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Eating

  • 19901990
  • RR
  • 1h 50m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
300
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Eating (1990)
Theatrical Trailer from Rainbow Film Company
Play trailer2:46
1 Video
5 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama

A group of young and middle-aged women gather for the birthday party of a friend and talk about their lives and food they cook for their husbands, boyfriends, or themselves.A group of young and middle-aged women gather for the birthday party of a friend and talk about their lives and food they cook for their husbands, boyfriends, or themselves.A group of young and middle-aged women gather for the birthday party of a friend and talk about their lives and food they cook for their husbands, boyfriends, or themselves.

IMDb RATING
6.1/10
300
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Henry Jaglom
  • Writer
    • Henry Jaglom
  • Stars
    • Frances Bergen
    • Lisa Blake Richards
    • Nelly Alard
Top credits
  • Director
    • Henry Jaglom
  • Writer
    • Henry Jaglom
  • Stars
    • Frances Bergen
    • Lisa Blake Richards
    • Nelly Alard
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 6User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
    • 63Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Videos1

    Eating
    Trailer 2:46
    Eating

    Photos

    Eating (1990)
    Eating (1990)
    Eating (1990)
    Eating (1990)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Frances Bergen
    Frances Bergen
    • Whitneyas Whitney
    Lisa Blake Richards
    Lisa Blake Richards
    • Heleneas Helene
    Nelly Alard
    • Martineas Martine
    Mary Crosby
    Mary Crosby
    • Kateas Kate
    Gwen Welles
    Gwen Welles
    • Sophieas Sophie
    Elizabeth Kemp
    Elizabeth Kemp
    • Nancyas Nancy
    Marina Gregory
    • Lydiaas Lydia
    Daphna Kastner
    • Jenniferas Jennifer
    Marlena Giovi
    • Sadieas Sadie
    Beth Grant
    Beth Grant
    • Carlaas Carla
    Taryn Power
    Taryn Power
    • Anitaas Anita
    Catherine Genender
    • Lilyas Lily
    Hildy Brooks
    Hildy Brooks
    • Maryas Mary
    Jackie O'Brien
    Jackie O'Brien
    • Janetas Janet
    • (as Jacqueline Woolsey)
    Sherry Boucher
    Sherry Boucher
    • Mariaas Maria
    • (as Sherry Boucher-Lytle)
    Savannah Smith Boucher
    Savannah Smith Boucher
    • Eloiseas Eloise
    Aloma Ichinose
    • Joannaas Joanna
    Toni Basil
    Toni Basil
    • Jackieas Jackie
    • Director
      • Henry Jaglom
    • Writer
      • Henry Jaglom
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    At a spacious house in Los Angeles, Helene is turning 40-years old and her friends whom include French filmmaker Martine, house guest Sophie, and Lydia throw her a party. But also there is Kate a friend turning 30, and Sadie a Hollywood film agent turning 50. So, all of Helene's, Kate's, and Sadie's friends arrive for the party where Martine films the events with her movie camera and the shocking secrets revealed by Helene's mother Whitney, and her younger sister Nancy whom confide in their interviews about their obsession with food, and their roles in life. —matt-282
    • f rated
    • food
    • interview
    • filmmaker
    • birthday party
    • 8 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • A very serious comedy about women & food.
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for language
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      After a successful stint in many television roles, this was one of the first feature films in which renowned character actress Beth Grant appeared before her roles in hit movies such as Speed (1994), A Time to Kill (1996), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), and The Artist (2011)
    • Connections
      Featured in Who Is Henry Jaglom? (1995)

    User reviews6

    Review
    Top review
    don't offer these women a cherry pie!
    One has to wonder about Henry Jaglom's mother, when he dedicates a film about women suffering from eating disorders to her. This is one of Jaglom's more successful efforts since there is some dramatic conflict amongst the cinema verite talkfest that is his trademark. One might even mistake this film as a documentary with all the to-the-camera discourse. Otherwise his camera is thankfully still, aided by the excuse of a Frenchwoman making a documentary at an exclusively female (and enormously populated) birthday party. Maybe it's a very "L.A." thing but it's shocking how so many beautiful women have food issues, and the association they make with food and sex, and food and love, makes for a compelling (for Jaglom) social study. He begins uncertainly, as the women gather. Jaglom gets a little carried away with cross-cutting, and there is a definite lesbian subtext which turns out to be misleading. But as the film develops our initial judgment of the women presented, as shallow and stupid gives way to depths of feeling and marvel at the openness and emotional accessibility of the female species. As the eldest of the group and the mother of Helene (Lisa Richards), who resides in the house where the celebrations occur, Frances Bergen represents the voice of reason and the sounding board for the confessions. Jaglom cleverly maintains our empathy for her, aided by Bergen's wonderful naturalness, even when her reaction to news of an infidelity defines the survival strategies of women of her generation. In spite of the heaviness of the subject, there is much humour to be found, partly from the women's own insight into their behaviour, and also from the idea of having Helene seek out the mistress under the guise of mingling. Richards' performance improves considerably after she stops pecking. As her predatory best friend, Gwen Welles adds some amusing spite to the proceedings. Her demonstration of the use of a present of anger-releasing padded poles gets a big laugh. It's no surprise to learn of Welles' bulimia since she looks anorexic, and she is about the only one who doesn't seem to think they are "fat". When the birthday cake is cut, no-one wants to eat it. Since the cast is so large some actors get lost in the mosaic, but mention should be made of Toni Basil in Carmen Miranda get-up as an actress quitting her agent ("If Michael Jackson can fire his father ..."); Aloma Ichinose who has a great riff about smoking; and Mary Crosby looking like a fawn and being very I-shot-JR in a bathroom confrontation. I particularly liked the line "I'm looking for a man who can excite me as much as a baked potato".
    helpful•10
    1
    • petershelleyau
    • Nov 11, 2001

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 30, 1990 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Ploteczki
    • Filming locations
      • Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Jagfilm
      • The Rainbow Film Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,100,538
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $12,764
      • Nov 18, 1990
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,100,538
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 50 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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