Made in America (1993)

User Rating:

4.5/10   

Director:

Richard Benjamin

Writers (WGA):

Marcia Brandwynne (story) &
Nadine Schiff (story) ...

Release Date:

28 May 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

At the sperm-bank she asked for a tall, intelligent, black man. One out of three ain't bad.

Plot:

A young black woman discovers that her father was a sperm donor, and if that weren't bad enough, he's white. |

Plot Keywords:

Sperm Donor | Dysfunctional Family | Small Shop | Artificial Insemination | Screwball Comedy

Cast

Whoopi Goldberg	...	Sarah Mathews
Ted Danson	...	Halbert 'Hal' Jackson
Will Smith	...	Tea Cake Walters
Nia Long	...	Zora Mathews
Paul Rodriguez	...	Jose
Jennifer Tilly	...	Stacy
Peggy Rea	...	Alberta
Clyde Kusatsu	...	Bob Takashima
David Bowe	...	Teddy
Jeffrey Joseph	...	James
Rawley Valverde	...	Diego
Fred Mancuso	...	Bruce
Charlene Fernetz	...	Paula
Shawn Levy	...	Dwayne
Lu Leonard	...	Sperm Bank Nurse

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual situations and language.

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

France | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:L | Germany:6 (f) | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Peru:14 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Albany, California, USA

Company:

Alcor Films

Trivia:

The African Craft Shop is in the same street as a cinema advertising "A Paula Prentiss Retrospective". Prentiss is the wife of director 'Benjamin, Richard'.

Goofs:

Continuity: Placement of fruit in bowl during the love scene. The fruit is kicked out by Sarah's foot, then is neatly back in place moments later.

Quotes:

Tea Cake Walters: There's a white man at the door!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Bob Saget/TLC (#20.19)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

M-O-T-H-E-R (A Word That Means The World To Me)

Some Good Moments, But Only Average at Best

Ted Danson's run on "Cheers" was about over and it looked like he might go exclusively to the big-screen, but "Made in America" ended those hopes pretty quick. African-American high school senior Nia Long learns that she was conceived through artificial means and tries to find out who her real father is. Of course it turns out to be obnoxious car salesman Danson and this is when the comedy starts. Long's mother (Whoopi Goldberg) is really upset with the data, but actually begins to fall for Danson to Long's dismay as she wants Danson to be the father she has never had. The movie goes for comedy for the most part, but then turns dramatically in the final act and this makes the film uneven in many important respects. Everyone is adequate, but the screenplay struggles to succeed and never does really accomplish its goal. Will Smith is particularly good as Long's best friend. 2.5 out of 5 stars.