The Next Best Thing (2000)

User Rating:

4.4/10   

Director:

John Schlesinger

Writer (WGA):

Tom Ropelewski (written by)

Release Date:

3 March 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

He was smart, handsome and single. When her biological clock was running out, he was... the next best thing.

Plot:

Abbie, tired of failed relationships, has a one-night-stand with her gay friend; they agree to raise the resulting baby together.

Plot Keywords:

Child | Custody Battle | Gay Friend | Best Friend | Airport

Awards:

1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Madonna	...	Abbie Reynolds
Rupert Everett	...	Robert Whittaker
Benjamin Bratt	...	Ben Cooper
Illeana Douglas	...	Elizabeth Ryder
Michael Vartan	...	Kevin Lasater
Josef Sommer	...	Richard Whittaker
Malcolm Stumpf	...	Sam
Lynn Redgrave	...	Helen Whittaker
Neil Patrick Harris	...	David
Mark Valley	...	Cardiologist
Suzanne Krull	...	Annabel
Stacy Edwards	...	Finn
John Carroll Lynch	...	Abbie's Lawyer
Fran Bennett	...	Judge Tracey Bennett
Ricki Lopez	...	Angel

Also Known As:

The Red Curtain (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements, sexual content, partial nudity and language.

Runtime:

108 min | Germany:99 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Mexico:B | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Lakeshore Entertainment

Trivia:

The house that Rupert Everett stays at is actually Cecil B. DeMille's old house.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the end credits, Illeana Douglas is named "Elizabeth Ryder", but her character's name plate on the desk visible in the movie reads "Caroline Ryder".

Quotes:

Abbie: I have something to tell you.
Robert: Is it bigger than a breadbox?
Abbie: Heh, not yet.

Movie Connections:

References Swing Time (1936)

Soundtrack:

Miracle

A lot better than it seems.

To be honest, I was not expecting big things from this film. Although I love Madonna as a performer, her choice of film projects has not always been spectacular. Indeed, most have been completely dire. But I was actually rather surprised, because The Next Best Thing is actually a pretty compelling film. There's solid performances all round and the story is a convincing one. What could easily have become a very sickly sweet story is turned into a quite sombre piece about the loss of friendship and people's true nature. Although Abbie and Robert are clearly the best of friends in the beginning, once the fight for their son ensues, their true natures become apparent. A child can make someone do things they thought they were not capable of to ensure its welfare. The film also blends some nice moments of comedy along with the drama to even it out, which makes it all the more enjoyable. Madonna can act when given the right material, and here she is pretty good as Abbie, a woman ultimately searching for love in life. Rupert Everett is excellent as Robert, giving a truly moving performance. His pain is so apparent on screen its sometimes difficult to bear. Lynn Redgrave and Illeana Douglas also turn up, but in very small roles, which do not do them justice, as they are both great actresses. The one qualm I did have with this film was that it seemed to move along at lightening speed. You weren't given much of a chance to get to know the characters as it swept along very quickly. Also, why do these people look exactly the same six years on? But that aside, The Next Best Thing was an entertaining film, and one that I'll be watching again very soon.