The Simian Line (2000)

An eccentric palm reader predicts that one of the couples attending an intimate dinner party will end their relationship before the year is over... See full synopsis »

Director:

Linda Yellen

Writers:

Linda Yellen (story), Michael Leeds (story),

Stars:

Harry Connick Jr., Cindy Crawford, Lynn Redgrave

Cast

Cast overview:
Harry Connick Jr.	...	Rick
Cindy Crawford	...	Sandra
Tyne Daly	...	Arnita
William Hurt	...	Edward
Monica Keena	...	Marta
Samantha Mathis	...	Mae
Lynn Redgrave	...	Katharine
Jamey Sheridan	...	Paul
Eric Stoltz	...	Sam Donovan
Dylan Bruno	...	Billy
Jeremy Zelig	...	Jimmy (as Jeremy Zwlig)

Storyline

An eccentric palm reader predicts that one of the couples attending an intimate dinner party will end their relationship before the year is over... See full synopsis »

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Plot Keywords:

baby | doubt | money | christmas | businessman | 

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Taglines:

Does the future lie in the palm of your hand?

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Gabriel Film Group

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 January 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Kärlekslinjen

Company Credits

Production Co:

DaWa Movies, Libra Pictures, S.L. Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

In the opening credits the name Jeremy Zelig is spelled Jeremy Zwlig. In the closing credits it is spelled Jeremy Zelig.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Mae: There are 8 million stories in Manhattan. This ain't one of them. This story takes place in Weehawken, New Jersey, right across the river.

User Reviews

"Ghost" for Grownups

The New York papers hacked this poor film to bits this week. A friend dragged me in, and I expected it to be terrible.

Wrong! This is a beautiful, funny, romantic film. "Ghost" for grown-ups who watched the WTC towers crumble to dust.

WHO WOULD LIKE THIS: People on a date who are mature enough to like "Ghost"; adults in their 40s and up who want to see a film that's intelligent without being grim. Probably not for kids under 16 (unless they really like the Turner Movie Classics channel.) Has an R rating, but suitable for most people who aren't too sensitive, because most of the cussing takes place in one short scene. The only other R-type material is a few tasteful shots of couples in bed together.

THE FILM: The main characters are three couples, two roommates, and a fortuneteller who talks to her dead husband who live in Weehawken, New Jersey. The film follows the struggle of the couples to stay together; the roommates to avoid coming together; and the fortune-teller to hold to her belief that she can talk to her dead husband.

THE SCRIPT: The script is a little loose, but there is actually a plot, the characters all have real jobs (no professors, detectives, prostitutes or starship captains) and the dialogue is subtle. Moreover, all the main characters have excellent parts. The writers also got the Weehawken details right.

THE CAST: The cast includes William Hurt, Tyne Daly, Lynn Redgrave, Harry Connick Jr., Eric Stoltz and Cindy Crawford. Cameos? No. They all have real parts, and they all do a great job. (Yes, even Cindy Crawford. )

THE REAL HEROES:

• Patrick Seymour wrote a gentle, moving score, and he or someone else

worked it into the film at the right moments without letting it overpower the other elements.

• The cinematographer, David Bridges, made the people and houses look

haunting. He also made excellent use of the fact that Weehawken sits on a cliff across the Hudson River from Manhattan. Bridges took a lot of shots of the characters walking in front of the Manhattan skyline -- including eerie glimpses of the WTC towers. He also took lots of shots of the New York Waterway ferry boats -- the boats that spent Sept. 11 ferrying thousands of people to safety -- and corpses to morgues -- in places like Weehawken and Jersey City.

Of course, a lot of the people who died lived in houses just like the ones in this film.

The Simian Line is a sweet, peaceful film. But, without knowing what would happen to the WTC towers, the filmmakers made the first film released after the tragedy that cherishes the spirit of what was lost.