My Life (1993)

A terminally ill man prepares for his death.

Director:

Bruce Joel Rubin

Writer:

Bruce Joel Rubin

Stars:

Michael Keaton, Nicole Kidman, Bradley Whitford

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Keaton	...	Bob Jones
Nicole Kidman	...	Gail Jones
Bradley Whitford	...	Paul Ivanovich
Queen Latifah	...	Theresa
Michael Constantine	...	Bill Ivanovich
Rebecca Schull	...	Rose Ivanovich
Mark Lowenthal	...	Dr. Mills
Lee Garlington	...	Carol Sandman
Toni Sawyer	...	Doris
Haing S. Ngor	...	Mr. Ho
Romy Rosemont	...	Anya Stasiuk
Danny Rimmer	...	Young Bobbie
Ruth de Sosa	...	Young Rose Ivanovich
Richard Schiff	...	Young Bill Ivanovich
Stephen Taylor Knott	...	Young Paul Ivanovich

Storyline

Life is going well for Bob Jones: great job, beautiful loving wife and a baby on the way. Then he finds out that he has kidney cancer that will leave him dead within months. He sets out to videotape his life's acquired wisdom for his child, and ends up on a voyage of self-discovery and reconciliation.

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Plot Keywords:

video diary | cancer | reconciliation | baby | death | 

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Taglines:

every moment counts

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature subject matter

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 November 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mi vida

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,536,098, 14 November 1993, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$27,484,464

Company Credits

Production Co:

Capella Films,Columbia Pictures Corporation,Zucker Brothers Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The poem that Michael Keaton teaches to his son is "Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Seuss.

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Goofs

In the scene where Bob is videotaping the hotel room, he zooms in on Gail's stomach, which is very large and round, expecting a child. In the next scene at the wedding reception, it shows them dancing around, and her standing there clapping, and there is no pregnancy belly.

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Quotes

Mr. Ho: It's not enough to marry goodness, you have to find it in yourself.

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Crazy Credits

Movie dedication by Bruce Joel Rubin - In memory of my mother Sondra Rubin

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Connections

Referenced in How to Be a Man (2013)

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Soundtracks

Chariots of Fire
Written and Performed by Vangelis
Courtesy of Polygram Special Markets

User Reviews

It makes you stop and think.

This film is one which really makes us sit back and evaluate our lives and our relationships with those we love.

Michael Keaton turns in a superb performance as the career man who is struck down by terminal cancer while his wife is expecting their first child.

The film then charts his efforts to make a video tape, for his unborn child, of his life and then discovers that it is not what it should be. With the help of a spiritual healer (Haing S. Ngor) and his wife (Nicole Kidman) he sets about trying to set things right with his family and his life.

Although the ending at the after life is a little bit dreamy after the reality of the film, this is still a superb piece of movie making with winning performances from all the cast and a wonderful script.

Definitely not a film to relax to of an evening, it is one of those films, like Philadelphia, that should be watched every now and again just to remind us that life is too short for arguments and should be cherished.