No Looking Back (1998)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Edward Burns

Writer:

Edward Burns (writer)

Release Date:

27 March 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

How can you not fit in... in your own hometown?

Plot:

Claudia has lived all her life in a small, seaside, blue-collar town, hanging out with the same group of friends since grade school...

Plot Keywords:

Old Flame | Directed By Star | Friendship | Family Abandonment | Gas Station

Cast

Lauren Holly	...	Claudia
Kevin Heffernan	...	Guy in Diner #1
Mark Schulte	...	Guy in Diner #2
Edward Burns	...	Charlie Ryan
Kathleen Doyle	...	Mrs. Ryan
Jennifer Esposito	...	Teresa
Jon Bon Jovi	...	Michael
Nick Sandow	...	Goldie
Welker White	...	Missy
Ellen McElduff	...	Waitress
Connie Britton	...	Kelly
Blythe Danner	...	Claudia's Mom
Kaili Vernoff	...	Alice
John Ventimiglia	...	Tony
Leah Gray	...	Girl in Bar #1

Also Known As:

Long Time, Nothing New (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | France:U | Portugal:M/12 (video premiere) | USA:R | Spain:13 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Good Machine

Goofs:

Continuity: At the Laundromat, the clothes change position and order between shots, and the beer disappears.

Quotes:

Kid: Hey, nice car.
Michael: Yeah, keep your hands off of it you scumbags.

Looking straight ahead

This predictable film will not add anything to Edward Burns' resume. In fact, "No Looking Back", his third directorial effort, has a flat feeling to it, in spite of the people involved with the project. No one decides to go into a losing project, but it appears Mr. Burns was not sufficiently inspired with this tale of a working class situation.

From the beginning, with the arrival of Charlie back home to the small town by the sea, and his encounter with Claudia, the young woman who had stayed behind, we realize where this tale is going. Claudia, who is now involved with Michael, still hasn't been able to forget the man who must have been the love of her life.

The surprise in the film is Jon Bon Jovi in a dramatic role. He plays the kind Michael, who as much as he tries, can't compete against Charlie for the love of Claudia. Mr. Burns, directing himself, should have given the job to another actor because he doesn't appear to be objective in how to play his character. Lauren Holly tries, but her Claudia is, at times, irritating. Blythe Danner also appears as Claudia's mother.

The best thing going for "No Looking Back" is the great soundtrack heard throughout the movie.