Hope Floats (1998)

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 goes to the school to drop off Bernice's lunch, Chris (the school employee) alternates between facing Birdie and facing Bernice between shots.

Quotes:

Birdee Pruitt: Who's Big Dolores?
Travis: She's the meanest and dumbest girl in school, but she keeps passing 'cause even teachers are afraid of big Dolores. She has her own gang too.

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

Wither, I'm a Flower

A keeper

I'm surprised at the harsh reviews and low rating of this movie!

Unlike other so-called "chick flicks", this movie has an authentic appeal to it and a real heart. Sandra Bullock is a shamed and distraught mother returning to her hometown after being dejected by her husband on national television. She is the beauty queen turned humiliated housewife and her old neighbors don't hesitate to rub it in. Sandra's strong-willed and adorable daughter is played wonderfully by Mae West. Their dysfunctional relationship is a central plot element throughout the film. Sandra finds strength in her own mother and finds new romance with a strong, sensitive cowboy type played surprisingly well by Harry Conick Jr.

Sandra must come to terms with her changing identity and role as mother while her daughter fights for a false allusion of Sandra's husband. An impending divorce between Sandra and her husband and the struggles of Sandra's daughter and nephew, create many heartbreakingly touching moments and at last - an intriguing story with a sense of humor.

Living in Texas and having visited a few small towns, I can state that the movie's portrayal of small town life is a very realistic one which only adds to the films' effectiveness.