All the Real Girls (2003)

Small-town love story of a young man with a reputation for womanizing and his best friend's sister.

Director:

David Gordon Green

Writers:

David Gordon Green (story), Paul Schneider (story),

Stars:

Paul Schneider, Zooey Deschanel, Shea Whigham

4 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Schneider	...	Paul
Zooey Deschanel	...	Noel
Shea Whigham	...	Tip
Danny McBride	...	Bust-Ass
Maurice Compte	...	Bo
Heather McComb	...	Mary-Margaret
Benjamin Mouton	...	Uncle Leland (as Ben Mouton)
John Kirkland	...	Justin
James Marshall Case	...	Judge Harvey
Patricia Clarkson	...	Elvira
Maya Ling Pruitt	...	Feng-Shui
Eddie Rouse	...	Dancing Orderly
Karey Williams	...	Tammy Clinard
Matt Chapman	...	Strong Bad
Amanda Chaney	...	Girl on the porch

Storyline

In a small Southern American town, Paul, who is known for having sexual relations with every girl in town, falls in love with his best friend's younger sister who is a virgin. Paul must try to prove to everyone that this time he is in love rather than in lust.

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Plot Keywords:

love | best friend | small town | lake | womanizer | 

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Taglines:

Love is a puzzle. These are the pieces.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Official website [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 August 2003 (UK)

Also Known As:

Az 'Igazi'

Filming Locations:

Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$46,791 (USA) (14 February 2003)

Gross:

$548,712 (USA) (4 July 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jasmine Productions Inc., Jean Doumanian Productions, Muskat Filmed Properties

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Matt Chapman plays Strong Bad, who is also one of the characters that Chapman performs the voice of for the Web animation "Homestar Runner."

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Quotes

[first lines]
Paul: What are you doin'?
Noel: I'm looking at that bucket... thinking... why haven't you kissed me?
Paul: 'Cause... I'm afraid... I'm afraid that... when Tip asks me if I have kissed you I have to say "yes".

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Connections

Referenced in Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #2.22 (2011)

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Soundtracks

"All These Vicious Dogs"
Written and Performed by Will Oldham
Published by Royal Stable Music
Administered by Bug

User Reviews

Nice movie

It's good every now and then to come across a film like All the Real Girls. Here is a romance which is realistic and virtually free of gimmick and clichés. It is also photographed beautifully, scored beautifully and characterized in a unusual and interesting manner. It is a film that leaves you thinking, but for all its goodness, it still needs a bit of work.

In a small town, Paul has a reputation for having sex affairs with all the local girls (twenty- six to be exact). One day, his best friend's sister drives into town for a visit. She and Paul hang out together first as friends but eventually as a strange couple. it looks as if Paul is ready to go strait for the first time, something which is making his friends and family a little suspicious. What is to come?

After the first hour, All the Real Girls is close to being a great film, but something goes wrong. I should point out that in addition to a romance, the movie is also a drama, and dramas need a conflict of some sort. Writer/Director David Gordon Green chooses to throw one in to begin the final act, and he does it in an overly forced, abrupt manner. The scenes which follow are not terrible, but they don't quite match the rest of the picture. They are less interesting and more melodramatic. The ending in fact is kind of sad, but it reminds you that this is not an artificial fictional story, this is a movie which delivers a potential real life scenario.

Ignoring the mild errors, All the Real Girls is one of the most accomplished romance films I've seen lately, and it's worth watching.