Unstrung Heroes (1995)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Diane Keaton

Writers (WGA):

Franz Lidz (book)
Richard LaGravenese (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 September 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Sometimes you find your heroes in the most unlikely places.

Plot:

Steven Lidz, unhappy with his home life since his mother got sick, goes and lives with his two crazy Uncles...

Plot Keywords:

Uncle | Eccentric | Inventor | Dysfunctional Family | Childhood Memory

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Andie MacDowell	...	Selma Lidz
John Turturro	...	Sid Lidz
Michael Richards	...	Danny Lidz
Maury Chaykin	...	Arthur Lidz
Nathan Watt	...	Steven / Franz Lidz
Anne De Salvo	...	May
Celia Weston	...	Amelia
Jack McGee	...	Lindquist
Candice Azzara	...	Joanie (as Candy Azzara)
Kendra Krull	...	Sandy Lidz
Giuseppe Andrews	...	Ash (as Joey Andrews)
Lillian Adams	...	Aunt Estelle
Lou Cutell	...	Uncle Melvin
Sumer Stamper	...	Nancy Oppenheim
Sean P. Donahue	...	Ralph Crispi (as Sean Donahue)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | Australia:PG | Denmark:12 | Finland:K-8 | Germany:6 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Johnie's Broiler - 7447 Firestone Blvd., Downey, California, USA

Company:

Hollywood Pictures

Trivia:

Henry Winkler auditioned for the role of Danny Lidz. He arrived in character and in full costume.

Quotes:

Sid Lidz: Religion is a crutch. Only cripples need crutches.
Arthur Lidz: A crutch isn't bad if you need it, Sidney.
Danny Lidz: All of us are cripples in some way.
Sid Lidz: Well, I'm not.

Movie Connections:

References Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

Soundtrack:

L'Internationale

A Movie That Stays With You

Since this story goes back and forth between a comedy and a really sad, dramatic story, I guess you could call it unique. The drama is much more at the end involving Andie McDowell's character.

Supposedly, this is a true-life story of Steven "Franz" Lidz and his wacky family - the kid (Nathan Watt), the father (John Turturro) and the two uncles (Maury Chaykin and Michael Richards.). The story has a lot of Jewish flavor and religious themes, pro and con. It's not an easy story to explain so I won't go past what I've said that it's simply an interesting portrait of a different-kind of family with lots of laughs early on but tears later.

You could get an idea early on that it's kind of a sweet movie, but there are some uncomfortable scenes in here. There is a little bit of about everything, guaranteed to strike everyone's emotions somewhere along the way. The story stayed with me long after I first watched it.