Walking and Talking (1996)

Director:

Nicole Holofcener

Writer (WGA):

Nicole Holofcener (written by)

Release Date:

17 July 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

A movie for everyone who wants to get married and stay single at the same time.

Plot:

Things have been tough lately for Amelia. Her best friend moved out of the apartment, her cat got cancer...

Plot Keywords:

Male Female Relationship | Alzheimer's Disease | Cat | Friendship | Love

Awards:

7 nominations

Cast

Amy Braverman	...	Young Amelia
Miranda Stuart Rhyne	...	Young Laura
Catherine Keener	...	Amelia
Anne Heche	...	Laura
Randall Batinkoff	...	Peter
Brenda Denmark	...	The Vet (as Brenda Thomas Denmark)
Vincent Pastore	...	Laura's Devil-Seeing Patient
Liev Schreiber	...	Andrew
Todd Field	...	Frank
Kevin Corrigan	...	Bill
Joseph Siravo	...	Amelia's Therapist
Rafael Alvarez	...	Laura's Sexy Patient
Ritamarie Kelly	...	Ellen
Steve Cohen	...	Actor In Play
Jordan Levinson	...	Peter's Friend

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality, language and brief drug use.

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

UK | USA | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L (original rating) | Iceland:12 (video rating) | South Korea:18 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | France:U | Spain:7 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

New Jersey, USA

Company:

Channel Four Films

Trivia:

Allison Janney has a cameo appearance as Amelia's neighbor.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Laura is trying on wedding dresses, you can see her face in the mirror chewing gum but you hear her say, "I'm farting."

Quotes:

Andrew: I hope he calls back.
Amelia: I don't.
Andrew: What do you mean? I thought that's what I needed to be here for. Those sickos are the loneliest slimiest... hello cookies... hmm... I like.

Movie Connections:

References Jaws (1975)

Soundtrack:

Go West

Walk to the nearest video store soon and rent this nice film

Amelia (Catherine Keener) is a very needy person. Therefore, losing her childhood friend Laura (Anne Heche) as a roommate has been tough. Laura has moved in with her boyfriend and is on the verge of becoming engaged. That hurts, as Amelia has not had good luck with men. She is forever phoning her best friend, nevertheless, for advice and for support in coping with life's problems, from a sick cat to a former boyfriend/pornography addict (Liev Schreiber). Laura, a counselor, does her best to be available for Amelia, but wedding plans and minor tifts with her intended leave her with less free time than ever. Will Amelia learn to just stand on her own two feet, for goodness sake? This is a quietly thoughtful film about friendship and its boundaries. Keener is wonderful as the friend who relies on others to help her through life's ups and downs. Even the most cherished friendships need room to breathe and Amelia has to learn this the hard way. Heche is likewise very fine as the beautiful lady who appears to have it all but may, in fact, have some flaws, too. Todd Field is great as Laura's fiancé and Schrieber gives a nice turn as a commitment phobic, sexually obsessive addict. All of the production necessities, from costumes to sets to direction, are quite nice. Then, too, the script is quirky, funny and original as well. No, this is not a thrill-a-minute adventure, so those who eschew slower paced, dialogue-driven films will want to skip over this one. Yet, if you adore romantic dramas brimming with life, humor, and important statements, here is the film you've been looking for. Walk to the nearest video outlet and peruse the shelves until you grasp this little gem in your hands.