Description

A baker and his wife journey into the woods in search of a cow, a red cape, a pair of golden slippers and some magic beans to lift a curse that has kept them childless. Tony Award winners Bernadette Peters, Joanna Gleason and the rest of the original Broadway cast weave their magic spell over you in Stephen Sondheim's masterpiece, directed by James Lapine, a seamless fusion of fairy tale characters and what happens after "happily ever after. "With oft-recorded songs such as "Children Will Listen" and "No One is Alone," "Into the Woods" is a music lover's delight from start to finish--and will forever cement Stephen Sondheim's unparalleled position as the giant of the American musical theater. ... Read more

Reviews (175)

A Broadway Masterpeace
This DVD is the best Musical DVD I have ever gotten. INTO THE WOODS is such a great show and is great for the whole family to see. Bernadette Peters is amazing in this and so is the whole cast. It is the story of the Baker and his wife as they go into the woods to undo the witch's spell. Along the way they meet Cinderella, Jack, Little Red Riding hood, and are taught lesions that you will never get any ware else. The story makes you want to make you cry. It is such a moving show with songs like "No one is alone," a beautiful song sung by Ms. Peters, "Agony" a great duet, sung by the two princes who are trying to find Cinderella and Repunsul and sing about their difficulties and "You're Fault/Last Midnight," witch really makes you think about life and why you place the blame. This is a wonderfull peace of work and needs to be seen, by any story, Sondheim lover, or a person with a heart. Bye it NOW and get prepared to say WOW!

Amazing show!!!!
Into the Woods is definitely one of the most amazing shows I've ever seen. There is not a single dull moment in this musical. Stephen Sondheim is pure genius. As for the Broadway cast of ITW, I absolutely LOVED them. Every single one of them gave outstanding performances. However, Bernadette Peters obviously stood out a great deal as the Witch, and I thought another actress who did well was the lovely Kim Crosby as Cinderella..She had a beautiful voice. But the shining star here was definitely Joanna Gleason, no question about it. Her stunning performance as the Baker's Wife could have you holding your stomach, laughing; or it could make you cry. Joanna Gleason is an amazing actress...Her acting is so simple, yet complicated at the same time..She's just incredible as the Baker's Wife. A show stopping number was her "Moments In the Woods," along with "Any Moment" sung by Robert Westenberg as the HiLaRiOuS Cinderella's Prince... Every time I watch this part it cracks me up. Also, the beautiful duet "No One is Alone" done by Kim Crosby as Cinderella and Chip Zien as the Baker brings tears to your eyes... And the opening number "Into the Woods" is not to be missed. Another fun song is "Your Fault," done in the second act which is very awesome...I've proceeded in memorizing this whole thing and I'm pretty proud of myself, lol. I have no clue how Sondheim wrote that. The finale, "Children Will Listen," is a amazing as well...A great closing for the show.

Into the Woods is simply amazing... I prefer the first act over the second, though...The first is funny, heartwarming, and hilarious as we follow the Baker and his Wife into the woods to find a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn, and a slipper as pure as gold to break the curse that is keeping them from having a child. The second act is a lot more deep and dark when the giant arrives and upsets the whole kingdom. It's sad but still very enjoyable. If you are thinking of buying this video, DO! I promise you WON'T regret it.

(btw, that ending phrase sounds SO corny but oh well, that's me.)

Into the woods to buy this movie!
I apologize for the poor quality of the joke in the title.

Anyhoo, I saw this musical in high school (let me rephrase: I saw this video in high school...oh wait, I forgot. I DID see the play in high school too. Weird. But the video came first, so...end of aside) and have loved it ever since. I am an optimistic person by nature and like the phrase "happily ever after." I don't understand why our cyncial society is so determined to sink that phrase in the cruel, unforgiving sea of reality (for more on this subject see Cervantes' soliloquoy in "Man of La Mancha"). It is, however, always a great relief to me when I see that "Non-happy ever after" type shows generally always prove themselves wrong. The ending to this musical is...not what you'd expect! Ha! Thought I was gonna spoil it, didn't ya? But just the same it is a happy one. If any ending can be called happy in the wake of horror and death, and I say sure. Sondheim's best work, in my book. Bernadette Peters is as wonderful as always as the Wicked Witch, and since the most recent revival had (Shudder!) Vanessa Williams in the role, this is the show for you. I reckon.

i wish, more than anything...
Cinderella, Little Red Ridding Hood, The Baker and his Wife, and Rapunzel-- all in one! The opening number "I wish" is when the Baker and his Wife, Cinderella, Little Red Ridding Hood and Jack sing what they want (to sell a cow, a child, to go to granny's house, to go to the festival) and everything and the Witch comes in and stirrs up trouble and due to her all your average day fairy tales turned upside-down and on their big fat magic butts!

Now of course, the Witch does something (duh)! she makes the Baker and his Wife in order to get a child to get a golden slipper (Cinderella) a cape as red as blood (Little Red Ridding Hood) a cow as white as milk (Jack) and hair as yellow as corn (Rapunzel). Of course, they get all the things with a lot of obsticals. Duh, I mean come on people it's not like they're really going to get all those stuff easy cheesy in a 3 hour play. That's where they sing their other hit song "Into the Woods".

Anyhow, Jack killed the Giant and the wife has come back to find Jack and guess what-- you'll have to find out what happens. So ha! It's so good it's magical.

Starring Bernadette Peters (the Witch) Kim Crosby (Cinderella) Danelle Fernland (Little Red Ridding Hood) Pamela Winslow (Rapunzel) Ben Wright (Jack) Chip Zien (Baker) Joanna Gleason (the Baker's Wife) and of course the Narrator, who does do a lot-- (Tom Aldredge)

HOPE YOU ENJOY! (I saw the 2001 one, so I can't say which one's better) SEE YA! I GUESS YOU'LL BE ON YOUR JOURNEY!

Very Obsession Worthy
I love many broadway musicals and plays, but this one takes the cake. Everything about it is superb! This taping of the play is excellent, gives you the broadway stage experience while also giving excellent close ups and a little bit of film magic, together creating an ecellent buy! Well, well worth the price, just to see the superb Bernadette Peters! This is a must have addition to any DVD collection! ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Don't miss this romantic very entertaining comedy!
"Impromptu": What a dry sounding name for such a lively movie! When this film was in theaters in 1991, I gave it little notice (even if Siskel and Ebert loved it). Then several years later the whole Jane Austen craze hit, and I was seduced into giving period pieces a view. Not to mention Hugh Grant had become all the rage in "Four Weddings and a Funeral."

Period piece + Hugh Grant = giving it a view.

I LOVED IT.

First of all, if you are expecting a calm, quiet, "polite" film, you will be surprised. This film is based on the real life of Madame George Sand, the scandalous 19th Century French novelist, played brilliantly by Judy Davis. Sand is no Jane Austen creation: She uses the f-word (though not to excess), has sex with whom she chooses, and is more likely to wear pants (which required permission by the French government at the time) than dresses. She is also charming, romantic, and intelligent.

Her friends are the famous artists of the time: painter Eugene Delacroix and composer Franz Litz (amongst others, including Litz's conniving lover, played by Bernadette Peters). As a result, this film is far more of an unrepentant romp than anything you would expect for the time and place (though this film is far from ribald-- I believe it earned its overly cautious MPAA rating of PG-13 for the aforementioned, infrequent use of the f-word). Emma Thompson gives a positively hilarious performance as a provincial society "title tart." Mandy Patinkin, does equally as well as the ex-lover (and novelist Malfie) of Sand.

Hugh Grant plays the composer Fredric Chopin. He is the polar opposite of Sand. Chopin is a man who is as delicate and refined as any French court ladies of the day. This, of course, appeals to the tougher-than-nails Sand, who finds Chopin's music to be the "voice of God." Chopin is rather troubled by the romantic attentions of such a woman, and a comedy of errors ensues.

This movie is especially appealing because it has all the romance of the best Jane Austen film adaptations, while having such a wonderfully (dare I say) feminist character as Sand. Not that anyone will read any "message" in this film; you will be too busy being entertained.

This film was out of print for some time, and I paid $100.00 for my copy as a result. Don't make the same mistake I made. Buy "Impromptu" now while you can. It is a film worthy of many repeated viewings.

Eccentric novelist pursues composer in romantic comedy
"Impromptu" is a delightful historical romance about the long, tumultuous love affair between composer Frederick Chopin and novelist George Sand. It is not a biography, for the movie's script takes great license beyond the basic dates and places. The affair might have happened this way, but most probably did not. None of this much matters, though, because the movie doesn't pretend to be strictly accurate historically and because it does a good job of capturing the spirit of the times and of its characters.

Judy Davis is marvelous as George Sand, a brilliant, eccentric woman who eschewed the social mores of her time. Already tired of her current lover, she is more determined than ever to dump him after she meets and falls in love with Chopin, nicely played by Hugh Grant. Chopin is portrayed as being a rather shy, morally upright [and uptight!] man who is taken aback by Sand's assertive nature and odd habits, which include dressing like a man most of the time. Undeterred by his thwarting of her advances, she pursues him relentlessly, almost getting him killed in a duel in the process. Playing an active part in all these goings on - sometimes for Sand's quest, sometimes against it - are Chopin's great friend Franz Liszt [Julian Sand] and his lover, Marie [Bernadette Peters]. Both Sand and Peters have substantial supporting roles, as do Emma Thompson and Mandy Patinkin. The cast alone makes "Impromptu" worth seeing. Also enjoyable is the soundtrack, almost all of which is taken from Chopin's works.

As history, this movie is dubious. As entertainment, it's first rate. It reminds me somewhat of "Emma", in that it is more comedy than drama.

George Sand And Chopin: Romantic Comedy
This 1991 movie directed by James Lepine is an absolute charm. It's a romantic comedy, it's a historical piece and a colorful introduction to the music of Frederic Chopin, Franz Liszt and the life and writings of Madame George Sand Aurore Dudevant. The romantic comedy is well-written, the actors are doing top-notch performances and the music is heaven. I don't know yet if there is a soundtrack but it's likely there is and it must be beautiful. George Sand was the pen name of the feminist writer Aurore Dudevant who scandalized proper Victorian society in the 19th century by dressing as a man, smoking cigars, abandoning her wealthy and respected husband to live the liberal lifestyle of a bohemian writer of novels. She had many lovers, including Alfred De Musset (who is played in this film by Mandy Patinkin)and her most famous lover, Frederic Chopin. It is their love story that this movie focues on. Stars Judi Davis as George Sand, Hugh Grant as Chopin and Bernadette Peters as the Countess Marie D'Agoult. I will not give away the answer. But Chopin, though he never married Sand, was greatly influenced by his knowing her and his most productive period of composing piano music came after their heartbreaking seperation. Chopin died young of tubercolosis. It's very possible that he loved George Sand but I'm thinking that for Sand, no man was really ever good enough for her. After all, she was the embodiment of the feminist, independent single woman who did'nt really need marriage or love.

Judi Davis is doing an Oscar winning performance as George Sand, who is ultimately a woman who belongs to no one and who lives life to the fullest. She has raised children to be as creative as she is and taken full responsibility for her children as well as for her elderly mother. Bored of the dull life after her divorce from the father of her children, she takes her current lover to the French countryside. There, she is invited by a wealthy hostess to her estate. The drama heightens in a soap opera sort of way when none other than Alfred De Musset the poet and ex-lover of Sand shows up. Her jealous boyfriend, Malfitte, challenges him to a duel. Meanwhile, Sand has fallen for Chopin, who is her polar opposite. While she is free, intense, devil-may-care and very healthy, Chopin is reserved, emotional, sensitive, refined and suffering of bad health with tubercolosis. Their relationship is accurate to truth but not in the way the film depicts. The disaster that happens in the country estate, comedically produced, never really happened. Bernadette Peters delivers a terrific performance as well as the scheming and bitter Marie D'Agoult, whose own marriage to Franz Liszt after having many children with him, including Cosima who later marries Richard Wagner, but that's another story and even another movie. This is a well-done movie with lots of charm and witty scenes. I especially enjoyed the entire portion in the country estate, in which the artist Delacroix, Franz Liszt and Chopin discuss over dinner the existence of God in front of a priest, put on a satirical farce play that ends badly and Sand's adorable children who are always finding some excuse to play with explosives and dynomite.

Superb
This is an excellent film which depicts with some humor and intrigue the life of Chopin. Hugh Grant and Judy Davis play fantastic parts. One actually gets a feel for the era in which Chopin lived. The music is stupendous and invites an even greater appreciation for Chopin's talents.
Thoroughly enjoyable!

i have loved this movie since london, 1990
where i first saw it on screen at a local cinema. wit, grace, charm, and granted yes, somewhat affected performances, but still a sweetness manages to come through. love & music, eternal muses, are showcased in their manic, most evocative forms here & are captured in all their energy & wit of an era of change, challenge & growth culturally...thought the 1960s were a time for pushing boundaries? it has nothing on the 1830s/40s for experimentation & artistic endeavor. watch the movie! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Michael J. Fox's Mikey is the Broadway Danny Rose of child actors. Aformer child sitcom star turned half-hearted agent to a stable of overeageradolescents, he finds a natural talent when he watches a 12-year-old pickpocket(Christina Vidal) work a crowd to tears. Of course, nothing comes without aprice, and the self-involved bachelor soon becomes the unlikely big brother tostreet-smart Vidal, who soon gives way to sunny cheer. Fox is such an inspiredcasting choice that most critics missed the undercurrent of self-loathing andloneliness in his impulsive irresponsibility and glib, effortless charm, andNathan Lane is hilarious as his overworked brother and business partner. Theydon't get much help from the script, which bounces between smarmy showbiz satireand warm, fuzzy family comedy and winds up as neither, but they manage to makeit funny nonetheless.--Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Great , but don't make Mikey drink Chunky Milk next time!
This movie is great including Mikey (Michael J. Fox), and Angie (Christina Vidal), a great on-screen team, including the big singoff with that girl, and the part where Barry (David Krumholtz), threw up in Mikey's brother's (Nathan Lane's) hat, and where that girl kept singing "Happy Birthday to You." But, why did they make Mikey eat Fruit Loops with Chunky Milk. It's nasty! Next Time, you should rate it PG for Language, Crude Humor, Gross Images, Thematic Elements, and a Scene of Sensuality, because Mikey was having love with someone, while Angie moved in. I still give it a **** (4 out of 5).

A Funny, Good, Movie
This was a funny movie. At sometimes it was a little confusing but good! I think kids who like to laugh or act would really like this movie. It has kids who are horrible actors, that make you laugh loudly. This is a Great Movie!

When cute can't cut it
This movie is a cute story about a former child star who now works as an agent for other child stars.. unfortunately the business isn't doing well.. until they find a smart mouthed, 12 year old pick pocket who is "spunky" enough to get a gig. Fox was adorable as usual, a lot of the "child star" co-stars went on to be in some other movies except for Christina Vidal who has now gone on to have her own show on Nickelodeon. All I can say is the cast was fun, the writing wasn't bad but the movie could have used something. Just for fun, I will aslo mention that I was in a play with Christina Vidal later that year after the fimling of the movie...as for her acting? Well, I had the lead. I have to give credit where credit is due, she does have a lovely singing voice!

A sweet-natured comedy
This is a likeable (if somewhat naive) comedy with perfectly cast stars in familiar situations. This is by no means a movie for someone looking for strong depth and unpredictability, but it is quite funny and sometimes touching.

This Movie is Unfair to Michael J. Fox
I had been putting off watching this movie for a long time. I'm a fan of Cyndi Lauper, the actress (also Lauper, the singer, but that's not relevant here) and her resume is a little slight. With the exception of the amazing "Vibes", the odd "Off and Running" and this, the mind-numbing "Life with Mikey", there is nothing else to see. Well, okay, she has an uncredited role as "Picnic Guest" in "Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle", but that hardly counts.

So, in order to round out my collection, I bought "Life with Mikey". So far, so good. But then I sat down to watch it. Sweet mother!

Disney never seems to tire of showing us a) adults who have grown up to be big kids or b) unhappy, serious adults who would be better off if only they would loosen up and act like big kids. Now, I'm actually in favor of this philiosophy, but for some reason it never seems to come across on film. In this effort, the very funny Michael J. Fox plays Mike Chapman, a former child TV star who grows up to be a Big Kid. His apartment is a mess, he plays street hockey with the local urchins, he cons women and lies with a twinkle in his eye and we're all supposed to think he's charming as hell. Problem is, it seems that Fox has been replaced here by his stand-in, a life-size Michael J. Fox robot that has all the facial expressions down, but has none of the talent or charm.

Mikey works with his brother Ed (the underappreciated nathan Lane, reduced here to whining and mugging as though his life depended upon it) as a strictly low-rent talent agent for children. The agency represents a stable of losers and is about to go under until Mikey discovers Angie Vega, a con artist with "talent" who can save the agency, if only she'll agree to stop shoplifting in her off-hours.

Cyndi Lauper plays Geena Briganti, the brothers' secretary and the only character with any damned sense in the whole film.

This movie is genuinely touching. I teared up a little when I saw all these genuinely talented child actors hamming it up and pretending to be talentless in order to make the genuinely talentless Christina Vidal look good. These selfless kids try again and again to undershine every time they share a camera with the little tyke, but it never works. You're left wondering why the little urchin got the plum cookie role and not the little guy who does Ethel Merman impressions. Now that's hilarious! Or how about the dour kid who auditions with a Strindberg monologue? The screenwriters obviously had more fun writing these kids than they did the heroes.

In the end, "Life with Mikey" is a sad, disposable film that deserves no place in the careers of any of the actors involved. Except maybe Christina Vidal. ... Read more

Description

An unforgettable chronicle of the redemptive power of love, this is a mesmerizing musical rhapsody from the Broadway team of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. In 19th century Italy, handsome soldier Giorgio, is embroiled in a steamy affair with lovely, and married, Clara. Giorgio is transferred from Milan to a remote military outpost where he comes into contact with the ailing, homely Fosca, his commanding officer's cousin. Fosca falls instantly and deeply in love with Giorgio, who resists her affections. Gradually she reveals, and Giorgio learns to appreciate, what is truly beautiful about herself. This highly acclaimed Broadway musical features extraordinary performances from Donna Murphy (The King & I), Marin Mazzie (Ragtime, Kiss Me Kate) and Jere Shea (Damn Yankees). A haunting study of obsessive love, this striking production offers a visual and musical feast that will linger in your heart and soul forever! Winner of 4 Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Actress (Musical) - Donna Murphy, Best Book (Musical) - James Lapine, Best Original Musical Score - Stephen Sondheim ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Donna Murphy and Cast, SHINE!
I have been an avid fan of Broadway my whole life, have sampled nearly every Broadway musical out there, and I have never seen such a compelling, intriguing story as "Passion." Sodheim's brilliant score and the performances of the three principles (Marrin Mazzie, Jere Shea, and the incomparable Donna Murphy)is a stage/screen wonder.

Most notablely, there is Donna Murphy who has recreated her Tony Award-Winning performance as Fosca, the unattractive and ailing woman who's passion for her Giorgio is the only thing that keeps her alive.

Murphy's powerful, unparalled performance is rare indeed, and anyone can clearly see why the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Muscial (1994) went to her. Her performance is only overshadowed by her initial appearance. Any fan of Donna Murphy's knows that she is a devastatingly beautiful woman, and to make her appear unattractive, as Fosca Ricci had to be, must have been a difficult task. However, the character of Fosca, as Murphy plays her, is so deep and complex that you forget you are watching a fictional character as one is totally engrossed in the plot. That is, of course, true acting at it's best!

Shea and Mazzie are strong, however, there is no denying the true star of this musical: Donna Murphy. There is no doubt that "Passion" will bring any viewer to tears each and every time they watch it.

Music is incredible, acting is sometimes wooden
Sondheim's score for Passion is one of the most musically complex in recent musical theater. The mixing of major and minor keys -- depending on who is singing at the time -- is not really innovative, but the complexity and transitions between the keys as different characters take up different phrases in the songs is outstandingly done.

The lyrics aren't as clever as in other of Sondheim's shows, but they convey the various emotional states beautifully. The book by Levine is well put together, with no obvious flaws.

Of the cast, Donna Murphy easily deserved her Tony award for the role of Fosca. Her treatment of the character moving from appreciation to obsession to more tender loving of Georgio is remarkable, and her deep singing voice is a perfect complement to the music. The supporting characters are also fairly strong.

However, Jere Shea as Georgio is a case of bad casting. His expression -- as well as his acting -- are wooden, and he is obviously not up to the task of expressing the range of emotions necessary for the character. All that can be said in his credit is that he physically fits the part -- a man who would be considered attractive in Italy in the mid 1800s. Vocally, he has a competent voice, but, again, lacks emotional expression.

Marin Mazzie gives a competent performance. While her voice is easily up to the demands of the score, her facial expressions as she sings are distracting. How can a person who is grimacing as much as she does in the opening number be belivable when she sings about "all this happiness?"

All said and done, the score, book, direction, and female lead all complement each other wonderfully. However, the male lead and his paramour let the show down and prevent a "5 star" rating.

It's All About Donna Murphy!
Yes, you should get this DVD because it preserves the Tony-winning original production of Stephen Sondheim's "Passion." Yes, the show is excellent and probably works better on video, where the lack of opportunities to applaud aren't so jarring. Yes, the seamless transition from song to speech and back again proves surprisingly effective and engrossing. All of these are compelling reasons to buy this DVD.

But the biggest and best reason for buying this DVD can be summed up in two words: Donna Murphy. Oh my God, her Fosca is unbelievable!!! Her Tony-winning performance is unforgetable and will stick with you for weeks (maybe even months) after you first see it. I have never been so moved by a character in a musical before. She had me near tears, and I hardly ever cry while watching a show. I cannot begin to put into words the kind of depth Murphy brings to the tortured soul of Fosca, the longing for acceptance, the rudeness, and yet the unbridled love that Murphy layers into her performance. She steals ever scene she's in, and if the show had her on stage constantly for its almost two hours you wouldn't hear me complain. In fact, the notes of the insert have book writer James Lapine reminded everyone that the show is actually about Gregio, not Fosca, showing just how much attention Murphy must have gotten. I didn't really follow theatre back in 1994 when the show opened, but I imagine Murphy was the talk of the season and she deserved every compliment paid her and more. Her Fosca is a master class in acting, not just for musical theatre but for all theatre, and I can only sit in awe of her. Absolutely stunning.

A stunning musical
I first found out about Passion as an avid Donna Murphy fan and i was once again not dissapointed by her performance or by the show itself. This is the most moving musical i have ever seen. Stephen Sondheim has once again struck gold with this beautiful and heart wrenching love story.

Donna Murphy deserved the 1994 Tony that she won for this performance and the way this was filmed her acting really shines. Her facial experesions and the emmotion that she taps into is phenomenal, and it is such a difference from other roles she has taken on (ex: Ruth Sherwood in Wonderful Town or Anji in Star Trek Insurrection) and this is a true testement to her acting ability.

I recomend this to any musical lover or anyone who loves a great and moving love story.

Stephen Sondheim on the depths and heights of "Passion"
In making a filmed version of their Tony Award winning musical "Passion," Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine end up solving one of the main problems of enjoying the show. The camera provides the requisite sense of intimacy that makes this story a more powerful experience because we are spared the distance of watching it from the seats. "Passion" does not have scenes of spectacle that fill the stage. It opens with two lovers in bed, singing directly into each other's faces, and that scene establishes the template for the best moments in the rest of the show.

The story comes from Ettore Scola's 1981 film, "Passione d'amore," which is based on the novel "Fosca" by Iginio Ugo Tarchetti, which Sondheim saw in 1983 and felt compelled to turn into a musical. Giorgio (Jere Shea), is a handsome young captain in the Italian army who is having an affair with the beautiful but married Clara (Marin Mazzie). He is then stationed far away from his love, but the two continue to communicate by letters (there are a lot of epistletory songs in "Passion"). There he meets Fosca (Donna Murphy,) the cousin of commanding officer. She is a homely, sickly woman, who has never been been taught how to love, but she falls completely for the young captain. Giorgio refuses her advances and tries to escape her attentions, bluntly telling Fosca that he will never return her feelings. But in the face of her undeniable passion, he finds that his heart and his mind are changing.

I had owned the CD of "Passion" since the musical first opened on Broadway because if Stephen Sondheim wants to write a musical I want to listen to it. I consider his "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" to be his masterpiece, and just listening to "Passion" it is clear that this musical is not that musical. To repeat the recurring criticism of some of Sondheim's work, that there is nothing for the audience to hum on their way out of the theater, might be inelegant and decidedly unoriginal but it is on point. Listening to the CD made little impression on me, but the same cannot be said for watching this DVD. Again, the experience is much better than it would be watching the show live, because when the camera comes up on these characters in close ups and two shots, its makes the story and the music much more powerful.

The performances by the two female leads are superb, and Shea's performance suffers a bit in comparison (not his singing, but his rather wooden acting), but that does not really matter. "Passion" is about "love," and not just any type of love, but "Love that thinks everything is pure, everything is beautiful, everything is possible..." Sometimes beauty is not just in the eye of the beholder, but in the ear as well. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Based on the Italian movie Passione d'amore, Stephen Sondheim's Passion is a story of obsessive love.Giorgio (Jere Shea), a soldier, and Clara (Marin Mazzie), a woman with a husband and child, are deeply in love, but their idyllic happiness is disrupted when Giorgio is transferred to another post. Here he meets Signora Fosca (Donna Murphy), a homely and ill woman who is the cousin of the regiment's commanding officer. Fosca soon falls in love with Giorgio and pursues him relentlessly, saying "Loving you is not a choice / It's who I am." He is repulsed and resists her advances, but eventually he succumbs to the power of her love.

Rather than a succession of individual songs strung together by dialogue, Stephen Sondheim's score is a constant flow of gorgeous music. (The original theater program listed no individual songs.) The plot is conveyed by song, some dialogue, letters between the characters, and a group of soldiers that serves as a Greek chorus. The result is more of a chamber opera than a conventional musical. Passion won Tonys for Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Book of 1994.

This video is a stage production filmed for American Playhouse with all of the original Broadway principals, though not before a live audience. To suit television audiences, the producers weakened the opening love scene by removing the nudity of the stage version; instead Mazzie awkwardly tries to keep herself wrapped in sheets as she sings to Giorgio of her bliss. Murphy gives a powerful, Tony-winning performance as Fosca, Mazzie is in glorious voice as Clara, and Shea brings a pretty voice, a pretty face, and a wooden personality to Giorgio. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Donna Murphy and Cast, SHINE!
I have been an avid fan of Broadway my whole life, have sampled nearly every Broadway musical out there, and I have never seen such a compelling, intriguing story as "Passion." Sodheim's brilliant score and the performances of the three principles (Marrin Mazzie, Jere Shea, and the incomparable Donna Murphy)is a stage/screen wonder.

Most notablely, there is Donna Murphy who has recreated her Tony Award-Winning performance as Fosca, the unattractive and ailing woman who's passion for her Giorgio is the only thing that keeps her alive.

Murphy's powerful, unparalled performance is rare indeed, and anyone can clearly see why the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Muscial (1994) went to her. Her performance is only overshadowed by her initial appearance. Any fan of Donna Murphy's knows that she is a devastatingly beautiful woman, and to make her appear unattractive, as Fosca Ricci had to be, must have been a difficult task. However, the character of Fosca, as Murphy plays her, is so deep and complex that you forget you are watching a fictional character as one is totally engrossed in the plot. That is, of course, true acting at it's best!

Shea and Mazzie are strong, however, there is no denying the true star of this musical: Donna Murphy. There is no doubt that "Passion" will bring any viewer to tears each and every time they watch it.

Music is incredible, acting is sometimes wooden
Sondheim's score for Passion is one of the most musically complex in recent musical theater. The mixing of major and minor keys -- depending on who is singing at the time -- is not really innovative, but the complexity and transitions between the keys as different characters take up different phrases in the songs is outstandingly done.

The lyrics aren't as clever as in other of Sondheim's shows, but they convey the various emotional states beautifully. The book by Levine is well put together, with no obvious flaws.

Of the cast, Donna Murphy easily deserved her Tony award for the role of Fosca. Her treatment of the character moving from appreciation to obsession to more tender loving of Georgio is remarkable, and her deep singing voice is a perfect complement to the music. The supporting characters are also fairly strong.

However, Jere Shea as Georgio is a case of bad casting. His expression -- as well as his acting -- are wooden, and he is obviously not up to the task of expressing the range of emotions necessary for the character. All that can be said in his credit is that he physically fits the part -- a man who would be considered attractive in Italy in the mid 1800s. Vocally, he has a competent voice, but, again, lacks emotional expression.

Marin Mazzie gives a competent performance. While her voice is easily up to the demands of the score, her facial expressions as she sings are distracting. How can a person who is grimacing as much as she does in the opening number be belivable when she sings about "all this happiness?"

All said and done, the score, book, direction, and female lead all complement each other wonderfully. However, the male lead and his paramour let the show down and prevent a "5 star" rating.

It's All About Donna Murphy!
Yes, you should get this DVD because it preserves the Tony-winning original production of Stephen Sondheim's "Passion." Yes, the show is excellent and probably works better on video, where the lack of opportunities to applaud aren't so jarring. Yes, the seamless transition from song to speech and back again proves surprisingly effective and engrossing. All of these are compelling reasons to buy this DVD.

But the biggest and best reason for buying this DVD can be summed up in two words: Donna Murphy. Oh my God, her Fosca is unbelievable!!! Her Tony-winning performance is unforgetable and will stick with you for weeks (maybe even months) after you first see it. I have never been so moved by a character in a musical before. She had me near tears, and I hardly ever cry while watching a show. I cannot begin to put into words the kind of depth Murphy brings to the tortured soul of Fosca, the longing for acceptance, the rudeness, and yet the unbridled love that Murphy layers into her performance. She steals ever scene she's in, and if the show had her on stage constantly for its almost two hours you wouldn't hear me complain. In fact, the notes of the insert have book writer James Lapine reminded everyone that the show is actually about Gregio, not Fosca, showing just how much attention Murphy must have gotten. I didn't really follow theatre back in 1994 when the show opened, but I imagine Murphy was the talk of the season and she deserved every compliment paid her and more. Her Fosca is a master class in acting, not just for musical theatre but for all theatre, and I can only sit in awe of her. Absolutely stunning.

A stunning musical
I first found out about Passion as an avid Donna Murphy fan and i was once again not dissapointed by her performance or by the show itself. This is the most moving musical i have ever seen. Stephen Sondheim has once again struck gold with this beautiful and heart wrenching love story.

Donna Murphy deserved the 1994 Tony that she won for this performance and the way this was filmed her acting really shines. Her facial experesions and the emmotion that she taps into is phenomenal, and it is such a difference from other roles she has taken on (ex: Ruth Sherwood in Wonderful Town or Anji in Star Trek Insurrection) and this is a true testement to her acting ability.

I recomend this to any musical lover or anyone who loves a great and moving love story.

Stephen Sondheim on the depths and heights of "Passion"
In making a filmed version of their Tony Award winning musical "Passion," Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine end up solving one of the main problems of enjoying the show. The camera provides the requisite sense of intimacy that makes this story a more powerful experience because we are spared the distance of watching it from the seats. "Passion" does not have scenes of spectacle that fill the stage. It opens with two lovers in bed, singing directly into each other's faces, and that scene establishes the template for the best moments in the rest of the show.

The story comes from Ettore Scola's 1981 film, "Passione d'amore," which is based on the novel "Fosca" by Iginio Ugo Tarchetti, which Sondheim saw in 1983 and felt compelled to turn into a musical. Giorgio (Jere Shea), is a handsome young captain in the Italian army who is having an affair with the beautiful but married Clara (Marin Mazzie). He is then stationed far away from his love, but the two continue to communicate by letters (there are a lot of epistletory songs in "Passion"). There he meets Fosca (Donna Murphy,) the cousin of commanding officer. She is a homely, sickly woman, who has never been been taught how to love, but she falls completely for the young captain. Giorgio refuses her advances and tries to escape her attentions, bluntly telling Fosca that he will never return her feelings. But in the face of her undeniable passion, he finds that his heart and his mind are changing.

I had owned the CD of "Passion" since the musical first opened on Broadway because if Stephen Sondheim wants to write a musical I want to listen to it. I consider his "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" to be his masterpiece, and just listening to "Passion" it is clear that this musical is not that musical. To repeat the recurring criticism of some of Sondheim's work, that there is nothing for the audience to hum on their way out of the theater, might be inelegant and decidedly unoriginal but it is on point. Listening to the CD made little impression on me, but the same cannot be said for watching this DVD. Again, the experience is much better than it would be watching the show live, because when the camera comes up on these characters in close ups and two shots, its makes the story and the music much more powerful.

The performances by the two female leads are superb, and Shea's performance suffers a bit in comparison (not his singing, but his rather wooden acting), but that does not really matter. "Passion" is about "love," and not just any type of love, but "Love that thinks everything is pure, everything is beautiful, everything is possible..." Sometimes beauty is not just in the eye of the beholder, but in the ear as well. ... Read more

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Still more Victorian country-house shenanigans: novelist GeorgeSand (Judy Davis, affected but pretty darn charming) has eyes for FranzLiszt's young protégé Chopin (Hugh Grant, solid as always, but burdenedby a silly Polish accent and a script that never lets him stretch out),but various lovers, jealous rivals, and Chopin's own overdeveloped senseof propriety conspire to confound her. Impromptu is witty but overlong--probably 20 minutes of hijinks and repartee, not to mentionseveral completely gratuitous and redundant characters, could have beensliced from the film. Davis plays Sand as an impetuous, overgrowntomboy, outraging her genteel hosts by wearing pants, chomping cigars,and falling off horses; her coterie of artist-friends assure us, in aseries of naked plot devices, that she nonetheless has a heart of gold. It's all good silly fun, and about as feminist as your average DefLeppard video--the other two developed female characters are uglystereotypes: a featherbrained, feckless social climber (Emma Thompson,who once again proves she's up for anything) and a spiteful,back-stabbing shrew (the ever-capable Bernadette Peters). Director JamesLapine clearly belongs to the Dr. Quinn school of historical accuracy,so don't expect to learn anything about the period or the artiststhemselves. Impromptu is far more Melrose Place than Mrs. Dalloway, orperhaps best described as an episode of Entertainment Tonight set in the19th century. --Miles Bethany ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Don't miss this romantic very entertaining comedy!
"Impromptu": What a dry sounding name for such a lively movie! When this film was in theaters in 1991, I gave it little notice (even if Siskel and Ebert loved it). Then several years later the whole Jane Austen craze hit, and I was seduced into giving period pieces a view. Not to mention Hugh Grant had become all the rage in "Four Weddings and a Funeral."

Period piece + Hugh Grant = giving it a view.

I LOVED IT.

First of all, if you are expecting a calm, quiet, "polite" film, you will be surprised. This film is based on the real life of Madame George Sand, the scandalous 19th Century French novelist, played brilliantly by Judy Davis. Sand is no Jane Austen creation: She uses the f-word (though not to excess), has sex with whom she chooses, and is more likely to wear pants (which required permission by the French government at the time) than dresses. She is also charming, romantic, and intelligent.

Her friends are the famous artists of the time: painter Eugene Delacroix and composer Franz Litz (amongst others, including Litz's conniving lover, played by Bernadette Peters). As a result, this film is far more of an unrepentant romp than anything you would expect for the time and place (though this film is far from ribald-- I believe it earned its overly cautious MPAA rating of PG-13 for the aforementioned, infrequent use of the f-word). Emma Thompson gives a positively hilarious performance as a provincial society "title tart." Mandy Patinkin, does equally as well as the ex-lover (and novelist Malfie) of Sand.

Hugh Grant plays the composer Fredric Chopin. He is the polar opposite of Sand. Chopin is a man who is as delicate and refined as any French court ladies of the day. This, of course, appeals to the tougher-than-nails Sand, who finds Chopin's music to be the "voice of God." Chopin is rather troubled by the romantic attentions of such a woman, and a comedy of errors ensues.

This movie is especially appealing because it has all the romance of the best Jane Austen film adaptations, while having such a wonderfully (dare I say) feminist character as Sand. Not that anyone will read any "message" in this film; you will be too busy being entertained.

This film was out of print for some time, and I paid $100.00 for my copy as a result. Don't make the same mistake I made. Buy "Impromptu" now while you can. It is a film worthy of many repeated viewings.

Eccentric novelist pursues composer in romantic comedy
"Impromptu" is a delightful historical romance about the long, tumultuous love affair between composer Frederick Chopin and novelist George Sand. It is not a biography, for the movie's script takes great license beyond the basic dates and places. The affair might have happened this way, but most probably did not. None of this much matters, though, because the movie doesn't pretend to be strictly accurate historically and because it does a good job of capturing the spirit of the times and of its characters.

Judy Davis is marvelous as George Sand, a brilliant, eccentric woman who eschewed the social mores of her time. Already tired of her current lover, she is more determined than ever to dump him after she meets and falls in love with Chopin, nicely played by Hugh Grant. Chopin is portrayed as being a rather shy, morally upright [and uptight!] man who is taken aback by Sand's assertive nature and odd habits, which include dressing like a man most of the time. Undeterred by his thwarting of her advances, she pursues him relentlessly, almost getting him killed in a duel in the process. Playing an active part in all these goings on - sometimes for Sand's quest, sometimes against it - are Chopin's great friend Franz Liszt [Julian Sand] and his lover, Marie [Bernadette Peters]. Both Sand and Peters have substantial supporting roles, as do Emma Thompson and Mandy Patinkin. The cast alone makes "Impromptu" worth seeing. Also enjoyable is the soundtrack, almost all of which is taken from Chopin's works.

As history, this movie is dubious. As entertainment, it's first rate. It reminds me somewhat of "Emma", in that it is more comedy than drama.

George Sand And Chopin: Romantic Comedy
This 1991 movie directed by James Lepine is an absolute charm. It's a romantic comedy, it's a historical piece and a colorful introduction to the music of Frederic Chopin, Franz Liszt and the life and writings of Madame George Sand Aurore Dudevant. The romantic comedy is well-written, the actors are doing top-notch performances and the music is heaven. I don't know yet if there is a soundtrack but it's likely there is and it must be beautiful. George Sand was the pen name of the feminist writer Aurore Dudevant who scandalized proper Victorian society in the 19th century by dressing as a man, smoking cigars, abandoning her wealthy and respected husband to live the liberal lifestyle of a bohemian writer of novels. She had many lovers, including Alfred De Musset (who is played in this film by Mandy Patinkin)and her most famous lover, Frederic Chopin. It is their love story that this movie focues on. Stars Judi Davis as George Sand, Hugh Grant as Chopin and Bernadette Peters as the Countess Marie D'Agoult. I will not give away the answer. But Chopin, though he never married Sand, was greatly influenced by his knowing her and his most productive period of composing piano music came after their heartbreaking seperation. Chopin died young of tubercolosis. It's very possible that he loved George Sand but I'm thinking that for Sand, no man was really ever good enough for her. After all, she was the embodiment of the feminist, independent single woman who did'nt really need marriage or love.

Judi Davis is doing an Oscar winning performance as George Sand, who is ultimately a woman who belongs to no one and who lives life to the fullest. She has raised children to be as creative as she is and taken full responsibility for her children as well as for her elderly mother. Bored of the dull life after her divorce from the father of her children, she takes her current lover to the French countryside. There, she is invited by a wealthy hostess to her estate. The drama heightens in a soap opera sort of way when none other than Alfred De Musset the poet and ex-lover of Sand shows up. Her jealous boyfriend, Malfitte, challenges him to a duel. Meanwhile, Sand has fallen for Chopin, who is her polar opposite. While she is free, intense, devil-may-care and very healthy, Chopin is reserved, emotional, sensitive, refined and suffering of bad health with tubercolosis. Their relationship is accurate to truth but not in the way the film depicts. The disaster that happens in the country estate, comedically produced, never really happened. Bernadette Peters delivers a terrific performance as well as the scheming and bitter Marie D'Agoult, whose own marriage to Franz Liszt after having many children with him, including Cosima who later marries Richard Wagner, but that's another story and even another movie. This is a well-done movie with lots of charm and witty scenes. I especially enjoyed the entire portion in the country estate, in which the artist Delacroix, Franz Liszt and Chopin discuss over dinner the existence of God in front of a priest, put on a satirical farce play that ends badly and Sand's adorable children who are always finding some excuse to play with explosives and dynomite.

Superb
This is an excellent film which depicts with some humor and intrigue the life of Chopin. Hugh Grant and Judy Davis play fantastic parts. One actually gets a feel for the era in which Chopin lived. The music is stupendous and invites an even greater appreciation for Chopin's talents.
Thoroughly enjoyable!

i have loved this movie since london, 1990
where i first saw it on screen at a local cinema. wit, grace, charm, and granted yes, somewhat affected performances, but still a sweetness manages to come through. love & music, eternal muses, are showcased in their manic, most evocative forms here & are captured in all their energy & wit of an era of change, challenge & growth culturally...thought the 1960s were a time for pushing boundaries? it has nothing on the 1830s/40s for experimentation & artistic endeavor. watch the movie! ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Don't miss this romantic very entertaining comedy!
"Impromptu": What a dry sounding name for such a lively movie! When this film was in theaters in 1991, I gave it little notice (even if Siskel and Ebert loved it). Then several years later the whole Jane Austen craze hit, and I was seduced into giving period pieces a view. Not to mention Hugh Grant had become all the rage in "Four Weddings and a Funeral."

Period piece + Hugh Grant = giving it a view.

I LOVED IT.

First of all, if you are expecting a calm, quiet, "polite" film, you will be surprised. This film is based on the real life of Madame George Sand, the scandalous 19th Century French novelist, played brilliantly by Judy Davis. Sand is no Jane Austen creation: She uses the f-word (though not to excess), has sex with whom she chooses, and is more likely to wear pants (which required permission by the French government at the time) than dresses. She is also charming, romantic, and intelligent.

Her friends are the famous artists of the time: painter Eugene Delacroix and composer Franz Litz (amongst others, including Litz's conniving lover, played by Bernadette Peters). As a result, this film is far more of an unrepentant romp than anything you would expect for the time and place (though this film is far from ribald-- I believe it earned its overly cautious MPAA rating of PG-13 for the aforementioned, infrequent use of the f-word). Emma Thompson gives a positively hilarious performance as a provincial society "title tart." Mandy Patinkin, does equally as well as the ex-lover (and novelist Malfie) of Sand.

Hugh Grant plays the composer Fredric Chopin. He is the polar opposite of Sand. Chopin is a man who is as delicate and refined as any French court ladies of the day. This, of course, appeals to the tougher-than-nails Sand, who finds Chopin's music to be the "voice of God." Chopin is rather troubled by the romantic attentions of such a woman, and a comedy of errors ensues.

This movie is especially appealing because it has all the romance of the best Jane Austen film adaptations, while having such a wonderfully (dare I say) feminist character as Sand. Not that anyone will read any "message" in this film; you will be too busy being entertained.

This film was out of print for some time, and I paid $100.00 for my copy as a result. Don't make the same mistake I made. Buy "Impromptu" now while you can. It is a film worthy of many repeated viewings.

Eccentric novelist pursues composer in romantic comedy
"Impromptu" is a delightful historical romance about the long, tumultuous love affair between composer Frederick Chopin and novelist George Sand. It is not a biography, for the movie's script takes great license beyond the basic dates and places. The affair might have happened this way, but most probably did not. None of this much matters, though, because the movie doesn't pretend to be strictly accurate historically and because it does a good job of capturing the spirit of the times and of its characters.

Judy Davis is marvelous as George Sand, a brilliant, eccentric woman who eschewed the social mores of her time. Already tired of her current lover, she is more determined than ever to dump him after she meets and falls in love with Chopin, nicely played by Hugh Grant. Chopin is portrayed as being a rather shy, morally upright [and uptight!] man who is taken aback by Sand's assertive nature and odd habits, which include dressing like a man most of the time. Undeterred by his thwarting of her advances, she pursues him relentlessly, almost getting him killed in a duel in the process. Playing an active part in all these goings on - sometimes for Sand's quest, sometimes against it - are Chopin's great friend Franz Liszt [Julian Sand] and his lover, Marie [Bernadette Peters]. Both Sand and Peters have substantial supporting roles, as do Emma Thompson and Mandy Patinkin. The cast alone makes "Impromptu" worth seeing. Also enjoyable is the soundtrack, almost all of which is taken from Chopin's works.

As history, this movie is dubious. As entertainment, it's first rate. It reminds me somewhat of "Emma", in that it is more comedy than drama.

George Sand And Chopin: Romantic Comedy
This 1991 movie directed by James Lepine is an absolute charm. It's a romantic comedy, it's a historical piece and a colorful introduction to the music of Frederic Chopin, Franz Liszt and the life and writings of Madame George Sand Aurore Dudevant. The romantic comedy is well-written, the actors are doing top-notch performances and the music is heaven. I don't know yet if there is a soundtrack but it's likely there is and it must be beautiful. George Sand was the pen name of the feminist writer Aurore Dudevant who scandalized proper Victorian society in the 19th century by dressing as a man, smoking cigars, abandoning her wealthy and respected husband to live the liberal lifestyle of a bohemian writer of novels. She had many lovers, including Alfred De Musset (who is played in this film by Mandy Patinkin)and her most famous lover, Frederic Chopin. It is their love story that this movie focues on. Stars Judi Davis as George Sand, Hugh Grant as Chopin and Bernadette Peters as the Countess Marie D'Agoult. I will not give away the answer. But Chopin, though he never married Sand, was greatly influenced by his knowing her and his most productive period of composing piano music came after their heartbreaking seperation. Chopin died young of tubercolosis. It's very possible that he loved George Sand but I'm thinking that for Sand, no man was really ever good enough for her. After all, she was the embodiment of the feminist, independent single woman who did'nt really need marriage or love.

Judi Davis is doing an Oscar winning performance as George Sand, who is ultimately a woman who belongs to no one and who lives life to the fullest. She has raised children to be as creative as she is and taken full responsibility for her children as well as for her elderly mother. Bored of the dull life after her divorce from the father of her children, she takes her current lover to the French countryside. There, she is invited by a wealthy hostess to her estate. The drama heightens in a soap opera sort of way when none other than Alfred De Musset the poet and ex-lover of Sand shows up. Her jealous boyfriend, Malfitte, challenges him to a duel. Meanwhile, Sand has fallen for Chopin, who is her polar opposite. While she is free, intense, devil-may-care and very healthy, Chopin is reserved, emotional, sensitive, refined and suffering of bad health with tubercolosis. Their relationship is accurate to truth but not in the way the film depicts. The disaster that happens in the country estate, comedically produced, never really happened. Bernadette Peters delivers a terrific performance as well as the scheming and bitter Marie D'Agoult, whose own marriage to Franz Liszt after having many children with him, including Cosima who later marries Richard Wagner, but that's another story and even another movie. This is a well-done movie with lots of charm and witty scenes. I especially enjoyed the entire portion in the country estate, in which the artist Delacroix, Franz Liszt and Chopin discuss over dinner the existence of God in front of a priest, put on a satirical farce play that ends badly and Sand's adorable children who are always finding some excuse to play with explosives and dynomite.

Superb
This is an excellent film which depicts with some humor and intrigue the life of Chopin. Hugh Grant and Judy Davis play fantastic parts. One actually gets a feel for the era in which Chopin lived. The music is stupendous and invites an even greater appreciation for Chopin's talents.
Thoroughly enjoyable!

i have loved this movie since london, 1990
where i first saw it on screen at a local cinema. wit, grace, charm, and granted yes, somewhat affected performances, but still a sweetness manages to come through. love & music, eternal muses, are showcased in their manic, most evocative forms here & are captured in all their energy & wit of an era of change, challenge & growth culturally...thought the 1960s were a time for pushing boundaries? it has nothing on the 1830s/40s for experimentation & artistic endeavor. watch the movie! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Very good movie with excellent performances
This is a good road movie, I really enjoyed it. What makes this movie good is without a doubt the great acting from its two stars. Susan Sarandon and Stephen Dorff are excellent in their roles as kidnapper and hostage. The movie is also funny at times and very serious at times which I really like. Stephen Dorff is a very good actor and if he keeps doing roles like this one he could very easily follow in the steps of Johnny Depp which is one of my favorite actors. Susan Sarandon is always good and this film is really worth the time again the acting is excellent and is the reason to see this movie.

Starts Out With Promise But Quickly Fizzles
I watched this film during my " obsession " with Stephen Dorff. I fell in love with him after I saw " Blade " and from that point made it my mission to see every film he'd ever been in or was going to be in. I saw this when it debuted on HBO and I was disappointed. I have nothing against Susan Sarandon and everyone knows she's a very nice person and a fine actress, but she wasn't truly Charlotte. Susan Sarandon comes off as too strong of a person to play such a meek lady. Whenever I looked at her I saw roles from " White Castle " and " Thelma and Louise ". I couldn't buy Susan as a woman who had to run from her husband no matter how many bad dresses they put her in.

The film was based on Anne Tyler's novel. I found the movie better than the novel but that isn't saying much. Alot of things were changed for the screen. I don't remember Charlotte and Jake being romantically involved in the book. Susan and Stephen had no chemistry. Why do filmmakers insist on making a romance when there doesn't need to be one? I appreciated the conversations when she seemed to look out for him like a mother would. But that was ruined when they threw in the lame sex in a cheap motel. This was not fair to the characters. Jake was too hyped up and alarmed about his baby to start having sex with a woman he didn't know. Charlotte was a church going woman who wouldn't have touched Jake with a ten-foot pole. The romance factor wasn't believable and turned the movie from sensible to fluff.

I wished they could have spent more time on the road because that was the most entertaining. Once they picked up Mindy, I was asleep. I tried to give this film a chance but seeing how the book was less than average, I sort of got what was coming to me. Stephen Dorff is always a terrific actor. No one can make a character become their own like him. He and Susan would have been a knock-out duo on another kind of movie. This one came up short. It's a nice little family movie and it has all the usual sappiness of many chick films. But THIS chick felt it could have been a lot better.

Hilarious duo
It was nice to see Stephen Dorff do something other than bad guy roles. The chemistry between him and Susan Sarandon is wonderful and full of laughter. I recommend this one for those who just need to escape and laugh a bit.

A must see
I loved this movie! Stephen Dorff does an all around great job in acting the part of jake simms. I am a big fan of his work and hope that he keeps on following up movies that are as great as this one.

Better than the book!
There's something to really be loved about this film. Initially I had plans on watching it because it stars Stephen Dorff, who is one of my all-time favorite actors, but since I didn't have HBO, I had a friend of mine record it for me (later I got the DVD) and I even decided to go pick up the book before I watched the movie. To my surprise, I enjoyed the movie a LOT more than the book. Though the book has it's good points, it alternates between the present and the past, and I tended to get a bit bored with the past part. Not only that, but the film has added romance, which gives it an extra special flair. I found myself much more satisfied with the film, in the end. It's fun, it's funny, and it's *surprisingly* very good. ... Read more