Heavy (1995)

Director:

James Mangold

Writer:

James Mangold (written by)

Release Date:

5 June 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

The life of an overweight, unhappy cook is forever changed after a kind, beautiful college drop-out comes to work as a waitress at he and his mother's roadside restaurant.

Plot Keywords:

Waitress | Loneliness | Unrequited Love | Pizza | Seduction

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Pruitt Taylor Vince	...	Victor Modino
Shelley Winters	...	Dolly Modino
Liv Tyler	...	Callie
Deborah Harry	...	Delores
Joe Grifasi	...	Leo
Evan Dando	...	Jeff
David Patrick Kelly	...	Grey Man in Hospital
Marian Quinn	...	Darlene
Meg Hartig	...	Donna
Zandy Hartig	...	Jean
Peter Ortel	...	Tony
George Alvarez	...	Orderly
Cordis Heard	...	Nurse
J.C. MacKenzie	...	Gas Man (as J.C. Mackenzie)
Allan D'Arcangelo	...	Sonny

Also Known As:

Upstate Story (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and a scene of sexuality.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | France:U | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Culinary Institute of America, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA

Company:

Available Light Productions

Trivia:

Charles Thompson (aka Frank Black) of the Pixies says on a deleted scene of loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies (2006), that he was approached for the part of Victor. He turned it down, saying he "didn't want to play that type of character".

Quotes:

Dolly: Why, you mustn't skip breakfast. It's the most imp... important meal.
Victor: I'm fat ma.
Dolly: You are not fat, you are not. Honey, you're husky, you're... you're well-built, you're macho!
Victor: I am fat ma!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cop Land (1997)

Soundtrack:

Please Tell Me A Lie

A title that has multiple meanings in this film.

I feel that this is an emotional, heavy hearted and well acted, film. The story centers around an overweight, maternally dependent short order and pizza cook, at a family run bar and eats, in a small town somewhere in America. Learning about Victor as he deals with change in his reclusive, maternally dominated life, by the introduction of an outsider, portrayed by Liv Tyler, and the sudden death of his mother is what makes this film so good. It is not a dark tale, but I feel, one of sadness that is presented through a group of people who in everyone's real lives would just be passed by. The film makes you feel for this small group of people struggling to make their emotional ends meet in their everyday lives. The film is well done enough that you feel a desire to know the history of the characters but feel as what you know is enough to emphasize with these characters.