This is easily one of the best American films of the 90s and certainly one of the best screenplays of the last 50 years.
Carrie Fisher writes dialogue like nobody else in show business and she outdoes herself with this semi-biopic about her life growing up in the biz with her actress Mom, Debbie Reynolds.
The film is loosely based on the novel of the same title by Fisher, and I say "loosely", because Nichols asked Fisher to re-write several parts to make them more "film-friendly". The book is more about drug addiction and the character of the mother (played brilliantly by Shirley MacLaine) is barely involved.
The film focuses (smartly) on the relationship between mother and daughter and Maclaine and Streep have a field day and create some of the most memorable mother-daughter scenes in American cinema history, thanks to the able direction of Mike Nichols. Dennis Quaid is also wonderful as the narcissistic drug addicted man that plays with Streep's character's emotions.
This is one of my all time favorite films, it's the only film on my top 10 list made in the last 25 years, and will be remembered for generations to come as the gem that it is. The screenplay is so amazing that about 80% of the dialogue is totally quotable and can be repeated ad nauseum to the delight of its fans (and annoyance of their relatives and significant others).
Wonderful cameos from everyone from Mary Wickes, Rob Reiner, Gene Hackman, Annette Benning, Oliver Platt and more...if you can get your hands on the DVD with Carrie Fisher commentary, it's just as hilarious as the film itself. The woman is a genius and it's a crime she wasn't nominated (or won) an Oscar for Best Screenplay for this film.
Carrie Fisher writes dialogue like nobody else in show business and she outdoes herself with this semi-biopic about her life growing up in the biz with her actress Mom, Debbie Reynolds.
The film is loosely based on the novel of the same title by Fisher, and I say "loosely", because Nichols asked Fisher to re-write several parts to make them more "film-friendly". The book is more about drug addiction and the character of the mother (played brilliantly by Shirley MacLaine) is barely involved.
The film focuses (smartly) on the relationship between mother and daughter and Maclaine and Streep have a field day and create some of the most memorable mother-daughter scenes in American cinema history, thanks to the able direction of Mike Nichols. Dennis Quaid is also wonderful as the narcissistic drug addicted man that plays with Streep's character's emotions.
This is one of my all time favorite films, it's the only film on my top 10 list made in the last 25 years, and will be remembered for generations to come as the gem that it is. The screenplay is so amazing that about 80% of the dialogue is totally quotable and can be repeated ad nauseum to the delight of its fans (and annoyance of their relatives and significant others).
Wonderful cameos from everyone from Mary Wickes, Rob Reiner, Gene Hackman, Annette Benning, Oliver Platt and more...if you can get your hands on the DVD with Carrie Fisher commentary, it's just as hilarious as the film itself. The woman is a genius and it's a crime she wasn't nominated (or won) an Oscar for Best Screenplay for this film.