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The Next Best Thing (2000)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
3 March 2000 (USA) moreTagline:
He was smart, handsome and single. When her biological clock was running out, he was... the next best thing. morePlot:
Abbie, tired of failed relationships, has a one-night-stand with her gay friend; they agree to raise the resulting baby together. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
1 win & 6 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(22 articles)
Is Treehouse Gang The Next Best Thing to a Goonies Sequel? (From FilmJunk. 14 April 2009, 9:23 AM, PDT)
Everett: 'My Sexuality Killed My Career'
(From WENN. 19 February 2009, 11:05 AM, PST)
User Comments:
A lot better than it seems. moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| 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 |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements, sexual content, partial nudity and language.Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
108 min | Germany:99 min (TV version)Country:
USAColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Dolby DigitalCertification:
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-13Filming Locations:
Los Angeles, California, USAFun Stuff
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". moreQuotes:
Abbie: I have something to tell you.Robert: Is it bigger than a breadbox?
Abbie: Heh, not yet.
more
Soundtrack:
Miracle moreFAQ
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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.