Top 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsMost Popular Video GamesMost Popular Music VideosMost Popular Podcasts
    Release CalendarBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersSundance Film FestivalIndependent Spirit AwardsBlack History MonthSXSWSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Roommates

  • 19951995
  • PGPG
  • 1h 48m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
1.9K
YOUR RATING
Roommates (1995)
ComedyDrama
An elderly yet young-at-heart man moves in with his grandson and both their lives turn upside-down.An elderly yet young-at-heart man moves in with his grandson and both their lives turn upside-down.An elderly yet young-at-heart man moves in with his grandson and both their lives turn upside-down.
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
1.9K
YOUR RATING
    • Peter Yates
    • Max Apple(short story)
    • Stephen Metcalfe(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Peter Falk
    • D.B. Sweeney
    • Julianne Moore
    • Peter Yates
    • Max Apple(short story)
    • Stephen Metcalfe(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Peter Falk
    • D.B. Sweeney
    • Julianne Moore
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 21User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar

    Photos24

    Peter Falk and Courtney Chase in Roommates (1995)
    Ellen Burstyn in Roommates (1995)
    Julianne Moore in Roommates (1995)
    Peter Falk in Roommates (1995)
    Peter Falk and D.B. Sweeney in Roommates (1995)
    Julianne Moore, Peter Falk, D.B. Sweeney, and Ellen Burstyn in Roommates (1995)
    Peter Falk and D.B. Sweeney in Roommates (1995)
    D.B. Sweeney in Roommates (1995)
    Peter Falk and D.B. Sweeney in Roommates (1995)
    Peter Falk and D.B. Sweeney in Roommates (1995)
    Peter Falk in Roommates (1995)
    Peter Falk in Roommates (1995)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Peter Falk
    Peter Falk
    • Rocky Holeczek
    D.B. Sweeney
    D.B. Sweeney
    • Michael
    Julianne Moore
    Julianne Moore
    • Beth
    Ellen Burstyn
    Ellen Burstyn
    • Judith
    Jan Rubes
    Jan Rubes
    • Bolek Krupa
    Joyce Reehling
    • Barbara
    Ernie Sabella
    Ernie Sabella
    • Stash
    John Cunningham
    John Cunningham
    • Burt Shook
    Noah Fleiss
    Noah Fleiss
    • Michael (Age 5)
    Lisa Davis
    • Betty
    Rohn Thomas
    Rohn Thomas
    • Kevin
    Karl Mackey
    • Milan Postevic
    Zygmund Szarnicki
    • Funeral Priest
    • (as Reverend Zygmund Szarnicki)
    Lee Alan McConnell
    Lee Alan McConnell
    • Bully at Baseball Game
    • (as Chance Marquez)
    David Cutter
    • Peanut Vendor
    David Tom
    David Tom
    • Michael (age 15)
    Lillian Misko-Coury
    • Bakery Saleswoman
    Kate Young
    • Nun
      • Peter Yates
      • Max Apple(short story) (story) (screenplay)
      • Stephen Metcalfe(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Tea with Mussolini
    6.9
    Tea with Mussolini
    Rough Cut
    5.6
    Rough Cut
    My Favorite Year
    7.3
    My Favorite Year
    The Run of the Country
    6.2
    The Run of the Country
    Roommates
    6.7
    Roommates
    It All Came True
    5.7
    It All Came True
    A Separate Peace
    5.4
    A Separate Peace
    The Postman Always Rings Twice
    6.6
    The Postman Always Rings Twice
    The Goodbye Girl
    7.4
    The Goodbye Girl
    Eleni
    6.9
    Eleni
    Year of the Comet
    5.8
    Year of the Comet
    For Pete's Sake
    6.2
    For Pete's Sake

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Peter Falk's makeup took four hours per day to apply and remove.
    • Quotes

      Rocky Holzcek: Reason and Family got nothin' to do with each other!

    • Crazy credits
      Art Department Dog .... Bob N. Dana
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Roommates/Muriel's Wedding/Hideaway/The Good Old Boys/Citizen X (1995)
    • Soundtracks
      (Maybe We'll Wait) 'Til Sunday
      Written and Performed by Kenneth

      Morphinomania Music ASCAP

    User reviews21

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    A "buddy" movie with a different kind of "buddy".
    If you think about a "buddy" movie, it can take many forms. Women may see Bette Midler in "Beaches" comforting her friends or Susan Sarandon in "Thelma and Louise" shooting up the Southwest. On the other hand men have the "Lethal Weapon", "Beverly Hills Cop" series where dim witted detectives team up with fast thinking/street smart partners. The formulas are typical and boring. This movie sets the stage for a different type of "buddy" movie. The premise is set right away with Michael Holzcek being orphaned(mother died previously with an illness) when his father dies in Vietnam and no one will raise him except his grandfather Rocky played by Peter Falk who becomes his lifelong buddy/mentor. Rocky is a Polish American in Pittsburg and at the time well past 65 but still working hard as a baker while his contemporaries are retired or dead. He is told that he is too old to raise a kid but "whoa" this senior is on a mission and not done yet! Rocky has his own stubborn ways and the "my way or the highway" philosophy of life. The story unfolds with Rocky teaching Michael the values of family and life. Unfortunately, Michael picks up alot of Rocky's "say it like it is" habits. Along the way, Michael sets out to get his college degree and head off to medical school eventually interning in Columbus, Ohio. Of course, Rocky has to join him in a home shared with Chinese medical students. This part of the movie lends itself to many funny episodes with Rocky trying to "fit in" with the students. Michael's life seems to be in a rut-just work and of course no sleep because Rocky is a horrific snorer. Life stinks until he meets his future wife to be Beth. However, no one is good enough for Michael according to Rocky but eventually Rocky learns to "live and let live" and accept Beth. The marriage develops a number of new situations and it is Beth that teaches Michael the true key to becoming a good doctor,humanity and compassion. I really enjoyed the movie but it was Peter Falk that made the movie. He has an extensive movie history and although known for the extremely successful "Columbo" TV series,he has received many awards and got his first real recognition for the true life based movie "Murder Inc".

    "Roomates" has a good story line but there are several "goofs" that prevent it from getting a top rating. Here are my observations.

    Although it is an ethnic movie and he was Polish American, there was no hints of Polish culture like food, dance etc. It was like the story was a composite of traits of many ethnic groups and the writers just chose "Polish American" as a label. D.B. Sweeney was not a good choice as Michael, his boyish looks are hard to make him look older as the years advance in the movie. He is also ethnic looking alright-like right out of an Irish movie with his reddish hair. However, a real big "booboo" was when Rocky was doing the laundry at Michael's house,(at this point Michael was married with children and had completed his doctor residency of 8 years)and had to have been 35. Rocky at that point would have been 98 or 100. He was moving around quicker than most 25 year old guys in a boxing match. Also he was a baker all of his life-a grueling, on your feet, all day occupation yet no physical ailments or complaints in the storyline. Falk also had a plastic cap over his head to make him look bald and old but it looked so bad that it reminded you of a game show host from the 70's with a lousy hairpiece("rug"). I recommend this movie and had some of the details been attended to, it would have been outstanding. Perhaps this is the reason that this entertaining film was probably not released in theaters.
    helpful•7
    1
    • bigsix
    • Mar 18, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 3, 1995 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
    • Production companies
      • Hollywood Pictures
      • Interscope Communications
      • Nomura Babcock & Brown
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 48 minutes
      • Stereo
      • Dolby Digital

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Roommates (1995)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Roommates (1995) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.