Unhook the Stars (1996)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Nick Cassavetes

Writers:

Helen Caldwell (writer)
Nick Cassavetes (writer)

Release Date:

14 February 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

When prim & proper meets wild & crazy get ready to ...

Plot:

Character study about Mildred, an elderly woman who has spent her life caring for others. When her daughter finally leaves home...

Plot Keywords:

Character Study | Starting Over | Kitchen Scene | Neighbor | Red Wine

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Gena Rowlands	...	Mildred 'Millie' Hawks
Marisa Tomei	...	Monica Warren
Gérard Depardieu	...	Big Tommy Bellaveau (as Gerard Depardieu)
Jake Lloyd	...	Jake 'J.J.' Warren
Moira Kelly	...	Ann Mary Margaret 'Annie' Hawks
David Sherrill	...	Ethan Hawks
David Thornton	...	Frankie Warren
Bridgette Wilson	...	Jeannie Hawks
Bobby Cooper	...	Bernt
Clint Howard	...	Gus
David Rowlands	...	George (as Dave Rowlands)
Jamie Bozian	...	Jason (as James Bozian)
Christy Lenk	...	Miss Mannis
Brittney Lewis	...	Hospital Receptionist
Vinnie Curto	...	Danny (as Vinny Curto)

Also Known As:

Décroche les étoiles (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language.

Runtime:

Argentina:102 min | USA:103 min | UK:105 min

Country:

France | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | France:U | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:7 | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Company:

Hachette Première

Trivia:

During filming, Marisa Tomei played Dinosaurs with Jake Lloyd on the set.

Quotes:

Jake 'J.J.' Warren: Remember when you sang me that doggy in the window song? Where you changed some of the animals and I didn't know how some of the animals sounded, and we laughed?
Mildred 'Millie' Hawks: Mmm hmm. Yes.
Jake 'J.J.' Warren: That was fun, I liked that.
Mildred 'Millie' Hawks: Me too.

Movie Connections:

References WrestleMania (1985) (V)

Soundtrack:

Raining in Baltimore

Gena Rolands is superb...

the title of this film goes along with the song ..."nothing left to do here, but unhook the stars".... After the death of her husband, Gena Rowlands finds herself in a big house, with no family, and nothing to take care of.

She begins to care for the young son of Marisa Tomei, who is involved with an abusive soon to be ex-husband. The actor playing her son does very well, he develops a relationship with Rolands, she becomes a surrogate grandmother.

Such a nice story, because it is realistic, and not overdone. Rolands has another son who lives in San Francisco, and wants her to move into his penthouse; when she realizes her daughter-in-law just wants a live-in babysitter, she says ..."No-I'm done"...; While she loves her children she now realizes it is her turn; her time to do something SHE actually wants.

At the end we see her packing up the house; her younger daughter is upset; there will be no more family home. But Rowlands realizes she is doing the right thing; her relationship with the young boy has faded; she now needs to do something for herself.

There are also a few amusing scenes with Gerard Depardieu, as a truck driver who she meets at a bar with Tomei and her friends. Overall a bittersweet movie which is a nice change, showing a mature woman re-discovering her life, and not taking care of everyone else, at the expense of her own identity. 9/10.