Rumor Has It... (2005)

Director:

Rob Reiner

Writer (WGA):

Ted Griffin (written by)

Release Date:

25 December 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Based on a true rumor.

Plot:

Jennifer Aniston plays a woman who learns that her family was the inspiration for the book and film "The Graduate" -- and that she just might be the offspring of the well-documented event.

Plot Keywords:

Mother | Rumor | Wedding | Marriage | Grandmother

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Jennifer Aniston	...	Sarah Huttinger
Kevin Costner	...	Beau Burroughs
Shirley MacLaine	...	Katharine Richelieu
Mark Ruffalo	...	Jeff Daly
Richard Jenkins	...	Earl Huttinger
Christopher McDonald	...	Roger McManus
Steve Sandvoss	...	Scott
Mena Suvari	...	Annie Huttinger
Mike Vogel	...	Blake Burroughs
Rob Lanza	...	New Year's Eve M.C. (as Robert Lanza)
Lisa Vachon	...	Young Katharine
Trevor Stock	...	Young Beau
Jennifer Taylor	...	Jocelyn Richelieu
Marcia Ann Burrs	...	Pasadenan Wife
Lynn Wanlass	...	Pasadenan Wife

Also Known As:

Rumour Has It... (Australia) (Canada: English title) (New Zealand: English title)
Otherwise Engaged (USA) (working title)
Untitled 'The Graduate' Project (USA) (working title)
Untitled Jennifer Aniston Graduate Comedy (USA) (working title)
Untitled Rob Reiner Project (USA) (working title)
Untitled Ted Griffin Project (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, sexual content, crude humor and a drug reference.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA | Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Ireland:15A | UK:12A | Australia:M | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-3 | Sweden:Btl | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Malaysia:U | Netherlands:AL | Iceland:L | Germany:o.Al. | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:15 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Biltmore Hotel - 506 S. Grand Avenue, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Along with President Bill Clinton and Fidel Castro, the picture on the far left is Beau (Kevin Costner) with Rob Reiner (the director). Hugh M. Hefner was originally supposed to be pictured, but Hefner objected at the last minute; Reiner was added in digitally.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sarah is speaking with Katharine at home, her hairdo changes between the shots.

Quotes:

Katherine: [everyone is breaking down and crying] Am I the only sane one here?

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo. (1966)

Soundtrack:

Cultivating The Land

'Rumor' has no humor

The truth about "Rumor" - it stinks.

How could a film with such an enticing premise and talented cast go so horribly awry?

When I first heard the idea for "Rumor Has It...," I thought what an interesting concept: A newly-engaged young woman, Sarah Huttinger (Jennifer Aniston), comes to Pasadena, Calif., for her sister Annie's (Mena Suvari) wedding and realizes her family was the inspiration for Charles Webb's novel, "The Graduate," which Mike Nichols turned into a landmark film in 1967.

In addition to Aniston and Suvari, you toss in Shirley MacLaine (as the potential Mrs. Robinson), Mark Ruffalo, Richard Jenkins, Kathy Bates and, of course, Kevin Costner (as Benjamin Braddock all grown up).

So why does "Rumor Has It..." stink?

Because it just isn't funny. It's flat, tepid, utterly devoid of even the slightest hint of humor.

I've no idea whether this is because writer Ted Griffin was fired as director and Rob Reiner, who hasn't made a good film in ages, was brought in to direct. Honestly, I thought Reiner hit his nadir in 1999 with "The Story of Us." But then he followed that four years later with the execrable "Alex & Emmma." Surely, that was his nadir. Nope. Apparently, he could sink lower and he proves it with "Rumor Has It..." Beau Burroughs is the kind of role Costner should revel in. Yet, he's completely dull. There's no sparkle in Costner's performance, the glint in his eye is gone. Compare this rotten turn with his wonderful performance in "The Upside of Anger" (2005) and you'll realize how brilliant he could have been.

Aniston tries incredibly hard to salvage something out of her lead role. But - and I don't know whether this is Griffin's fault because I've no idea how much of his script wound up in the final cut - poor Sarah gets nothing funny to say and even fewer funny things to do. As far as Reiner seems to be concerned, this is a serious role. The talented Ruffalo gets a thankless role as Sarah's woeful fiancé, Jeff; and Suvari turns up in a role that is completely unnecessary. Why is Anna even in this picture other than to give Sarah a reason to come to Pasadena? MacLaine gives yet another performance we expect from her in a role that she can now play in her sleep. This time it's the boozy, yet no-nonsense, grandmother. Blink and you'll miss Bates.

The film's only believable character is Earl Huttinger, Sarah's dad, played superbly by Jenkins. There doesn't seem anything fake about Jenkins' performance - then again, there never is - and the scene between Earl and Sarah in the kitchen is the film's only highlight. You never doubt for an instant that Earl is a man who deeply loves his children.

It's a shame that "Rumor Has It..." turned into such a fiasco. It only goes to prove that even a bright concept and talented cast can't automatically save a lousy movie.