Boys on the Side (1995)

Jane is a night club singer, out of work. Robin is a quirky real estate agent looking for a ride-share to accompany her to California. Her advertisement is answered by Jane, who at first ... See full summary »

Director:

Herbert Ross

Writer:

Don Roos

Stars:

Whoopi Goldberg, Mary-Louise Parker, Drew Barrymore

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Jane
Mary-Louise Parker	...	Robin
Drew Barrymore	...	Holly
Matthew McConaughey	...	Abe
James Remar	...	Alex
Billy Wirth	...	Nick
Anita Gillette	...	Elaine
Dennis Boutsikaris	...	Massarelli
Estelle Parsons	...	Louise
Amy Aquino	...	Anna
Stan Egi	...	Henry
Stephen Gevedon	...	Johnny Figgis / Jane's Band
Amy Ray	...	Indigo Girl
Emily Saliers	...	Indigo Girl
Jude Ciccolella	...	Jerry

Storyline

Jane is a night club singer, out of work. Robin is a quirky real estate agent looking for a ride-share to accompany her to California. Her advertisement is answered by Jane, who at first was uncertain about her. A stop in Pittsburgh picks up a third, Holly, escaping a violent and drug-dealing partner. Girls on the road, reaching understanding, respect, and care for each other. But this trio is different - Jane a lesbian, Robin suffering with AIDS, Holly running from her past, seeking one-night stands and a good man.

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Plot Keywords:

lesbian | female protagonist | terminal illness | domestic violence | abusive boyfriend | 

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Taglines:

A motion picture that celebrates the art of survival, the gift of laughter and the miracle of friendship.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language and some sexuality

Details

Country:

USA France

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 February 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

A proposito di donne

Filming Locations:

Teatro Carmen, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$21,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$23,450,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alcor Films,Canal+,Hera Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR SDDS Dolby DTS

Color:

Black and White Color (DuArt)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Jane & Robin first hit the road, (just after Robin appears saying "good morning"), the World Trade Center towers are briefly seen in the background as they are driving.

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Goofs

When Robin is trying to inform Holly that her boyfriend is dead she writes "MORTE" on the window and tells it is French for dead. In French, "morte" means a woman is dead and "mort" is used when a man has died.

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Quotes

Robin: But this person who dumped her, she was gay, right?
Holly: Yeah, but even with gay girls there are no guarantees. They're very emotional. That's about all I know. They love uniforms and don't break their hearts.
Robin: Uniforms?
Holly: Oh, yeah, all kinds. Especially UPS.

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Boys on the Side/Highlander: The Final Dimension/In the Mouth of Madness/The Secret of Roan Inish (1995)

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Soundtracks

Close To You
Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David

User Reviews

The best American movie ever made

Cynics might say its a chick flick or a dyke flick. Then remake me a chick or a dyke to get the kind of real, unbridled love -- romantic and platonic -- that these women have for each other and their hetero spouses/friends.

Mary-Louise Parker's character is so sad, yet so rich. Barrymore's fatuous shenanigans in the bus window are hilarious. Whoopie is no-nonsense, a realist, a skeptic -- but not offensive or shrill.

Minor characters are great, too.

Fried Green Tomatoes goes to Arizona.

Sound track is to die for.