Hope Floats (1998)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Forest Whitaker

Writer (WGA):

Steven Rogers (written by)

Release Date:

29 May 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

When life fell apart, love fell into place.

Plot:

A woman who comes back to her home town in Smithville, Texas, with her daughter after a very sloppy and painful divorce has to deal with the people in her town.

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Texas | Best Friend | Talk Show | Small Town

Awards:

3 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Sandra Bullock	...	Birdee Pruitt
Harry Connick Jr.	...	Justin Matisse
Gena Rowlands	...	Ramona Calvert
Mae Whitman	...	Bernice Pruitt
Michael Paré	...	Bill Pruitt
Cameron Finley	...	Travis
Kathy Najimy	...	Toni Post
Bill Cobbs	...	Nurse
Connie Ray	...	Bobbi-Claire
Mona Lee Fultz	...	Teacher
Sydney Berry	...	Orange Julia
Rachel Snow	...	Big Dolores (as Rachel Lena Snow)
Christina Stojanovich	...	Kristen
Alissa Alban	...	Debbie Reissen (as Allisa Alban)
Dee Hennigan	...	Dot

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements.

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG-13 (certificate #35821) | New Zealand:M | South Korea:12 | Philippines:PG-13 | Canada:PG (Canadian Home Video rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-8 | France:U | Germany:6 (w) | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud)

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Gena Rowlands, Washington-Lee High Class of 1947, plays mother of Sandra Bullock, Washington-Lee High Class of 1982.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Birdie and Justin are at the dance, the band takes a break and Birdie and Justin begin to dance by the juke box, but you can see the band performing on the stage in the background.

Quotes:

Mr. Davis: Uh, anything interesting come in while I was at lunch?
Birdee Pruitt: No, sir.
Mr. Davis: [walks to the photo processer, grabs a handful of ruined pictures] Oh, oh, no! Look at these!
[hands them to her]
Mr. Davis: Birdee?
Birdee Pruitt: No, what is wrong with this stupid machine?
[going through the pictures]
Birdee Pruitt: God I'm telling you, I...
[she cuts off as she comes across the one picture that made it: one of Justin standing outside by his truck, holding flowers. Birdee looks out the window and sees Justin in the same pose. She smiles and walks outside, knowing that her mother is somehow responsible. V.O]
Birdee Pruitt: Okay, Mama. Stop pushin'.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Degrassi: The Next Generation: Goin' Down the Road: Part 1 (#4.21)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Coming Back for More

Fair to Middlin'

I liked it...but I didn't love it. There are too many issues and storylines that muddle it up causing the film to feel like one big soap opera. The performances were very well done, especially Gena Rowlands as Birdie's mom, and the little girl who played the daughter was quite good. I'd recommend it for light comedy/drama lovers and Sandra Bullock fans, but not for people expecting a fast paced, tightly woven drama. It moves slowly. "Hope Floats" could've been much better if it concentrated on one or two of the many angles it presented.