Young Drew Barrymore almost quit acting after starring in this movie. According to what she wrote in her book, Little Girl Lost, there was a lot of fighting going on between crew members. Apparently it took them up to 30-40 takes for some small scenes, because no one was ever fully content. One Day Drew even broke down crying and she ran to her trailer because it exhausted her to keep putting up with it all. When they finished she doubted her career choice because for her, acting was about fun and being part of a crew. Rumor has it Shelley Long's perfectionistic acting method acting was intrusive again.
The cowriters of this movie, Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer, were like the main characters in Irreconcilable Differences, a married couple who collaborated on movies until they divorced in 1999.
Ryan O'Neal took the role for no salary, just points, because he really wanted to do it, but they didn't have the money to pay the actors what they usually earned. He said he loved the movie and thinks it's some of his best work.