Picking Up the Pieces (2000)

A small New Mexican village discovers a severed hand that is considered a miracle of God, when it actually belongs to a murdered spouse with a husband in search of it.

Director:

Alfonso Arau

Writer:

Bill Wilson

Stars:

Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, David Schwimmer

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Woody Allen	...	Tex Cowley
Sharon Stone	...	Candy Cowley
Maria Grazia Cucinotta	...	Desi
Cheech Marin	...	Mayor Machado
David Schwimmer	...	Father Leo Jerome
Kiefer Sutherland	...	Officer Bobo
Alfonso Arau	...	Dr. Amado
Danny De La Paz	...	Lalo Taxi Driver
Andy Dick	...	Father Buñuel
Fran Drescher	...	Sister Frida
Joseph Gordon-Levitt	...	Flaco
Elliott Gould	...	Father LaCage
Eddie Griffin	...	Sediento
Mía Maestro	...	Carla
Lupe Ontiveros	...	Constancia

Storyline

Woody Allen plays Tex, a kosher butcher. Sharon Stone plays his unfaithful wife Candy. Tex catches Candy in the act and in a fit of rage he kills her. To conceal his crime he cuts up her body and buries it in the desert in New Mexico. However, when her hand surfaces, a blind woman trips over it and it restores her sight. The hand is then considered to be the "hand of the Virgin." Despite the church's fallen priest objecting, the ambitious mayor of the town creates an international three-ring circus of miracle-seekers, TV crews, and born-again local prostitutes all interested in the hand. All of this goes on while Tex is desperately trying to recover the hand before the sheriff finds it and uses it as evidence against him.

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Plot Keywords:

hand | miracle | new mexico | butcher | police | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality and language

Details

Official Sites:

Kushner-Locke Company [us] Metropolitan Filmexport (French)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 August 2000 (France)

Also Known As:

First on Max

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Gross:

ESP 63,517,620 (Spain) (29 June 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Comala Films Productions, Kushner-Locke Company, The, Ostensible Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Cheech Marin said this is the worst film he's done.

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Quotes

Father Leo: Senora, please, please. This is the house of God, there is no screaming or jumping for joy here.

User Reviews

Beautifully Shot, not so beautiful otherwise

This movie was interesting. I love Woody, and the cinematography was quite, quite excellent, yet the film failed to get me involved. The script, although pretty original, ultimately failed because of its lack of structure. I would hasten to say (and I haven't checked yet) that whoever wrote this was a first timer.

The story of the miracle hand was suitable idea, yet I felt more could have been done with it. In addition, the direction (from a director I admire) was sloppy. Much of the acting (Fran Drescher???) seemed less then inspired, although Woody Allen was (and always is) very good comedically. Stone was ok in her brief appearance, and David Schwimmer, although HORRIBLY MISCAST as a priest, (could he be ANY more Jewish?) worked.

I think my major problem with the movie was a seeming lack of professionalism, which isn't to say it was bad by any strech of the imagination. Watching a movie like this, you sort of have to suspend your disbelief. Any attempt to take it seriously would ruin the movie (apparently much of the cast and crew didn't take the project seriously)

ANYWAY...tough call on this, but 6/10 is my vote~