Mystic Pizza (1988)

Three teenage girls come of age while working at a pizza parlor in Mystic Connecticut.

Director:

Donald Petrie

Writers:

Amy Holden Jones (story), Amy Holden Jones (screenplay),

Stars:

Annabeth Gish, Julia Roberts, Lili Taylor

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Annabeth Gish	...	Kat Arujo
Julia Roberts	...	Daisy Arujo
Lili Taylor	...	Jojo
Vincent D'Onofrio	...	Bill (as Vincent Phillip D'Onofrio)
William R. Moses	...	Tim Travers
Adam Storke	...	Charles Gordon Windsor, Jr.
Conchata Ferrell	...	Leona
Joanna Merlin	...	Mrs. Arujo
Porscha Radcliffe	...	Phoebe Travers
John Fiore	...	Jake
Gene Amoroso	...	Mr. Barboza
Sheila Ferrini	...	Mrs. Barboza
Janet Zarish	...	Nicole Travers
Louis Turenne	...	Hector Freshette
Lauren O'Brien	...	Serena

Storyline

Sisters Kat and Daisy work along with Jojo at the pizza parlour in Mystic, Connecticut. Kat, shortly off to Yale, finds herself drawn to a local architect she is babysitting for, while her more tearaway sister starts dating a guy from the money side of the tracks. Jojo leaves her man at the altar; she loves him but shies away from commitment. Meanwhile the fame of the pizza continues to spread; it seems to contain something almost ..... mystic.

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Plot Keywords:

pizza | commitment | marriage | sister sister relationship | summer | 

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Taglines:

A romantic comedy with the works.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 October 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

3 Girlfriends

Filming Locations:

Connecticut, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$12,793,213 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Night Life Inc., Samuel Goldwyn Company, The, Virgin Vision

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

With the exception of a few exterior shots of downtown Mystic, most of the film was shot in nearby Rhode Island.

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Goofs

When Jo-Jo is arguing with her boyfriend as his fishing boat is heading out to sea, the boat is actually going up river. This is hidden pretty well, but Mystic residents have noticed.

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Quotes

Bill: [to Jojo] I'm tellin you I LOVE YOU, and all you love is my *dick*! Do you know how that makes me feel?

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Connections

Referenced in Animaniacs: Video Review/When Mice Ruled the Earth (1993)

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Soundtracks

"I AIN'T GOT NOBODY"
As performed by Louis Prima
Courtesy of Capitol Records, Inc., Special Markets Division
Written by Spencer Williams and Roger Graham
Published by Edwyn H. Morris & Co. a division of MPL Communications, Inc. (ASCAP) and Jerry Vogel Music Co.,
Inc. (ASCAP)

User Reviews

What's the secret ingredient in the pizza?

Pizza, that delicious Italian dish has been adapted by people all over the world into their own way to express their interpretation about the way it should taste. It's not surprising that in Mystic, Ct., where there's a large Portuguese population, Leona, the owner of the Mystic Pizza restaurant has created a concoction that is admired by everyone. Don't ask her to reveal her ingredients because she will not tell you.

Daniel Petrie, the director, takes us along for a ride to this coastal town in which Amy Jones' story is set. We meet the three friends that work in the restaurant, Jojo, Daisy and Kat; the last two are sisters. Jojo is intense, but has a problem accepting the fact that Bill, her fiancé, wants to formalize their engagement. In the opening scenes we watch as Jojo faints in the church where she is marrying Bill. Panic strikes and she jilts him.

Daisy, is a beautiful girl who appears to be grounded. When Charlie, the preppy guy finds her at a local bar, it seems he is quite taken by her. Daisy, who should have known better embarks in a love affair with this young which one realizes is doomed from the start. Not only are they from two different worlds, but romances like these are just a passing fancy for wealthy boys. So is the involvement with the wise and intelligent Kat with Tim, the young father with a child who needs a sitter. Kat will be hurt in thinking Tim will want her over the absent wife.

"Mystic Pizza" is about the friendship of the three local girls and their way of looking at life from different angles. Annabeth Gish makes a great appearance in the film with her Kat. Lili Taylor is also good as Jojo. This was a film that presented Julia Roberts that hinted at her success as a movie actress. The rest of the cast plays well in the film. Vincent D'Onofrio, William Moses, Adam Storker and Conchata Farrell do good work under Mr. Petrie's direction. Seen in a small role that if one blinks, one would miss him, is Matt Damon making his first screen appearance.