Lovely & Amazing (2001)

Director:

Nicole Holofcener

Writer (WGA):

Nicole Holofcener (written by)

Release Date:

2 August 2002 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

If you're hoping for the perfect family don't hold your breath.

Plot:

Self-esteem and insecurity are at the heart of this comedy about the relationship between a mother and her three confused daughters.

Plot Keywords:

Self Esteem | Cosmetic Surgery | Stray Dog | Midlife Crisis | Doctor

Awards:

3 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Troy Ruptash	...	Photographer (voice)
Emily Mortimer	...	Elizabeth Marks
Brenda Blethyn	...	Jane Marks
Raven Goodwin	...	Annie Marks
Catherine Keener	...	Michelle Marks
Ileen Getz	...	Saleswoman
Kristen Dalton	...	Saleswoman
Romy Rosemont	...	Dr. Debbie Waldman
Aunjanue Ellis	...	Lorraine
Brooke Allison	...	Pool Administrator
Jennifer Zehnder	...	Teased Girl
James LeGros	...	Paul (as James Le Gros)
Ashlynn Rose	...	Maddy
Clark Gregg	...	Bill
Dreya Weber	...	Donna
Michael Nouri	...	Dr. Crane
Christine Mourad	...	Cindy, Elizabeth's Agent
Dermot Mulroney	...	Kevin McCabe
Mariah O'Brien	...	Kevin's TV Co-Star
Jeanne McCarthy	...	Casting Director
Evan Mirand	...	Director (as Evan Miranda)
Ivy Strohaimer	...	Jessie
Spencer Garrett	...	Willy
Jake Gyllenhaal	...	Jordan
Branden Williams	...	Teenage Boy
Nate Richert	...	Other Teenage Boy
Cory Joffe	...	Customer
Dawn Saucier	...	Bartender
Stacy Jorgensen	...	Lorraine's Pool Friend
Tennison Hightower	...	Baldasaro Salesgirl
Lee Garlington	...	Jordan's Mom
John Srednicki	...	Premiere Guest
Jeremy Kramer	...	Premiere Photographer
Madeline Moskowitz	...	Premiere Guest
Eric Winzenried	...	Parking Attendant
Mark Beltzman	...	Premiere Guest
Greer Goodman	...	ER Doctor
Jerome Butler	...	Policeman
Scott Adsit	...	Man At Phone
Ryan Wolfe	...	McDonald's Clerk
Alan Naggar	...	McDonald's Customer
Elayn Taylor	...	Jane's Nurse
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mark Cartier	...	Bar Schmooze (uncredited)

Directed by
Nicole Holofcener

Writing credits (WGA)
Nicole Holofcener		(written by)

Produced by
Anthony Bregman	....	producer
Eric d'Arbeloff	....	producer
Michael Escott	....	co-executive producer (as Mike Escott)
Debra Grieco	....	co-producer
Ted Hope	....	producer
Michael Kafka	....	executive producer
Jason Kliot	....	executive producer
Charles J. Rusbasan	....	co-executive producer (as Charles Rusbasan)
Joana Vicente	....	executive producer
Judith Zarin	....	co-executive producer

Original Music by
Craig Richey

Cinematography by
Harlan Bosmajian		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert Frazen

Casting by
Jeanne McCarthy

Production Design by
Devorah Herbert

Art Direction by
Missy Parker

Costume Design by
Vanessa Vogel

Makeup Department
John Blaine	....	key hair stylist
Kathleen Freeman	....	key makeup artist (as Kathleen Freeman-Smith)
Andrea Helm	....	assistant hair stylist
Pecha Koyadinovich	....	key hair stylist
Matt Mastrella	....	additional special effects makeup artist
Lana Milosavljevic	....	assistant hair stylist
Alexis Walker	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Debra Grieco	....	unit production manager
Diana Lui	....	production supervisor
Chad Marting	....	post-production supervisor
Gretchen McGowan	....	executive in charge of production: Blow Up Pictures

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Van Hayden	....	first assistant director
Nicholas Lee	....	second assistant director
Kyle Lemire	....	second second assistant director (as Kyle LeMire)

Art Department
Derek Asuan-O'Brien	....	set dresser
Johnny D. Culley	....	property master (as Johnny Culley)
Sharon Curtis-Baltazar	....	set dresser
Rafael Inocencio	....	prop intern
David Loitz	....	lead person
Brad Morrison	....	swing
Beth Steffen	....	set dresser
Hanh Vo	....	set dresser
Pedro Ramirez	....	assistant property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Mark Allen	....	sound effects supervisor
Gary Coppola	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Gary J. Coppola)
Doug Davey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Craig S. Jaeger	....	foley editor (as Craig Jeager)
David Kudell	....	sound assistant (as David Kadell)
Brian Linder	....	sound mixer
Kimaree Long	....	dialogue editor
Kelly Oxford	....	supervising sound editor (as Kelly L. Oxford)
David Stanke	....	sound assistant
Gerard Vernice	....	boom operator
Trevor Ward	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Chris Elam	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Kimaree Long	....	adr editor (uncredited)
Claes Nystrom	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
O.T. Hight	....	fire/Inferno artist: HDTV

Camera and Electrical Department
Kevin M. Andersen	....	Steadicam operator (as Kevin Anderson)
Max Azpiazu	....	camera intern
John Berger	....	grip
George Canady	....	grip (as George G. Canaday)
Henry Coccetti Jr.	....	gaffer (as Henry Coccetti)
Sean D. Flynn	....	grip
Richard D. Galbraith	....	electrician
Daniella Gleeson	....	second assistant camera
George Gregory	....	dolly grip
Sam Hamilton	....	grip
Cliff Hsui	....	first assistant camera
Frank Jarnot	....	electrician
Eric Mas	....	still photographer
Brett Michael	....	electrician (as Bret Michel)
Rory Muir	....	second assistant camera
David Palmieri	....	best boy grip
Vince Palomino	....	key grip (as Vincent M. Palomino)
Praveena Paruchuri	....	electrician
Matt Petosa	....	electrician
Alexia C. Pilat	....	still photographer (as Alexia Pilat)
Mike Reppert	....	best boy electric
Brett Smith	....	electrician
Michael Weeks	....	electrician
Jeff Woolley	....	second assistant camera (as Jeff Wooley)
Cliff Hsui	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Nadia Lubbe	....	casting assistant
Tony Rasmussen	....	extras casting: Rainbow Casting
John Srednicki	....	casting assistant
Jeff Olan	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ember Bekovsky	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Sam Dlugach	....	tape-to-tape colorist: HDTV
Daniel Gabbe	....	assistant editor
Scott Stewart	....	post-production consultant: 24p HDTV
Michael Hatzer	....	color timer (uncredited)

Music Department
Joel Cabotage	....	assistant recording engineer
Cenovia Cummins	....	musician: fiddle
Ned Farr	....	musician: guitar
Jon Ossman	....	musician: bass
Craig Richey	....	music editor
Craig Richey	....	musician: guitars, piano, vocals, whistle, harmonica, autoharp
Craig Richey	....	original score producer
Craig Richey	....	score recordist
Amy Rosen	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Mike Castaneda	....	driver
Guy Johnson	....	head driver
Dennis Kincaid	....	driver
Steve Pate	....	transportation coordinator (as Stevo Pate)
Maryalyce Sager	....	driver (as Mary Alice Sagar)
Bob Weaver	....	driver

Other crew
Julie Anne Adams	....	production accountant
Julie Adams	....	dialect coach: Ms. Emily Mortimer
Doug Allen	....	cartoonist: Hickory Dawg Cartoon, Twinkle
Stefanie Azpiazu	....	assistant: Mr. Bregman
Paige Black	....	set production assistant
Michael Bodie	....	office production assistant
Susan H. Bodine	....	production attorney: Epstein, Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz & Weinstein (as Sue Bodine)
Jerome Butler	....	dialect coach
Michael Caccamise	....	assistant production coordinator
Helen Caldwell	....	script supervisor
Bess Carlisle Coleman	....	assistant location manager (as Carlisle Coleman)
Cory Chew	....	completion bond: Film Finances
Alison S. Cohen	....	production attorney: Epstein, Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz & Weinstein (as Alison Cohen)
Maureen Duffy	....	completion bond: Film Finances
Peter Fausone	....	graphic artist: HDTV (as Pete Fausone)
Peter Fausone	....	title designer: HDTV (as Pete Fausone)
Stephanie Friedman	....	assistant: Mr. Kliot and Ms. Vicente
Kate Gale	....	craft service
Janice Gantenbein	....	animal wrangler (as Janice Gantenbien)
Manuel Gonzales	....	chef assistant: Eclipse Catering
Janine Halloway	....	production banking: HSBC Bank, USA
Ed Hamilton	....	fire editor: HDTV
Tiffany Haynes	....	assistant to line producer
Mac Henderson	....	payroll services: All-Payments Services
John Kuramoto	....	cartoonist: Hickory Dawg Cartoon, Twinkle
Dawn Lanie	....	payroll services: All-Payments Services
Eric Lanzo	....	set production assistant
Gary Leib	....	cartoonist: Hickory Dawg Cartoon, Twinkle
Kojo Lewis	....	location manager
Diana Lui	....	production coordinator
Laurent Marchand	....	chef: Eclipse Catering
Matt Mastrella	....	set production assistant
Ross Miller	....	insurance: D.R. Reiff & Associates
Michael Moncreiff	....	film-out production supervisor
Bennett Pozil	....	financing: Patexis Banques Populaires
Dav Rauch	....	title artist: The Orphanage
Dan Riley	....	studio teacher
Marc Sadeghi	....	producer: title design
Paula Schmit	....	completion bond: Film Finances
Brian Shafer	....	assistant location manager
Jim Switzer	....	payroll services: All-Payments Services (as Jon Switzer)
Greg Trattner	....	completion bond: Film Finances (as Gregory Trattner)
Sabino Villanueva	....	chef assistant: Eclipse Catering
Amy Wieland	....	key set production assistant
Carol Woodward	....	medical advisor
Kurt Woolner	....	completion bond: Film Finances
Cliff Hsui	....	HDTV technician (uncredited)
Graham Kurzner	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Gina Meyers	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Benjamin Allanoff	....	special thanks (as Ben Allanoff)
Howard Cohen	....	special thanks
Ellory Elkayem	....	special thanks
Tamara Elkayem	....	special thanks
Carolee Goldstein	....	special thanks
Ronda Gomez-Quinones	....	special thanks (as Rhonda Gomez-Quinones)
Carol Joffe	....	special thanks
Charles H. Joffe	....	special thanks (as Charles Joffe)
J.P. Jones	....	special thanks
Peter Krikes	....	special thanks
Sig Libowitz	....	special thanks
Carrie Loudin	....	special thanks
Edward Mazurek	....	special thanks
Tracy McKnight	....	special thanks
Steve Meerson	....	special thanks
Tim Mukanos	....	special thanks
David Mullen	....	special thanks
D.P. Parker	....	special thanks
Catherine Parrington	....	special thanks
Jeanine Rohn	....	special thanks
Ian Root	....	special thanks
Jack Saraceno	....	special thanks
Joyce Schweickert	....	special thanks
Andrea Sperling	....	special thanks
Suzanne Strohmaier	....	special thanks
Shelley Surpin	....	special thanks
Peter Torres	....	special thanks
Annette Vait	....	special thanks
Dave Young	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Blow Up Pictures
• Good Machine
• Roadside Attractions

Distributors

• Lions Gate Films (2002) (USA)

Other Companies

• A.B.S.  special thanks
• All Payments Services  payroll services (as All-Payments Services)
• American Humane Association, The  animals monitored by
• Arrowhead Water  special thanks
• Bisou Bisou  special thanks
• Bouquet Multimedia  editing facilities (as Bouquet Mutimedia and Post Production)
• Capitol Records  special thanks
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Cinema 66  transportation
• D.R. Reiff & Associates  insurance
• Dark and Lovely  special thanks
• EFilm  laser film recording
• Eclipse Catering  catering
• Entertainment Weekly  special thanks
• Epstein, Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz & Weinstein  production attorney (as Epstein, Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz & Weinstein)
• FAO Schwartz  special thanks
• Film Finances  completion bond
• Fujifilm  special thanks (as Fuji Film)
• Grand Royal  special thanks
• HSBC Bank USA  production bank
• Hollywood Reporter, The  special thanks
• Jane Magazine  special thanks
• Kodak  special thanks
• Leonetti Company  production equipment
• Livewire Studios  sound services (as Live Wire Studios Soundelux)
• Magic Hour Music  original score recorded at
• Matador Records  special thanks
• Miah Y  special thanks
• Midmark  special thanks
• Mignon Paget  special thanks
• Natexis Banques Populaires Images  financing bank (as Natexis Banques Populaires)
• National Geographic  special thanks
• No-Ad Sunscreen  special thanks
• Orphanage, The  main and end title design
• Paws for Effect  animals by
• Plus 8 Video  camera equipment provided by
• Radisson Hotel Fullerton  special thanks
• Rainbow Casting Service  extras casting (as Rainbow Casting)
• SPE Production Services  production office
• Screen Actors Guild (SAG)  special thanks
• Sound Satisfaction  foley recording facilities
• The El Sereno Mako Sharks  special thanks
• Tone King Studios  original score recorded at
• Twinkle  cartoon animation: "Hickory Dawg Cartoon" by
• Variety  special thanks
• Welch Allyn  special thanks
• West Hollywood West  special thanks
• Western Outdoor News  special thanks
• Westwind Media  HDTV electronic post-production

Also Known As:

Untitled Nicole Holofcener (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and nudity.

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Iceland:12 | Canada:14A | UK:15 | USA:R | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Blow Up Pictures

Goofs:

Continuity: When Michelle first sees Annie in McDonald's, she does not have a drink on her tray. When she walks closer to Annie she has a drink on her tray .

Quotes:

Bartender: I need to see some ID.
Michelle Marks: Oh, he's 22, I'll vouch for him.
Bartender: [to Jordan] When were you born?
Jordan: Uh... 1947.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 2003 IFP Independent Spirit Awards (2003) (TV)

Soundtrack:

I Must Be Crazy

My A-Lifetime-Ago Girlfriend Was Right

whenever she launched into one of her favorite themes, "American women hate their bodies." "Lovely & Amazing" takes us into the appearance-based self-image of females from eight to slightly past mid-age whose concern about their bodies is one major part of their complex, sometimes wacky and always interdependent lives.

"Lovely and Amazing" takes its place along "Kissing Jessica Stein" as a sharp, inspired view of women's lives as seen through a female director's vision brought to life by an outstanding cast.

Director Nicole Holofcener, who also wrote the script, projects a sense of balance that brings each character's life into sharp and absorbing focus. Jane, (Brenda Blethyn) the long-divorced matriarch, adopted a young black girl, Annie (Raven Goodwin). No reason given and...none needed. Jane is both wise and vulnerable, warm and vain.

Her two grown-up (entirely chronologically and partially emotionally) daughters, Michelle (Catherine Keener) and Elizabeth (Emily Mortimer) lead different lives but express much mutual love for each other and with Annie. No sibling rivalry and repressed anger from a pantheon of past slights in this flick. Michelle is a caring mother of a little girl married to a guy who obviously is tired of the union but Michelle can't figure out why. Her husband may be bored and disposed to philandering but she never figures out that his complaint that she won't work but only devotes herself to creating odd objets d'art that no one wants to buy has some merit.

Elizabeth is a stray pooch-collecting film actress teetering on the edge of dwindling starletdom. Described as neurotic, she really has a basis for her career insecurity which is exacerbated by a boyfriend whose unsupportive manner borders on clinical anhedonism. Woody Allen's frequent neurotic film persona is unbounded joy compared to this guy.

Weaving through the sisters' and mom's various dilemmas is a constant concern about body contours. The rigors of liposuction (the mom's expensive treat for herself) are realistically shown - no sugar-coated subliminal push for surgical sculpting here. The scene where a naked Elizabeth demands a post-coital appendage-by-appendage evaluation by her cautious lover wryly comes close to a truth many women admit to but only amongst themselves (I assert that Upon Information and Belief, a useful lawyer's escape).

Annie, born a crack baby, now has to deal with baby fat as her important life issue. Whether she wants to or not. She's sharp and funny and the genuine ease by which her two siblings refer to her as their sister does not displace references to the reality of growing up black in an affluent white family but it does put that dimension in perspective. This is a very lucky, loved kid and the affection between the three sisters is believable. Also welcome. And just plain nice.

All four share the trait of being able to hurl four-letter expletives at the drop of a slight. It's very funny.

The men in the movie aren't so much irrelevant as they are accessories: useful, often annoying, sometimes immature but never dangerous. Or even worth looking at too closely.

Catherine Keener and Emily Mortimer shine as complex characters not wholly aware of why their lives play out as they do. Neither can repress a refreshing optimism that surfaces time and again. Ms. Keener is an amazing actress!

Director Nicole Holefcener has a lot to say and I'm look forward to her next film.