A Cooler Climate (1999)

Iris is broke after her divorce and takes a job working as a housekeeper for a wealthy woman named Paula. When Paula and her husband separate, an unlikely friendship blossoms between the women.

Director:

Susan Seidelman

Writers:

Zena Collier (novel), Marsha Norman (teleplay)

Stars:

Sally Field, Judy Davis, Winston Rekert

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sally Field	...	Iris
Judy Davis	...	Paula
Winston Rekert	...	Jack
Jerry Wasserman	...	Leo
Carly Pope	...	Beth
Jessalyn Gilsig	...	Callie
Gerard Plunkett	...	Graham
Alec Willows	...	Marcus
Denalda Williams	...	Yvonne
Peter Yunker	...	Oliver
Rick Ravanello	...	Handsome Welder (as Rick Ravenello)
Tasha Simms	...	Boutique Owner
Suzanne Ristic	...	Iris' Lawyer
Doug Abrahams	...	Manager
Claire Riley	...	Customs Lawyer

Storyline

A woman travels to coastal Maine after her divorce to start a job as housekeeper for a bitter, wealthy woman. They do not hit if off, but no one will work for the rich woman, and Field has no skills and needs the job. They each get involved in the other's life and eventually learn to respect and even like one another. This is the story of the journey of two middle-aged women and how they learn to accept what life has to offer.

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Plot Keywords:

housekeeper | rich woman | male nudity | hiking | kitchen | 

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Taglines:

Envy. Fidelity. Outrage....the start of a beautiful friendship.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some sexuality and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 August 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Adynamies

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Daniel L. Paulson Productions, Paramount Network Television Productions, Showtime Networks

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Iris goes to the beach to read and eventually takes a nap, the sun is in the same position when she awakes as it was when she first got there.

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Quotes

Jack: Would you like to go for a bike ride?

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Connections

Featured in The 52nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2000)

User Reviews

A Surprisingly Strong Movie

When I cut on Lifetime, I said, "Oh, well, just a Sally Field movie on." However, as I became involved in the movie, I realized that the story was captivating--as was Sally Field. She remains very attractive, and she can stimulate a range of emotions in viewers.

The movie was not predictable, because there were several times I thought I knew the next step--but each time I was wrong. So the film moved well past soap opera status.

My only criticism: Her professional advancement seemed a bit too rapid. Other than that, I rate the story very highly, and rank her acting A plus.