Elizabethtown (2005)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Cameron Crowe

Writer (WGA):

Cameron Crowe (written by)

Release Date:

14 October 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

It's a heck of a place to find yourself

Plot:

During an outrageous memorial for a Southern patriarch, an unexpected romance blooms between a young woman and man.

Plot Keywords:

Kentucky | Flight Attendant | Shoes | Suicidal | Elizabethtown Kentucky

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Orlando Bloom	...	Drew Baylor
Kirsten Dunst	...	Claire Colburn
Susan Sarandon	...	Hollie Baylor
Alec Baldwin	...	Phil Devoss
Bruce McGill	...	Bill Banyon
Judy Greer	...	Heather Baylor
Jessica Biel	...	Ellen Kishmore
Paul Schneider	...	Jessie Baylor
Loudon Wainwright III	...	Uncle Dale (as Loudon Wainwright)
Gailard Sartain	...	Charles Dean
Jed Rees	...	Chuck Hasboro
Paula Deen	...	Aunt Dora
Dan Biggers	...	Uncle Roy
Alice Marie Crowe	...	Aunt Lena
Tim Devitt	...	Mitch Baylor

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language and some sexual references.

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:15A | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:MG6 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Finland:S | Australia:M | Mexico:B | Brazil:12 | Argentina:13 | Sweden:Btl | Czech Republic:12 | Iceland:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #41949) | Portugal:M/12 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | UK:12 | South Korea:12 | Malaysia:U | Germany:o.Al.

Filming Locations:

Anadarko, Oklahoma, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

On Claire's road map for Drew, there is a quote by R. Hammond and J. Bebe. Russell Hammond and Jeff Bebe were two of Stillwater's members in Cameron Crowe's previous film Almost Famous (2000).

Goofs:

Continuity: An exterior shot of Drew's red-eye flight from LA to Nashville shows a Boeing 747 in flight. Later, as Drew is exiting the plane, it is a one-aisled, non-jumbo jet.

Quotes:

Claire Colburn: Do you ever just think I'm fooling everybody?
Drew Baylor: You have no idea.

Movie Connections:

Features Roman Holiday (1953)

Soundtrack:

Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)

I Loved this Movie!

I don't know why the Boston Globe Critic hated it, but I loved "Elizabethtown!" My wife and I don't go to a lot of movies, so we choose very carefully when we do.

This film was anything but predictable, and it really kept moving. It tells the story of a young executive, Drew Baylor(Orlando Bloom) who has just launched a new high-tech athletic shoe at a company a lot like Nike, Reebok, and their ilk. Early on in the movie, he learns that the shoe is a billion dollar flop and leaves in disgrace. For eight years he has worked day and night for the company, "married to his career," so to speak. So when his world turns upside down, he's so lost he attempts an almost clever suicide plan. Then, things really get bad. A frantic phone call from his sister tells him that his father has died, very suddenly while visiting his family in Elizabethville, Kentucky. His sister, and especially his mother (Susan Sarandon) take it so hard and can't even go to the funeral.

On the way Dtew meets a most unusual flight attendant, Claire (Kirsten Dunst in a delightful role) who shakes up his world. Drew of course is not his usual self with two major tragedies at once, and at first has a very difficult time mixing in with his father's family. An endearing performance by Paula Deen of the Food Channel leads the unlikely collection of his Kentucky family. Claire keeps showing up and brings Drew back into the world. You can tell from the brief flashbacks and other clues that Drew's father Mitch was really a great guy, and Drew comes to regret the fact that he had not spent much time with his Dad in his eight years as a Corporate Superstar.

I won't go into the story much more than that because that would be giving too much away. I'll just say that this movie took many delightful turns with Claire, Drew, and his zany family.

I think the most important thing I took away from the movie is that no matter how bad things get in your life, you should never give up. And of course, don't we all have a family back home somewhere made up of a homespun, delightful cast of characters? I have my own dear family back in Pennsylvania and Ohio. When all else fails, your family is always there.

Crowe has stuffed a great sound track into the many scenes of the movie. The cast is delightful. There are some really entertaining moments including Drew's cousin's rock band playing "Free Bird" and Susan Sarandon tap dancing to "Moon River." There are so many great lines, you'll laugh out loud! And of course the ending -- a surprise, but a delightful one!

Don't miss "Elizabethtown!"