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L.A. Story

  • 1991
  • PG-13
  • 1h 35m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
35K
YOUR RATING
Steve Martin in L.A. Story (1991)
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer1:38
3 Videos
56 Photos
SatireComedyDramaFantasyRomance

With the help of a talking freeway billboard, a wacky weatherman tries to win the heart of an English newspaper reporter, who is struggling to make sense of the strange world of early 1990s ... Read allWith the help of a talking freeway billboard, a wacky weatherman tries to win the heart of an English newspaper reporter, who is struggling to make sense of the strange world of early 1990s Los Angeles.With the help of a talking freeway billboard, a wacky weatherman tries to win the heart of an English newspaper reporter, who is struggling to make sense of the strange world of early 1990s Los Angeles.

  • Director
    • Mick Jackson
  • Writer
    • Steve Martin
  • Stars
    • Steve Martin
    • Victoria Tennant
    • Richard E. Grant
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    35K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Mick Jackson
    • Writer
      • Steve Martin
    • Stars
      • Steve Martin
      • Victoria Tennant
      • Richard E. Grant
    • 126User reviews
    • 52Critic reviews
    • 66Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 nominations total

    Videos3

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:38
    Official Trailer
    L.A. Story
    Trailer 1:12
    L.A. Story
    L.A. Story
    Trailer 1:12
    L.A. Story
    25 Movies That Make Us Love L.A.
    Clip 1:34
    25 Movies That Make Us Love L.A.

    Photos56

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    Top cast54

    Edit
    Steve Martin
    Steve Martin
    • Harris
    Victoria Tennant
    Victoria Tennant
    • Sara
    Richard E. Grant
    Richard E. Grant
    • Roland
    Sarah Jessica Parker
    Sarah Jessica Parker
    • Sandy
    Marilu Henner
    Marilu Henner
    • Trudi
    Susan Forristal
    • Ariel
    Kevin Pollak
    Kevin Pollak
    • Frank Swan
    Sam McMurray
    Sam McMurray
    • Morris Frost
    Patrick Stewart
    Patrick Stewart
    • Maitre D' at L'Idiot
    Andrew Amador
    Andrew Amador
    • Male News Reporter
    Gail Grate
    • Female News Reporter
    Eddie De Harp
    • Maitre D' at Brunch
    • (as Eddie DeHarp)
    M.C. Shan
    • Rap Waiter at L'Idiot
    • (as M. C. Shan)
    Frances Fisher
    Frances Fisher
    • June
    Iman
    Iman
    • Cynthia
    Tommy Hinkley
    Tommy Hinkley
    • Ted
    Larry Miller
    Larry Miller
    • Tom
    Anne Crawford
    • Sharon
    • Director
      • Mick Jackson
    • Writer
      • Steve Martin
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews126

    6.735.2K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    10Silverzero

    Nostalgic and very witty tale. A bit uneven but will serve well in the memory.

    LA Story is a funny and very inventive comedy drama, even though the real love affair is with LA itself. When looking at the storyline, it does look a bit odd, (man receiving love advice from a freeway sign?) but this helps give it a more surreal and somewhat magical edge.

    The acting is very good all across the board, even from a non-man-eating Sarah Jessica Parker. It has a lot of quotable dialogue, (she's not young she'll be 27 in 4 years) and some passable cameos from Rick Moranis, Patrick Stewart and Chevy Chase.

    Perhaps some scenes get a bit too sentimental and make the film seem a bit uneven. But I think this helps improve the shape of its overall atmosphere, and make it heart-warming and not just a bit of gas.

    LA Story is an underrated classic. It's consistently enjoyable, nicely acted and highly memorable. 7.5 out of 10.
    8Daniel Karlsson

    Great

    Quite similar to Woody Allen's Manhattan, and not quite as good, but pretty close to it. Steve Martin stands for comedy, and this movie is filled with jokes; some very funny others pretty stupid. What I like the most with this film is the acting of Sarah Jessica Parker; she is SO great. Overall, highly watchable.

    7 or 8 out of 10.
    nwilczyn

    an oddly charming story

    Outwardly, it's a ridiculous plot line. Steve Martin as the sensitive, wacky weatherman... falling in love with a British woman and somehow accidentally getting involved with the Sex in the City girl along the way. The reality of it is, though, there are so many charming details in the movie... vivid images and pictures painted in various scenes alluding to the childlike innocence of falling in love, the magic of letting yourself go and following the advice of an electric traffic sign... this movie become more enjoyable as you watch it more and shouldn't that be how a movie should be? Shouldn't it get more enjoyable instead of LESS enjoyable like most movies made today, that start with a shock and go downhill? Steve Martin shines throughout this movie and you share his gleeful moments... for example after he's tickled to find that his wife is having an affair with his agent and he converts his make-believe-shock into a dance as he approaches his then-a-symbol-of-affluence LeBaron in the street... when he tosses his hat to himself after he sets up another way to see the woman he is falling for... Simultaneously, though, you share his confusion as to how to handle the relationship with the over-energetic, giddy 23 year old he's accidentally fallen into bed with along the way. This is a complex movie that presents itself so innocently, you can't help but enjoy it. And, as a tribute to the brilliance of "The Man With Two Brains," he even manages to insert a portion of the (now legendary) "Pointy Birds" poem. In all, this is a worthwhile experience if you're willing to watch it all the way through. This is a movie for Steve Martin fans, because his unique, sensitive, accessible brand of humor and (more importantly) of life is apparent throughout.
    7Mr-Fusion

    L.A. gets a salty tribute

    Several years back, when I first sat down to watch "L.A. Story", my in-laws remarked that I was fortunate to be seeing this while living in that particular region (the jokes would make more sense). And they were spot-on. All of the movie's funniest gags are L.A. in-jokes (they're just surreal to outsiders): the angst-ridden 4-way stop, the smog, shrugging off earthquakes, the vapid lifestyles - these help the otherwise absurd freeway shootout and socially acceptable muggings work as comedy.

    The movie functions pretty well as a romantic comedy/fantasy between Steve Martin and Vitoria Tennant, but it works a lot better when Martin see free-spirited (and charming as all get out) Sarah Jessica Parker).

    But it works best as Martin's snide valentine to the culture.

    7/10
    8claudio_carvalho

    Still Delightful and Witty after so Many Years

    In Los Angeles, the meteorologist Harris K. Telemacher (Steve Martin) is the wacky weatherman of television news. He has a wasted relationship with his obnoxious girlfriend Trudi (Marilu Henner) and he feel that he lives a boring life.

    When Harris meets the Londoner journalist Sara McDowell (Victoria Tennant), who has come to LA to write en article for the London Times, in a brunch party with her ex-husband Roland Mackey (Richard E. Grant) and other friends, he believes that she is the woman of his life. Harris does not know how to seduce her and he discovers that Trudi has been cheating him with his agent for three years. Then Harry dates the younger aspirant spokesmodel SanDeE* (Sarah Jessica Parker) because he believes that Sara is interested in her ex-husband. However a freeway signpost helps Harry to woo Sara.

    "L.A. Story" is a romantic comedy that is still delightful and witty after so many years from the release. The chemistry between Steve Martin and his wife is perfect and there are hilarious dialogs and situations, like for example, when Harris tells Sara that he would like to take her on a cultural tour of L.A., and Sara replies that this would be the first fifteen minutes. Or when he tells to SanDeE* that her breasts are weird and she answers that it is because they are real. Or when SanDeE* and Roland fantasize with Mel Gibson. In addition, there are cameos of many actors and famous people. The music score by Enya is awesome and fits perfectly to the conclusion. My vote is eight.

    Title (Brazil): "L.A. Story"

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Steve Martin and Victoria Tennant were married at the time.
    • Goofs
      In the credits Sarah Jessica Parker's character is listed as "Sandy" and not "SanDeE*".
    • Quotes

      Harris: [in admiring a painting] I like the relationships. I mean, each character has his own story. The puppy is a bit too much, but you have to over look things like that in these kinds of paintings. The way he's *holding* her... it's almost... filthy. I mean, he's about to kiss her and she's pulling away. The way the leg's sort of smashed up against her... Phew... Look how he's painted the blouse sort of translucent. You can just make out her breasts underneath and it's sort of touching him about here. It's really... pretty torrid, don't you think? Then of course you have the onlookers peeking at them from behind the doorway like they're all shocked. They wish. Yeah, I must admit, when I see a painting like this, I get emotionally... erect.

      [the painting is then revealed to be solely a red rectangle]

    • Crazy credits
      SanDeE* (Sarah Jessica Parker) is very peculiar about how her name is spelled. Still, the character is listed as "Sandy" in the credits.
    • Alternate versions
      A deleted scene featuring John Lithgow was reinstated in the cable-tv version of the film.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Queens Logic/Run/Meet the Applegates/The Vanishing (1991)
    • Soundtracks
      Epona
      Written by Enya

      Performed by Enya

      Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp. / BBC Enterprises Ltd.

      By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

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    FAQ18

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 8, 1991 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • LA Story
    • Filming locations
      • Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA(entrance & foyer used as "L'Idiot Restaurant"/trellis area used for brunch restaurant/ballroom area used for the El Pollo Del Mar hotel rooms)
    • Production companies
      • Carolco Pictures
      • IndieProd Company Productions
      • L.A. Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $28,862,081
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $6,616,915
      • Feb 10, 1991
    • Gross worldwide
      • $28,862,081
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 35 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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