Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997)

Two women get into a lot of trouble when they go to their high school reunion and lie about their lives after twelfth grade.

Director:

David Mirkin

Writers:

Robin Schiff (play), Robin Schiff (screenplay)

Stars:

Mira Sorvino, Lisa Kudrow, Janeane Garofalo

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mira Sorvino	...	Romy White
Lisa Kudrow	...	Michele Weinberger
Janeane Garofalo	...	Heather Mooney
Alan Cumming	...	Sandy Frink
Julia Campbell	...	Christy Masters
Mia Cottet	...	Cheryl
Kristin Bauer van Straten	...	Kelly (as Kristin Bauer)
Elaine Hendrix	...	Lisa Luder
Vincent Ventresca	...	Billy Christianson
Camryn Manheim	...	Toby Walters
Justin Theroux	...	Cowboy
Jacob Vargas	...	Ramon
Tami-Adrian George	...	Receptionist at 'Singled Out'
Neil Dickson	...	Boutique Manager
E.J. Callahan	...	Mr. Lish

Storyline

Romy and Michelle have been through it all including being tortured by the Popular crowd when in high school. When they receive word of a 10 year reunion, they come to realize their lives aren't as impressive as they'd like them to be. Instead of staying home they go to the reunion with business outfits, cell phones, and one heck of a bogus success story.

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Plot Keywords:

reunion | schoolmate | high school | cell phone | lie | 

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Taglines:

A Comedy of Blonders.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 April 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Romy y Michele

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$7,429,406 (USA) (25 April 1997)

Gross:

$29,205,077 (USA) (15 August 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Bungalow 78 Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Art Fry is the inventor of Post-Its.

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Goofs

When they set off for the reunion in the borrowed Jag, the song on the car stereo ("Footloose" - Kenny Loggins) doesn't resume from where it left off when the car stopped the last time.

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Quotes

Michele: [looking around discount outlet disgustedly] I'd like to go... away!

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Connections

Referenced in RuPaul's All Stars Drag Race: It Takes Two (2012)

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Soundtracks

"BAD CASE OF LOVIN' YOU"
Written by John Moon Martin
Performed by Robert Palmer
Courtesy of Island Records, Inc.
By Arrangement with PolyGram Film & T.V. Licensing

User Reviews

Has its moments

"Romy and Michele's High School Reunion" is a movie that I've heard about for a long time, having seen the video stored at someone's house or whatnot. But I've never gotten a chance to see this movie until now. The verdict is while there are some funny moments, and the ending is good, there are enough dead spots to only get it a lukewarm recommendation.

Romy (Mira Sorvino) and Michele (Lisa Kudrow) are two best friends...and first class ditzes. Both of their IQs are far below what is considered normal, and the term "Valley Girl" seems to have been tailor made for them. They are living "stylishly" in LA when an old school chum Heather Mooney (Janeane Garafalo) tells them about their high school reunion. But seeing as the only reason to go to the high school reunion is to boast about their careers (neither Romy or Michele has an enviable job), they decide to lie and pass themselves off as rich and wealthy business women. And the creators of Post-It Notes.

The problem with the film is that it's too plot heavy for its own good. These two bimbos are hilarious in their own right, but Robin Schiff's screenplay (based on her play) spends too much time developing the story and not enough time letting the characters be themselves. There are plenty of flashbacks about how the Queen Bees of their school bullied them, but this material comes off as cruel, rather than funny. The movie is at it's best when it allows them to be the ultra-dim bulbs that they are, but there just aren't enough of these moments.

Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino are terrific as the leads. Romy is the smarter one, although that's not saying much. Neither one is a stranger to playing a mental vacuum, and they're pretty funny. Surprisingly, Janeane Garafalo is ineffective as the cynical Heather. The character has to add a dose of emotional damage to her character, but Garafalo goes way far over the top. Garafalo can play a dramatic character, but she's just not very good in this film. Alan Cumming is good as the geek who has long held a torch for Michele. Camryn Manheim steals her scenes as the organizer. She's one of those people who is so into this thing that she doesn't realize that no one else really cares. We all know someone like this, and that's what makes it funny.

Some people have been calling this a chick flick, and that's not necessarily true. It's not a sappy romance, and while the central characters are girls, the humor is such that members of both sexes can get it.

Fluff, but not that great fluff.