplace events of childhood are contrasted with the growing distance between the two sisters, Ruthie and Lucille, and between Sylvie and Ruth, both introverted and socially awkward, and the rest of the town. The movie focuses on the sisters' Aunt Sylvie, who comes to live with them after their most recent caregivers leave. Their high expectations of her as a mother replacement give way to--in Lucille's case--disgust with her oddities and inability to act as others do. The scenery in the movie is breathtaking and the natural world plays a large role in this movie. The Aunt's belief in forest children who whisper "it is better to have nothing", and her total disdain for material possessions, offer a view of the world that is unique and compelling. The interaction between the two sisters is also a main attraction here. If you see the movie, read the book! One is not better then the other, they each offer something that the other medium cannot. ... Read more

Amazon.com

William Hurt is perfectly cast as an arrogant surgeon who treats patients like interchangeable cogs in the machinery of his medical practice. Then he is diagnosed with throat cancer and, as the title of the memoir on which it is based tells us, he gets a taste of his own medicine. The subplot involves the solidarity between doctors, which is shattered when the newly conscious physician discovers that one of his partners (Mandy Patinkin) is trying to cover up a case of malpractice. Hurt is solid, as is Wendy Crewson as the doctor who treats him and Elizabeth Perkins as a fellow cancer patient. Interestingly, Hurt's fellow actors Patinkin, Adam Arkin, and Christine Lahti all wound up playing doctors on TV's Chicago Hope. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Moral, moving, and marvellous movie...
Every doctor - and every patient! - should see this movie; the difference is that, not all doctors will understand *why* they should see it..

I use The Doctor when teaching my medical students how to avoid becoming a certain kind of doctor; the kind who is so detached from humanity that they never feel anything of the pain, fear - and the hope - that their patients feel. They have forgotten how to care, and they don't care to remember it.

This is a film about a medical `Everyman`; Jack (played by William Hurt with great integrity and skill)is redeemed as a human being - and as a doctor - by his own experience of serious illness, and by that of his friend - her death frees him from the blinkers of self-absorption. The scene where the two of them dance in the Nevada desert is breathtaking.

Supporting cast are excellent; especially Mandy Patinkin as Jack's unscrupulous surgical partner. Jack's initially dysfunctional family life is a central part of this movie, and the roles of his wife and son are well played.

The last scenes are amongst the best; especially where Jack is explaining to his interns why they are going to spend the next 24 hours not as doctors, but as hospital patients - wearing hospital gowns, undergoing all the appropriate tests, and (horror of horrors) eating hospital food.

The following and final scene is simply beautiful, as Jack stands on the roof of the hospital and dances by himself, revived and renewed.

Anyone involved in medical or healthcare education should have this video - and use it! Others should watch it to understand better what can happen to medical students along the way to becoming doctors.

beautiful film
William Hurt's performance as a cold and arrogant doctor who finds out he has cancer and gets a lesson of life is wonderful(no surprise) as well as the whole cast including Elizabeth Perkins,Christine Lahti,Mandy Patinkin,Adam Arkin(yes, the doctors of chicago hope).Then you think: "but it's a doctor film" but actually this film is for all audiences not only for doctors. The scene where he gets a letter from a patient(Elizabeth Perkins)and he reads it on the roof of the hospital with pigeons flying is so beautiful and I couldn't hold the tears from tumbling down.

THE MOVIE THAT KILLED M.A.S.H.
The Doctor was another of those excellent, well-made 1990-91 releases pre-empted by laser-guided bombs and missiles of the 1990 Gulf War and forced into the video occult. But that's not stopped it from a second chance via DVD where it may get well-deserved recognition and revenues for each actor and crew's excellent contributions.
The cast drove home messages that health care professionals need take a good look at "because one day you'll be sick to" ... So "physician, heal thyself" and thereby prepare to heal others all the way down to your bedside manners. The Word is eventually sent via Jack McKee and partner whose cavalier professionalism ("Get in, cut it out and couldn't care less!") is callously unsuited to genuine warmth patients need communicated to them. And then there's the insurance companies who, like them, run on "stats" and "the bottom line" to coldly determine who lives and dies on the medical production line.
You don't know what it's like until you hear those 3 words "You've got cancer"; they'll floor you -especially if you're a physician who knows the realities of catastrophic illness. So "a taste of my own medicine" (subtitle to book movie is based on) engages McKee when he's told that. I've walked hospital hallways like McKee on the way to radiation therapy and sat with the terminally ill, knowing I'd likely survive (Or would I?) and that others were terminal, and encountered my own death watch. The disingenuous reassurance McKee gave others is sheer hypocrisy and his facetious talk of golf antagonizes "the herd," whom he'd felt beneath his ivory tower profession and HIS herd of incompetents. But now, his relation with a dying patient, whom he actually befriends, turns him inward and he admits his and the profession's shortcomings - then he falls out of love with himself - all too late to save her but soon enough to save himself and his family from the same callousness engulfing all but a few.
It sends a strong message to those who profit from medicine at the deadliest expense to others whom it's supposed to save! My only complaint is that Amazon.com hasn't mailed me my DVD of it yet. How long will it take?

A dose of your own medicine
After getting over the initial shock of seeing half the cast of Chicago Hope (when it was still a good show...and not the pale imitation of itself that it later became: Alan Arkin, Mandy Patinkin, Christine Lahti), this movie evolves into a fine, quiet, character driven drama. There are no great heroics, apart from June (Elizabeth Perkins), and even those are real, not manipulative, cliched, corny or obvious.

This is a movie that works to develop its characters and plot simultaneously and without artifice or obvious (groanable/cringe inducing) plot devices. None of them are in anwyay what you would call 'extreme' or cliched. They are just very normal people placed is a very stressful situation- the doctor being diagnosed with a growth in his throat and the changes in many lives this growth causes. The changes are both good, bad and 'educational' for most of them. The subplot- hospitals, statistics, malpractice cases, protecting each other- is subdued, never moralized or sermonized on but explored in a way whereby you can make your own judgements, based on some realistics situations (imagine a situation where somebody's life was worth less than $1000). The cast compliment each other and really connect. This movie is quite subtle at times and doesn't use in your face methods to make a point.

This is a movie then that is honest, beautifully made, accessible and at times really funny, and at times really raw and saddening. It isn't an episode of ER. So if you're looking for high medical drama look elsewhere. But if you're looking for real multi-layered human drama then look here. Honesty is the key word and theme in the movie (which if you watch it you'll understand what I mean). Honesty to oneself, others and just to the concept in general. And how too, sometimes we find spiritual and psychological 'healing' in the midst of the greatest physical peril.

The DVD contains no special features, only the movie, scene selection and set-up. Though it was made in 1990, it doesn't look too dated (apart from the cell-phones).

I have to admit watching this movie, I looked at the clock on the DVD player and actually hoped it wouldn't end. How many movies can you say that about?

I think the best moment in the story is when the doctor reads the story June gave him. I think there is a lesson in that that is relevant to all of us. Hopefully you'll get the opportunity to see what I mean by watching this movie.

SO in all, a brilliant, engrossing, poignant and real human drama built around believeable characters doing normal things and suffering typical tragedies that are enormous in our own lives. These are people we can understand and relate to, not the superficial and stereotypical larger-than-life, weirder-than-fiction characters designed to play with our minds and strum on our heartstrings. These people do touch your heart and mind for the right reasons...And maybe, if only for a moment, it causes you to question and reassess how you deal with others and the face you present the world, then maybe it has helped heal you a little bit too...If you need it, as most of us do.

One of my favorite films
"The Doctor" is one of my favorite films. I have seen it maybe 10 times (on VHS) and know much of it by heart. There is nothing artificial about this film. It is a human story about real people, well directed and edited, and with sincere, fleshed-out performances from everyone in the cast.

At the opening we see the successful heart surgeon Dr. Jack McKee, quite full of himself, performing another major operation while "Let's Get Drunk and Screw" plays in the background. We see him as he makes his rounds, failing in his attempts to interact on a human level with his patients, substituting crude attempts at humor for genuine compassion. We see him failing at home as well, as his professional life alienates him from his wife and son. All this begins to change when a seemingly minor throat irritation is diagnosed as laryngeal cancer. Then he learns what it is like to be on the other side of the medical profession, and it changes his life.

William Hurt, a fine but perhaps somewhat limited actor, is perfect as Jack McKee, and he is wonderfully supported by Christine Lahti, who plays his wife, and Elizabeth Perkins, who gives an amazing performance as June, a young woman with a grade 4 brain tumor who has a powerful impact on Hurt's character. June and Jack share a scene in the desert at sundown that gives me a lump in the throat every time.

Also worth mentioning are Wendy Tewson, who plays a rather nasty ENT surgeon who gives Jack a dose of his own medicine (so to speak), and Adam Arkin as Dr. Eli Blumfield, "the Rabbi", who has often been the butt of Jack's humor around the hospital, because he talks to his patients while they are anesthetized.

The Doctor is a film that illustrates the importance of treating people as human beings and not as objects or numbers on a chart. Highly recommended! (I've pre-ordered the DVD too.) ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Crazy....About This Movie
I fell in love with this movie the first time I saw it. Somehow it always makes me feel that we can find love and happiness if we are willing to take a few risks. There is a reason this movie has almost all 5 star reviews.. you can't help but feel good after you watch it. Sly commentary about the way we all to often view life and people, with some really great lines. I was telling a friend about the other day and when she asked " So does she stay with the man?" I just smiled and said " You will have to watch it and see for yourself!".. and so will you!!

A refreshing and poignant story, one of my favorite films!
Ask my friends. They have heard me rave about this movie for years. Isn't it about time the studio dropped the price?? I've been watching and lending my copied-from-TV version (commercials included) long enough. The story is wonderful and with Christine Lahti and Ruben Blades bringing the characters to life, it is perfect! The supporting actors were wisely cast as well. THIS FILM TELLS US WHAT IS IMPORTANT IN LIFE!

Crazy From The Heart - Should have made it to Theatres!!
I loved Crazy from the Heart. I hope they make it available in DVD Soon!!! This is a Great Movie!! Watched it every time it was on Television!! Wish I still owned a VCR to watch it again and again. Make it available on DVD soon!!!

great movie,bad price.
this is a great movie,but would not pay this much for a movie,and its a vhs at that.

Still "Crazy from the Heart"
I originally caught this little gem on TV and was so delighted to find it on Amazon. It's a fun movie that at the same time addresses prejudices in a way that doesn't preach but shows them for what that are -- silly. Enjoy! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

It's difficult to watch this involving family drama and not end up madat River Phoenix. He was such an incredibly talented, believable, available actor that it makes you mad at him for leaving us so soon.He's particularly good here as Danny, a talented musician and the eldest son of a couple of former war protestors (Christine Lahti and Judd Hirsch).Their bombing of a napalm plant during the Vietnam War makes their small, nuclear family act as fugitives, never letting themselves settle down, never leaving traces, one step ahead of the law. This works for the splinter group of rebels until Danny meets a teacher who believes in his talent, and meets the teacher's daughter, Lorna (played by Martha Plimpton).Danny's love for Lorna and his aspirations to attend Juilliard put the family in jeopardy of finally being tracked down.It's saying something that in this impressive ensemble cast, ably directed by Sidney Lumet, Phoenix sticks out.He was an actor whose tank never would have run out. --Keith Simanton ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Sincere, poignant, moving drama
This is doubtlessly one of the most underrated movies out there. The entire cast is just flawless. I watch this DVD and find myself truly saddened that such a talent as River Phoenix was so needlessly lost. Phoenix earned a well-deserved Oscar nomination for his role as Danny Pope, the undisputable emotional center of this movie. His performance was superlative. To me, this is one of the two or three highest points of Phoenix's all-too-short career; probably the top of the list, actually, in my opinion. His interplay with Judd Hirsch, the piano scene with Christine Lahti, the amazing chemistry with Martha Plimpton -- it really is just spellbinding. Christine Lahti is completely incredible as Annie Pope and the restaurant scene with her father is just devastating. I can't think of another word. Every time I watch it, I'm almost overwhelmed. Like many other reviewers, I applaud the absolutely perfect inclusion of James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" into the movie -- it just flat-out worked. Honestly, if you haven't seen this movie, treat yourself. It's a masterpiece.

Deserves a Special Edition
"Running on Empty" is a genuinely affecting film whose merits have been forgotten in the years since its release. In this tale about a family on the run from the law, the three leads register strong, memorable performances. The late River Phoenix is excellent, and he earned a Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for this role, which was to be a highlight of his tragically short career.

On this DVD, the movie is presented in full frame (square, as in not letterboxed), which may be disappointing to some. However, "Running on Empty" was initially shot full frame (or "flat") on 35mm and later matted to a 1:85 aspect ratio for theatrical release -- a common practice for a lot of films, including such big budget movies like "Jurassic Park" and "Back to the Future." When presented as full frame on television, the viewer is actually getting more of the image that was originally photographed than they would be if it were letterboxed.

That being said, film aficionados would've appreciated a widesreen DVD presentation that would've simulated the theatrical version. Plus, a widescreen DVD can be anamorphically enhanced for viewing on HD or HD-enhanced sets.

At the time of its original release, "Running on Empty" received critical praise and numerous awards, but the DVD has the scantest of bonus materials. (Interestingly, its screenwriter, Naomi Foner, is the mother of actors Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal.) It would be great to hear the filmmakers and cast reflect on the production and working with River Phoenix. "Running on Empty" deserves the Special Edition treatment, but it stands alone and is definitely worth seeing, no matter the presentation.

A good movie
I enjoyed Running on Empty really because of River Phoenix. He is such an incredible actor and he really shows his acting skills in this movie. I also liked Martha Plimpton in this movie, she was very good.

A Genuine Tale.
It was my senior year when this film first hit the screens, and little did I know that I was about to witness one of the finest actors of my generation, River Phoenix, give the best performance of his career. He simply shines here, with so many touching moments that recalling them all has me overwhelmed with admiration and sadness. Seldom does any actor achieve this high a level of acting genious, let alone at River's young age. His performance here is truly remarkable, and I recommend owning this film for his work alone. But there is certainly more here to see. Judd Hirsch, of "Taxi" fame, is solid as River's father and shows both compassion and fortitude. Martha Plimpton, also in "The Mosquito Coast" with River Phoenix, is intelligent and plays off River's character so well that one can see the amazing chemistry they have written on the screen. But the other excellent performance here belongs to Christine Lahti. Her character is supportive of her family, but so many years on the run from the F.B.I. has made her weary. In every scene she has she shows an underlying fatigue that is breaking her down, even as she tries to hold on to her family as it begins to fracture. There is one scene, in particular, when she arranges "through the network" to see her father. She hasn't seen him in 14 years, the last when she was a young idealistic woman wanting to change the world and now a mother on the run trying to do what's best for her family. Her and her father exchange at least ten differnet emotions during the short scene, ultimately making it one of the most genuine moments in the movie. That's what this movie is, "geniune." All the characters are believably realistic and likable. It is truly a great experience when I care about every character in a film, and that happened here. The final scene is extraordinarily sad; and it was more so seeing River Phoenix standing alone with tears in his eyes. He was such a tremendous talent, and this film gives ample examples as to the genious of his craft. This is a great film with a phenomenal performance by the late River Phoenix.

C+
This is a film of a family on the run because the parents ( Christine Lahti and Judd Hirsh ) are radicals who started a fire that killed a man in the sixties. The film takes us on a journey of how their two sons ( River Phoenix, being one )deals with the situation. After a while the film gets very predictable. River's character has an amazing piano playing talent he wants to pursue. Meanwhile he falls in love with ( Martha Plimpton, the most annoying actress known to man ) and spills his guts about who his parents truly are. By the end River's character gets to live out his dreams of pursuing his career as a pianist while his family sadly agrees to leave him behind.

The acting was decent. The plot was dry and at times not believable. The family was supposed to be hiding from everyone around them yet when they wanted to do something outrageous ( like inviting Martha Plimpton to the mother's birthday party ) they did it with no questions asked. Christine Lahti held down her part as the mother. Judd Hirsh was a loud bore. He was way over the top and overacted like his life depended on it. River didn't knock my socks off either ( his mumbling nearly killed me ) but he was believable in his part. Martha Plimpton sucked as usual and I hated having to sit through her boring acting once again. All in all the film was okay. It's nothing to shout about and definitely nothing you HAVE to see. On the other hand it gives River Phoenix fans another chance to be touched by his grace. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Al Pacino plays a Maryland lawyer who takes on a judicial system rife with dealmaking in this awkward blend of satire and sentimentality. Topical director Norman Jewison can't seem to help Pacino get comfortable with the mismatched material, which pushes the film into outrageousness at some turns and mawkishness at others. The script by Barry Levinson and Valerie Curtin is more an accumulation of random ideas and moments than a congruent story.However, it's interesting to see the large cast of good actors, most of whom hadn't become well known yet. (Christine Lahti made her film debut here.) Pacino gets to work for a second time (following The Godfather II) with acting mentor Lee Strasberg. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Tips The Scales Of Justice
Norman Jewison's 1979 ...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL is a satirical drama that looks at our judicial system. Lawyer Arthur Kirkland (Al Pacino)is put under considerable pressure to defend a well liked judge (John Forsythe), against charges of beating and raping a young girl. The only problem is that Arthur knows he's guilty and doesn't want to defend him. The final courtroom scene in the film will leave you with quite an impression. There is also a wonderful performance from the legendary Lee Strasberg as Arthur's Grandfather. Character actor Jack Warden plays an eccentric judge, who thinks suicide is the only answer. The script is filled with a lot of good moments. It was written by Valerie Curtain and future RAINMAN director, Barry Levinson. Jewison gets Oscar an nominated performance from Pacino that is tops and is among his most notable.

The DVD has an o.k. audio commentary from the director and a few trailers as extras. This film is a must have for fans of Pacino. This is not your typical courtroom movie and will leave you with lots to think about. Viewers have the choice to see the film in either the widescreen or pan and scan formats. Recommended

Pacino shines in courtroom satire
Ever since watching the Godfather films I've been a huge Al Pacino fan. His amazing over-the-top performance in the courtroom scene at the end is what makes this unsympathetic look at our criminal justice system so memorable. However, I agree with other reviewers that the plot is slow at times & the movie wavers uncomfortably between comedy & drama. The humor is at times a little too forced & the disco music doesn't help. One of the things I really enjoyed was seeing the great Lee Strasberg play Pacino's grandfather. Remember Godfather Part 2 when Pacino had Strasberg "taken out"? I only wish they could've made more films together. The great cast also includes John Forsythe (who plays a TOTALLY unlikable villian), & Jack Warden, whose suicidal antics get annoying after a while. Of course, it's Pacino that makes this movie so entertaining & so watchable 25 years later. While it's no masterpiece I still highly recommend it to Al Pacino fans (& especially lawyers!).

Al Pacinio is GOD!
The movie over all was good. Nothing I would want to see again. But Al Pacino's part is amazing. His character is strong and crazy. (Something that is perfect for Pacino.) I would recamend this movie, just for Al pacino's preformance. NOt really for the story line.

"There's something funny goin' on..."
The title of Dave Grusin's theme song aptly sums up this movie: The music may sound cheesy at times, but remember this film was made in the late 70s. As stated in his commentary, Jewison wanted a cheesy psuedo-disco to reflect the satrical nature of the film.

The origins of Al Pacino's over the top acting style has to be traced to this film, especially in the court room scene. Another great line in his speech has to be "The DA is not going to get him,
I'M GOING TO GET HIM!!" At times, the movie doesn't know if it wants to be a pure comedy or pure drama, but there are enough great moments that make this film an enjoyable experience.

it didn't really work for me
i really do like Al Pacino, and this film has great satire on our country's leagal system, but i found the movie to be rather slow. the script almost seemed incohesive at times: at one moment, he is telling a woman of his frustration with the legal system, then he is taking a dangerous helicopter ride with a judge and then he is defending a drag queen who had last been seen at the very beginning of the movie. i also enjoy watching Jack Warden act, but his character in this movie did not seem real or natural at all.

the DVD doesn't have too many whistles or bells, but there is a director commentary, so that scores some points.

i did not enjoy this movie, but if you are a diehard Pacino fanatic and want to see everything he has done, go ahead and watch it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In interviews, Richard Dreyfuss often refers to Whose Life Is ItAnyway? as having been made at the nadir of his substance-abuse problem in the 1980s. Yet it's not too bad. Based on the hit Broadway play, it's a debate about the ethics of euthanasia and one person's right to choose whether to live or die. Dreyfuss plays a sculptor who, after a car accident, is left a paraplegic. Appalled at the prospect of a life in which he has no control of anything, he pleads with hospital authorities to help him die. When they refuse, he takes them to court. Dreyfuss brings great passion to a role in which he can't even use his body; the humor is often pitch-black, but it works, both as a script and as a cinematically opened-up version of a play. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Paralysed man gives convincing argument for euthenasia
Another Richard Dreyfuss tour-de-force performance. He portrays a man in his prime suddenly paralysed from the neck down, who pleads with doctors and ultimately the courts to allow him to die rather than spend a long life in misery. Hospital staff and loved ones try to show him that life is worth living, but soon all are convinced that it's "his" life, and because of the extreme circumstance he should have the right NOT to live it out. -- I appreciated that "both sides" of the issue of eutenasia were heard, and that ultimately the viewer could make his decision. This is a moving film of timely relevance!

Dreyfuss at his cloying worst - Do not miss this film!
They don't make them like this anymore, folks. See, there is a reason to rejoice! Richard Dreyfuss as a quadriplegiac, unable to move from his hospital bed whilst whining and crying, preaching and pontificating, thinking he is without a doubt putting in the performance of a lifetime. Holy crump! What was this guy thinking (or snorting, for that matter)? However, this is not a film to be dismissed entirely, thanks to a solid John Cassavetes who provides a perfect counterbalance as the doctor intent upon saving the life of the malcontent, suicidal vegetable. Pay special attention to the scene when Cassavetes, the venerable warhorse, puts an uppity med student in his place and gives him an off-the-cuff lecture on the importance of the preservation of human life at any and all cost(particularly the bit about the allotted three score and ten). As Foghorn Leghorn would say, the message is "about as subtle as a hand grenade in a sack of oatmeal." Save this one for a rainy afternoon when your spirits aren't too high to begin with. But save it regardless.

Could have been much better
This film could have been great, except for some serious scripting and characterization problems. Many of the characters are stereotypical, wafer-thin portrayals, particularly the head doctor who wants to keep Dreyfuss's character alive. The "party scene in the hospital basement" is not only cliched, but nobody got fired or got in trouble (the Jamaican nurse in particular) for smoking dope in a hospital, and taking a quadraplegic patient out of their bed without permission in the middle of the night? Give me a break!

Finally, Dreyfuss's decision to "remain in the hospital to die" at the end... the judge's ruling was specifically that he be released (writ of Habeus Corpus), not that he be allowed to die without treatment in the hospital!

These serious problems (particularly the latter, where he decides to stay in the hospital) just about ruined the film for me. Never mind that there's never much of a real sense of suspense or genuine emotion here, and everything plays far too liberally off (melo)drama generated by the Dreyfuss character's decision. I'll give it 3 stars, and I feel like I'm being generous. Comes dangerously close to trivializing the issues portrayed in the film, and occasionally crosses the line... if it weren't for much more honest films with subject matter just as difficult (like "Dead Man Walking") I might be more forgiving and just chalk it up to the best Hollywood can do with this sort of material, but I know better.

Amazing - Very Thought-provoking!
I actually studied the play Whose Life is it Anyway? for a drama assignment at school. The movie really did justice to the original story by Brian Clark. Even though I was encouraged to do a different play, as this one is so hard to find information on, I stuck with this one because I loved it so much. The story really moved me, and I found myself crying at more than one point during the movie. This story brings up so many issues that are relevant to all humans... I would recommend it to anyone who loves a good story!

A Subject That Has So Much Controversy Even Today!!!!
This movie was excellent!!!!! I taped it years ago when it was on cable and I still take it out and watch it!!!! Richard Dreyfuss protrays a successful artist that has it all. Then, in a near fatal car crash becomes a quadrapalegic. His hope of ever walking, using his arms, creating art or having an intimate relationship with his girlfriend dimishes. While life goes on for everyone else, time for him stands still. He then makes a crucial decision and is caught up in the legal battle of his life.

While it is heartbreaking to watch this happen to any human being, Richard Dreyfuss does an excellent job portraying the emotional and physical battle that ensues this poor soul.

What would you do if this happened to you? After all, Who's Life Is It Anyway. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A movie that is deserving of being re-released.
I think Tommy Lee Jones does a wonderful job of portraying the life of an actual person. He shows you the many different sides, good and bad, of a man who probably wishes his life would have been different, better, and probably wishes he was never born.

Tommy Lee Jones is superb in his portrayal of Gary Gilmore.
What a great movie! Tommy Lee does a superb performance portraying the convicted killer Gary Gilmore. Tommy Lee and Roseanne Arquette really make this movie execiting. I think this is one of the finest true life dramas ever produced. BRING BACK THIS MOVIE!! I would really like to purchase this movie. Why isn't it available? I'm sure I am not the only one who would like to purchase it. Please BRING IT BACK!

EXECUTIONERS SONG TOMMY LEE JONES
Tommy Lee Jones is clearly outstanding as Gary Gilmore. He captures the expressions and emotions behind the character like noone else could. The drama takes you through the craziness that Gary Gilmore had throughout his life and shows the love-hate relationship that friends and family had for him. Tragic, yet facinating, this movie is sure to hold your interest time after time.

The Real Gary Gilmore is lost here
I found this movie rather disappointing.After reading the Pullitzer Prize winning novel by Norman Mailer,& an in depth interview with Gary Gilmore by Playboy in 1977,it is for certain that Gary Gilmore was not accurately portrayed in this movie.The book was well researched based on actual court transcripts,letters between Gary & Nicole,& interviews with several people who knew the convicted murderer.
In the movie,the man was played with far too much feeling.The character came across as too mannerly & wimpy.The real Gary was no wimp by any stretch of the imagination.Consider a man at 35 who spent half of his life locked up.A man who killed 2 men execution style for no reason whatsoever - without even batting an eye.A guy like that is not going to be overly sensitive.The movie portrays him as a sensitive person.In actual fact he was quite intelligent,but rather curt & aggressive in interview,& only showed any iota of feeling for his mother,his brother,& Nicole,& even then it was basic.
Maybe it was in part due to the fact the movie was made for TV.The first part of the movie I kept wondering when the real Gary would come across.It was only in the second part where Gary was captured,that parts of the real Gary Gilmore were allowed to shine through.Some things were true to form,for instance when the Judge asked Gary what his preferred mode of execution would be,Tommy Lee played that out exactly as it should be with the exact words Gary said.There were a few other scenes where he played it well.I don't think it had anything to do with the acting at all.It was probably the fault of writing & directing that caused the essence of the real man to be lost.As well I think Roseanna Arquette made Nicole seem a lot more intelligent than she really was.
What this movie needed was to show the character as hard,edgy,& aggressive.The movie should also have captured the period with more 70's hit songs,than just a couple with a great deal of hokey country tunes for the soundtrack.Also they completely botched up the music that actually played in the van when Gary was taken to the cannery for his execution.The real song that played would have been perfect because of the lyrics,but the filmmaker botched that up too,& once again,on comes another hokey,tear in yer beer country tune.
If you want to find out about the real Gary Gilmore,read the book by Norman Mailer.It's fascinating & factual.If you can get a hold of that back issue -The April 1977 issue of Playboy,that contains the powerful interview with Gary Gilmore ,GET IT!It's very enlightening & profound.Check out the A & E biography of him,& get a hold of Mikal Gilmore's book about his brother.
This movie is well cast,& fairly good.However you only get a tiny glimpse of the real killer here.

One of the BEST!
One of the best movies period! Tommy Lee Jones is great as Gary Wayne Gilmore. Rosanne Arquette does an outstanding job as Gary's wife and Eli Wallach is outstanding as Gary's uncle. The foreign version (in english) is better than the US version as it includes extra scenes. Should be released on DVD. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell got together on Swing Shift--and ifthat's the main reason people know about this movie, it only has itself toblame. The film has a marvelous subject (women's changing status on the homefront during World War II), a hugely attractive cast, and a sympatheticdirector, Jonathan Demme, whose previous film, Melvin and Howard, hadbeen a splendid piece of Americana. Yet despite this, it feels disjointed.Goldie goes to work at a factory when her husband (Ed Harris) goes off to war;Russell works there too, and they find each other, well, riveting. With themovie wavering between romance and feminist consciousness-raising, the field isopen for Oscar®-nominated Christine Lahti, who sparkles as Goldie's lanky,wisecracking best friend. Demme's original version of the movie was obscured byreshoots, which might explain the missed opportunity; this could have been aclassic. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Some minor flaws but a good story
I was riveted to this film the first time I saw it. I loved the period piece and the authenticity of the time they were capturing. My dad and mom both agreed it kept with the time. I especially loved the Rosie the Riveter aspect, as that character always intrigued me and Goldie does an excellent job in filling that role. This type of setting and story probably happened hundreds of times across the US during the Pearl Harbor days. Maybe others feel it wraps up too pat (like a typical Hollywood ending) but I felt it was true to what probably happened in those days. I love this film for all the marvelous acting and pairing Goldie with Kurt was great casting. They do it again in Overboard, another often overlooked Goldie film. I would recommend this film for anyone who likes historical fiction and who enjoys Goldie & Kurt.

Not great, but has several strengths
This is the story of a woman, played by Goldie Hawn, whose husband goes off to fight in World War II, and she goes to work in a factory. There she meets Kurt Russell, and sparks fly. The romance story is interwoven with the theme of women entering the U.S. work-force in large numbers.

The strengths of the film lie in the acting of Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, and especially Christine Lahti, who played Hawn's best friend. Another strength is the atmosphere created. My father was born in 1924 and served in WWII. He and several of his Army buddies have seen this film, separately, and all made the same comment: the clothes, the cars, the language, the buildings, the everything is very, very authentic, and the feel of WWII was very accurately recreated.

The film's weakness is its disjointed script, which I understand underwent several rewrites. That's a shame, as all the ingredients were here for a great movie. It's still a good movie, though.

Good (not great) WWII story with good performances
You may have heard how the original cut of this film was considered great until Goldie Hawn demanded re-shooting to further elevate her character's story. Regardless, it still is a fun movie to watch.

Jonathan Demme re-creates a very believable 1940's Santa Monica, CA and the lives of the women who worked in the war factories. Everyone in this film delivers the goods - including Hawn, but Christine Lahti literally steals the show (despite Goldie's re-takes) as the dance hall singer turned riveter. I loved all the scenes inside the airplane factory where they work. Not only do we have Hawn, Lahti and Kurt Russell, but a great supporting cast including Holly Hunter, Ed Harris, Sudie Bond and Fred Ward.

great WWII movie
I love this movie. If you like movies set in wwII you will love this. It gives the point of view from a woman(Goldie Hawn) what it's like when her husband goes off to war. She gets a job building airplanes and makes some new friends while her husbands away at war. I hope I helped.

WW II Melodrama
The movie is a take-off on the WWII legendary "Rosie the Riveter".It begins with the broadcast of the attack on Pearl Harbor.An ordinary working Joe returns to his home somewhere in Southern California to his loving wife(Goldie Hawn).He then tells his tearful spouse that it was his duty to fight the Japanese. She swears eternal devotion and faithfulness until his return. After all young men have gone to join the fight an aircraft plant needs riveters and pleads for women to come to work.Goldie Hawn and it seems all women go to work at the plant. Hawn is is then romantically persued by a young supervisor,resists on moral grounds but eventually out of bordoom and loneliness falls in love with him.Predictably there are recriminations and accusations the morning after.Subsequently the husband comes home on leave,finds out,is crushed and goes back to fight the war. The lover has then an affair with Goldie Hawn's best friend and it is now her turn to fall to pieces.Eventually the war is over, the husband returns,the wife confesses her shame and begs to be forgiven.He relents and forgives,the wife forgives her best friend,the lover goes away to New York and everything is hanky- dory. The screeplay is a heap of stale devices and familiar screen constructions.Sentimental:The farewell scene of husband and wife and the notification of the death of a Marine husband to a fellow riveter.Bravura:Narrow escape and the saving of life of her best friend by Goldie Hawn.Technical:Boring instruction on riveting,endles fly- overs of planes,real or made to look real excerpts of newsreels. The plot is faithful to the working-class identity of the forties and the characters and the story do not hide it.This maybe inten- ded and makes the movie appear to be realistic but ultimately boring. The film may be interesting to people who have not lived in that span of time or to those who have for nostalgic reasons. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Some minor flaws but a good story
I was riveted to this film the first time I saw it. I loved the period piece and the authenticity of the time they were capturing. My dad and mom both agreed it kept with the time. I especially loved the Rosie the Riveter aspect, as that character always intrigued me and Goldie does an excellent job in filling that role. This type of setting and story probably happened hundreds of times across the US during the Pearl Harbor days. Maybe others feel it wraps up too pat (like a typical Hollywood ending) but I felt it was true to what probably happened in those days. I love this film for all the marvelous acting and pairing Goldie with Kurt was great casting. They do it again in Overboard, another often overlooked Goldie film. I would recommend this film for anyone who likes historical fiction and who enjoys Goldie & Kurt.

Not great, but has several strengths
This is the story of a woman, played by Goldie Hawn, whose husband goes off to fight in World War II, and she goes to work in a factory. There she meets Kurt Russell, and sparks fly. The romance story is interwoven with the theme of women entering the U.S. work-force in large numbers.

The strengths of the film lie in the acting of Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, and especially Christine Lahti, who played Hawn's best friend. Another strength is the atmosphere created. My father was born in 1924 and served in WWII. He and several of his Army buddies have seen this film, separately, and all made the same comment: the clothes, the cars, the language, the buildings, the everything is very, very authentic, and the feel of WWII was very accurately recreated.

The film's weakness is its disjointed script, which I understand underwent several rewrites. That's a shame, as all the ingredients were here for a great movie. It's still a good movie, though.

Good (not great) WWII story with good performances
You may have heard how the original cut of this film was considered great until Goldie Hawn demanded re-shooting to further elevate her character's story. Regardless, it still is a fun movie to watch.

Jonathan Demme re-creates a very believable 1940's Santa Monica, CA and the lives of the women who worked in the war factories. Everyone in this film delivers the goods - including Hawn, but Christine Lahti literally steals the show (despite Goldie's re-takes) as the dance hall singer turned riveter. I loved all the scenes inside the airplane factory where they work. Not only do we have Hawn, Lahti and Kurt Russell, but a great supporting cast including Holly Hunter, Ed Harris, Sudie Bond and Fred Ward.

great WWII movie
I love this movie. If you like movies set in wwII you will love this. It gives the point of view from a woman(Goldie Hawn) what it's like when her husband goes off to war. She gets a job building airplanes and makes some new friends while her husbands away at war. I hope I helped.

WW II Melodrama
The movie is a take-off on the WWII legendary "Rosie the Riveter".It begins with the broadcast of the attack on Pearl Harbor.An ordinary working Joe returns to his home somewhere in Southern California to his loving wife(Goldie Hawn).He then tells his tearful spouse that it was his duty to fight the Japanese. She swears eternal devotion and faithfulness until his return. After all young men have gone to join the fight an aircraft plant needs riveters and pleads for women to come to work.Goldie Hawn and it seems all women go to work at the plant. Hawn is is then romantically persued by a young supervisor,resists on moral grounds but eventually out of bordoom and loneliness falls in love with him.Predictably there are recriminations and accusations the morning after.Subsequently the husband comes home on leave,finds out,is crushed and goes back to fight the war. The lover has then an affair with Goldie Hawn's best friend and it is now her turn to fall to pieces.Eventually the war is over, the husband returns,the wife confesses her shame and begs to be forgiven.He relents and forgives,the wife forgives her best friend,the lover goes away to New York and everything is hanky- dory. The screeplay is a heap of stale devices and familiar screen constructions.Sentimental:The farewell scene of husband and wife and the notification of the death of a Marine husband to a fellow riveter.Bravura:Narrow escape and the saving of life of her best friend by Goldie Hawn.Technical:Boring instruction on riveting,endles fly- overs of planes,real or made to look real excerpts of newsreels. The plot is faithful to the working-class identity of the forties and the characters and the story do not hide it.This maybe inten- ded and makes the movie appear to be realistic but ultimately boring. The film may be interesting to people who have not lived in that span of time or to those who have for nostalgic reasons. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

A natural portrayal of character
You won't get large explosions, incredible lines, or wonderful camera work in "Gross Anatomy". What you will get, though, is a beautiful and realistic character portrayal of five clean cut kids who are trying to achieve the dream of thousands of students in this country: To become wonderful med students.

Matt Modine has to be one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. In this film, his development is staggering. From the moment you see him, you think "this kid is special". To see this beauty materialize during the course of the movie is unforgettable.

The film does a superb job of juxtaposing Christine Lahti's character (Dr. Woodruff) with Modine's. You can understand her dream of making her "best students into top doctors" and how Modine may fit this role. Modine's medical partners do a fine job of depicting some of the other practical problems that first year medical students may face.

Overall, this is a highly entertaining film that will leave the thoughtful viewer thinking about his own character development, perhaps juxtaposing it against one of the several fine characters in this film.

Perhaps the most underrated film of all time.
I am always disturbed to see the lack of recognition which "Gross Anatomy" has suffered. It is in my opinion one of the best films ever produced. The humour is good, but more significant is the character development which is so perceptive and subtle. It is certainly worth seeing, unfortunately it appears to be unavailable.

The best med movie ever!
For my opinion the year of 1989 it has been one of the most exciting years in the history of cinema. Three movies from this particular year changed my life. First Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, second Dead Poets Society and third is Gross Anatomy. the last one i saw it the first time in TV but i loved it right away. This movie mixtures two of my favorite items. Colleges and relationships. It has believable and true characters and most of all it has Daphne Zunigha. Its directory it is honest and modest but above all some melancholy corresses the story. I think the character Matthew Modine plays is a genious who he dosen't know he is genious. I loved it and i am waiting for the european edition of the movie because i cant buy it yet.
Dont miss it either youare med student or not...

Don't Watch This Unless You Care About Medical School
The only people I know who've even heard of this movie are med students and aspiring med students. I'll be starting medical school in a few months, myself, so I can't say that I'm any different. That's what initially drew me to the movie, and maybe that's the reason why I liked it.

This movie has Matthew Modine playing a first year medical student named Joe Slovak. He's the antithesis of everything that a stereotypical med student is perceived to be. He's laid back, worldly, handsome, and not especially self-serving. At first I thought his character would be in the style of Robin Williams in "Patch Adams", where he'd end up being the rebel who believed that medicine lacked humanity and would lead a crusade to somehow change things for the better. However, he doesn't really seem to care about people enough to make such a change. While this apathetic lack of motivation might be realistic, it certainly doesn't make for a colorful character in a movie. He is surrounded by four other med students who, as any movie about medical school would require, are all driven to excel and are vilified as a result. The movie tells how these five people worked together to get through their first year in school. All the typical elements are here: cut-throat competitiveness, jealousy, elitism, ways of dealing with stress, and of course, the obligatory subplot involving the budding romance between two lab partners.

If you're thinking about going to medical school, don't use this movie to decide whether it's a good idea. It won't sway your opinion in any particular direction. However, aside from the way in which the characters are skewed, this movie will give you a good idea of what medical school might be like. Though, if you're just looking for a movie to provide you with entertainment, this isn't what you want. Go watch "Patch Adams" instead. It's of the same genre, and it's better. Unless you're medically inclined, I don't recommend this movie.

No Special Features
If you read all the reviews of this film below based on the VHS version, you'll see it is one of the more enjoyable films of the late 1980s. Everything said about it is correct, and I stand by the praise I gave it as well.
I just wanted to alert viewers of the DVD, however, that there are NO special features. It's a bit odd for a DVD not to have any, but that explains why this is is so inexpensive.
Of course, the nice thing is, it's widescreen, so you can see the full picture. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Definitely watchable but suffers from a couple of flaws.....
Christine Lahti plays Kristine Lyons, the wife of pilot Jack Lyons (John Heard) who loses his life in a plane crash. Flying a route from Boston to London, the crash occurs off the coast of Ireland and under mysterious circumstances.

Attempting to gain insight into the crash, the pilot's union sends a representative to interview Kristine Lyons who ends up having many questions of her own. Upon learning that information on the Cockpit Voice Recorder (Black Box) may possibly implicate her husband in the cause of the downed aircraft, Kristine Lyons resorts to finding the truth on her own which eventually leads her to England.

Upon reaching London and uncovering a trail of lies, deceit, a double life, and illegal activities spanning two continents, Kristine Lyons soon finds out much more than she ever expected to and realizes she never really knew her husband at all.

The Pilot's Wife is a movie that wants to be great but seems to settle in at above average. The plot itself contains enough intrigue and mystery to carry two-thirds of it's length but the finale borders on being anti-climactic. As far as the acting is concerned, Christine Lahti and John Heard are the only prominent names in the cast. John Heard doesn't appear in enough scenes to carry any weight which leaves Christine Lahti to make up the difference. She does very well in her role, in my opinion, and her performances are one of the finer points of the movie. My final grade for The Pilot's Wife rates a B-.

A Pilot's Past
This CBS TV movie was filmed in Ireland. It is the second Anita Shreve book to come to the screen. Her "The Weight of Water" which starred Sean Penn was well acted, but was laboriously edited. (My review for that one was called "The Weight of Editing." :) "The Pilot's Wife" fares a bit better overall, although Sean Penn is certainly one of our finest actors.

Christine Lahti who had her Oscar nomination for "Swing Shift" with Goldie Hawn does an incredibly excellent performance here. The variety of levels she hits as grieving wife, compassionate mother, angry widow and driven super-sleuth give us a sterling performance. Campbell Scott, real-life son of George C. Scott & Colleen Dewhurst, gives an excellent subtle performance as the pilot association representative who becomes emotionally involved. John Heard played a character named Jack who was about as devious as Jack Lyons in "Pilot's Wife" in his co-starring role with Goldie Hawn in "Deceived." While his performance here is in flashback and not as chilling, it equals the devious nature of his previous Jack from 1991. Particularly excellent is newcomer Kirsty Mitchell as Murie Boland, the Irish counterpart of Lyons' hidden life. Mitchell gives a brief but excellent portrayal of a woman whose life has been impacted by the violent struggles in Ireland. I haven't seen her previous film credit of "Capone's Boys," but certainly intend to seek it out on the basis of the strength of this performance. Alison Pill from "Pieces of April" with Katie Holmes who plays daughter Mattie turns in a good performance as a teen dealing as much with the struggles of her own adolescent social issues as with her father's untimely death.

The depth for this picture comes amid the backdrop of the Irish troubles. How the lives of the characters weave with the political turmoil of Ireland along with Lahti's performance elevates the picture from the mundane to the magical. The DVD doesn't offer a great deal of extras; but it is nice to appreciate the film as an uninterrupted whole. Enjoy!

The quintessential made-for-TV movie
THE PILOT'S WIFE was produced for television and scheduled to air soon after 9/11. Because the film begins with the crash of an airliner, the network decided to delay the telecast until April 2002. (Sensitivity, or just fear of losing advertising revenue?) In any case, the general mediocrity of television fare is well represented here.

As the movie opens, Kathryn Lyons (Christene Lahti) is awakened in the wee small hours by a pounding on the front door. Robert Hart (Campbell Scott), a representative of the airline pilots' union, is there to tell her that husband Jack (John Heard) was killed when the commercial 747 he captained blew up with 100+ passengers off the Irish coast on a flight from London to Boston. Within a couple days, a contingent of interrogators from the National Transportation Safety Board shows up with the FBI and lawyers in tow to ask pointed questions. This is just about the time that the news media begins reporting that the flight's pilot may have been responsible. It's only when Kathryn learns that her husband's mother, whom Jack said had died when he was nine, is now residing in a rest home in Minnesota, and that Jack didn't live in the crews' quarters whenever on a London layover, that she suspects he was hiding a few teensy details of his life. A scrap of paper in his trousers and an email address on his computer lead her to London, where she discovers that Hubby, presumably in response to a mid-life crisis, left behind a Big Irish Surprise. Several, actually.

It's not that THE PILOT'S WIFE is a bad film, it's just not a particularly good one. Lahti is a fine actress, who delivers a respectable performance, especially when she admits to herself and Hart that her marriage was, in fact, wretched. But what could have been an above-average suspense thriller falls victim to uninspired screenwriting that yields a storyline that proceeds at a sedate pace without any real surprises or substantive drama. There are the nondescript performances by Scott and Alison Pill, who plays Mattie, the Lyons teenage daughter. Alison, ostensibly the apple of her Dad's eye, seems less disturbed about his death than Mom's less than undivided attention when she (Alison) reveals that she "did it" for the first time three years before when she was fourteen. The scripting renders the Alison persona unnecessary to the plot, and the final heart-to-heart between Kathryn and her daughter seemed particularly lame, i.e. perfectly suited to the small screen on a Sunday evening in American suburbia.

I watched THE PILOT'S WIFE while ironing. The latter was almost more interesting.

Great movie, but takes a detour...
The Pilot's Wife is my all time favorite book. When I found the made for TV movie on DVD, I was both intrigued and skeptical. The book is both emotionally wrenching and touching at once. I had no idea if it could be pulled off in a movie, particularly a made for TV movie.

That said, I was almost entirely pleasantly surprised. The movie, for the most part, stays close to the story line in the book, although it doesn't follow the book precisely. Kathryn (Christine Lahti) learns at the beginning, that a plane piloted by her husband has gone down off the coast of Ireland. Campbell Scott is amazing as Robert Hart who, as a union representitive, is the bearer of the bad news.

In the days following the plane crash, Kathryn must not only deal with the grief and take care of her daughter (Alison Pill), but must come to terms with the fact that maybe she didn't know her husband as well as she thought. As lies and secrets are uncovered around her, Kathryn must figure out who Jack (her husband, played in flashbacks by John Heard) really was.

All in all, this is an excellent movie and I really enjoyed it. My only complaint though (and it's a big one, to me anyway) is that the end takes a huge detour from the book. Due to [Amazon.com's] spoiler rules and the fact that I don't want to ruin the ending for those who haven't seen it, I won't elaborate more than that. Suffice to say the ending for the movie was a huge disappointment. My only solace in the ending is that the movie covers a much shorter time period than the book, and thus I consoled myself by thinking that maybe the movie just hadn't gotten as far as the book. This movie still ranks 5 stars because it is so well done and does pack an emotional impact that is at least comparable to the book. My only real complaint is the ending.

All in all though, this is an excellent movie and I recommend it without reservations.

Frightening scenario that is all too real!
A commercial jetliner explodes off the English coast, killing all on board. The recovered voice recorder indicates a struggle in the cockpit just before the crash. It appears that the pilot may have smuggled a bomb onto the plane and detonated it, causing the tragedy.

Christine Lahti stars as the wife that learns life-shattering truths about her late husband (John Heard seen in flashbacks). Campbell Scott is featured as union representative that comes to Lahti to provide support. All three are believable in their respective roles.

A taut script, good performances, interesting cinematography, and a evocative score make this 2001 production an above average TV movie.

It's no wonder that its initial 2001 airing was cancelled due to the events of September 11th.

There's "food for thought" here. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

One of my favorites this year
What a wonderful little gem of a movie, full of depth and heart and more than a few surprises. Leelee Sobieski plays against her blonde and generally beautiful stereotype in this film, appearing as a rather dark and depressed 17 year old teen (nicknamed J), complete with tattoos, black makeup and pierced skin. She is miserable at school, doesn't feel understood by her mother (Carol Kane in one of her best roles), stepfather or father. She has no friends. In short, she is alienated, desperately in need of someone she can relate to.
That someone turns out to be the last person you'd expect, a 49 year old men's clothing store owner named Randall (played by Albert Brooks). Although he is reluctant to hire her, he eventually gives in and the two become friends after a shakey start. Not that it is all smooth going. The two are so different that there's bound to be a few rough patches in their friendship, some occasions where they test one another (I don't want to give details for fear of spoiling the surprises).
Luckily this doesn't turn into another "older guy, younger girl" romance. Director Christine Lahti is too smart to things get so stereotypical - thank goodness. And she is also wise enough to let viewers discover the hidden depths in Randall and J, depths that might not surface if sex muddied the waters. Lahti also adds the special touches that make this movie a standout - humorous bits, personal details and an understated style that charms without being overwhelming. If you're looking for a movie that will touch your heart and leave you with a good feeling after watching it, you can't do better than this one.

Well maybe even 4 1/2 stars...
This is a wonderful and charming movie that really grabbed me emotionally & held on tight (hey, I'm an over-50 male). PLus what a cast! Albert Brooks, Carol Kane, Michael McKean & John Goodman! Wow, fun set. I've always liked Christine Lahti very very much as an actress & I hope she gets a lot of work as a director because she's done a terrific job.

The major kudos must go, in my book, to Albert Brooks. What a wonderful performance he gives. A complete, funny, vulnerable, humorous, self-deprecating grown-up guy. Boy if anyone deserved an oscar in the year this movie came out, he did. But he's always been at the pinnacle of whatever he was doing, way back to when he was a ventriloquist on the Tonight show & talked while his dummy drank!

I love you Albert. You're a real Albert Einstein!

I did hold back a star or so because some of the subsidiary male characters annoyed me. I felt the writing of the John Goodman character & of Randy who shows up later was a real cheap "men-are-all-bozos" shot. Not worthy of the rest of the film.

Life Changing Movie
One of the best movies I've ever seen. Well written, well directed, and very moving. An extremely relevant and serious subject. Wonderful combination of heartfelt emotions and wit. I made my 15 year old daughter sit down and watch it with me!

GREAT GREAT GREAT
I'm short on words, but this movie is Great. Both Albert and Leelee are wonderful. This is truly a film about life and the wonder of it all. Experience life and watch this movie.

simply great
I had never heard about this movie