Hope Springs (2012)

After thirty years of marriage, a middle-aged couple attends an intense, week-long counseling session to work on their relationship.

Director:

David Frankel

Writer:

Vanessa Taylor

Stars:

Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, Steve Carell

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Meryl Streep	...	Kay
Tommy Lee Jones	...	Arnold
Steve Carell	...	Doctor Feld
Jean Smart	...	Eileen, Kay's Friend
Ben Rappaport	...	Brad, Their Son
Marin Ireland	...	Molly, Their Daughter
Patch Darragh	...	Mark, Their Son-in-Law
Brett Rice	...	Vince, Arnold's Friend
Becky Ann Baker	...	Cora, The Waitress
Elisabeth Shue	...	Karen, The Bartender
Charles Techman	...	Charlie, The Docent
Daniel Flaherty	...	Danny, The Bookstore Clerk (as Daniel J. Flaherty)
Damian Young	...	Mike, The Innkeeper
Mimi Rogers	...	Carol, The Neighbor
Ann Harada	...	Ann, The Happy Wife

Storyline

Kay and Arnold are a middle-aged couple whose marriage has declined until they are now sleeping in separate rooms and barely interact in any meaningful loving way. Finally, Kay has had enough and finds a book by Dr. Feld which inspires her to sign them up for the Doctor's intense week long marriage counseling session. Although Arnold sees nothing wrong with their 30 year long marriage, he reluctantly agrees to go on the expensive excursion. What follows is an insightful experience as Dr. Feld manages to help the couple understand how they have emotionally drifted apart and what they can do to reignite their passion. Even with the Doctor's advice, Kay and Arnold find that renewing their marriage's fire is a daunting challenge for them both.

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Plot Keywords:

marriage | marriage counseling | two word title | motel | hotel | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic content involving sexuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 August 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

Great Hope Springs

Filming Locations:

Norwalk, Connecticut, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$14,650,121 (USA) (10 August 2012)

Gross:

$63,536,011 (USA) (19 October 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Columbia Pictures, Mandate Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Datasat Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Steve Carell's character, Dr. Feld, uses a metaphor of fixing a deviated septum by breaking the nose. Meryl Streep has a deviated septum.

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Goofs

Several times we see Kay making Arnold's breakfast. She fries one strip of bacon and cracks one egg into the frying pan yet there are two eggs on Arnold's plate one morning.

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Quotes

Arnold: I like ranch chips.

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Crazy Credits

There is a scene during the end credits.

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Connections

Referenced in Hope Springs: Inside the Perfect Movie Marriage (2012)

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Soundtracks

"You Make It Better"
Written by Shawn Mullins and Gerry Hansen
Performed by Shawn Mullins
Courtesy of Vanguard Records, A Welk Music Group Company

User Reviews

Melancholic Comedy About Intimacy

Meryl Streep is a wonder, let's start right there. After her towering portrayal of Margaret Thatcher, an ordinary woman in real danger of disappearing all together. Real and enormously moving. Tommy Lee Jones gives us a face we hadn't seen before. Someone so settled in his ways that he doesn't notice what's happening around him. That's why, I though, his realization is so poignant. The film is based on a solid script but the direction is sluggish and uncertain to say the least. It feels as if the director didn't trust his material. The songs and the score, out of a Lifetime TV movie, doesn't allow us to connect with the real truths unfolding in the screen. That, I must confess, was very annoying. I recommend the film on the strength of the two central performances. Intimacy between two grown ups reflected on every look on every move until the score comes to interfere and derail our emotions.