Hope Floats (1998)

Birdee Calvert must choose between her morals and her heart after her husband divorces her and a charming young man, who her daughter disapproves of, comes back into her life.

Director:

Forest Whitaker

Writer:

Steven Rogers

Stars:

Sandra Bullock, Harry Connick Jr., Gena Rowlands

3 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sandra Bullock	...	Birdee Pruitt
Harry Connick Jr.	...	Justin Matisse
Gena Rowlands	...	Ramona Calvert
Mae Whitman	...	Bernice Pruitt
Michael Paré	...	Bill Pruitt
Cameron Finley	...	Travis
Kathy Najimy	...	Toni Post
Bill Cobbs	...	Nurse
Connie Ray	...	Bobbi-Claire
Mona Lee Fultz	...	Teacher
Sydney Berry	...	Orange Julia
Rachel Snow	...	Big Dolores (as Rachel Lena Snow)
Christina Stojanovich	...	Kristen
Alissa Alban	...	Debbie Reissen (as Allisa Alban)
Dee Hennigan	...	Dot

Storyline

Birdee Calvert-Pruitt is back in her hometown of Smithville, Texas, after discovering that her husband is having an affair with her best friend, Connie. The entire town knows what happened to flawless beauty Birdee since Connie let her know about the affair on a national talk show. Back in town, she's dealing with catty old friends and acquaintances from high school who can't help rubbing it in her face that she isn't as perfect as she thought while still trying to get back on her feet with her daughter, Bernice. Deeply depressed, she runs into an old friend, Justin Matisse, who tries to help her through, but is still in love with her. Birdee must make a new life for her and her daughter, but will Justin be able to be part of it?

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Plot Keywords:

small town | return to hometown | funeral | betrayal | adultery | 

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Taglines:

When life fell apart, love fell into place.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements

Did You Know?

Trivia

At the beginning of the film, when Birdee and Bernice are leaving Chicago to stay with her mother in Texas, the two are driving on a freeway. They pass a bus with a billboard on the side advertising for the television show Birdie was just dumped on. The billboard reads: "Toni: She'll change your life!"

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Goofs

When Birdie is working in the photo lab, she accidentally ruins a customer's pictures. She said she loaded the paper wrong. That wouldn't ruin the negatives. Negatives are processed film to expose an image, no paper is involved.

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Quotes

Bernice Pruitt: Is this where you were "cream of corn"?
Birdee Pruitt: "Queen of Corn," honey. Three years runnin'. A feat unsurpassed in the history of Smithville.

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Connections

Referenced in Worst Cooks in America: Sea-List to A-list (2020)

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Soundtracks

Paper Wings
Written by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
Performed by Gillian Welch
Courtesy of Almo Sounds

User Reviews

average drama

This movie is a basic, down-to-earth drama. Sandra Bullock learns that her husband has been having an affair on an afternoon talk show, and she moves back home to Texas to start anew, and she finds new love while she's there. Not too bad, but it gets too slow and prodding at times, which is its only weakness. All in all, not too bad a movie. Just don't expect a classic, and you might like it.

** 1/2 out of ****

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 May 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hope Floats

Filming Locations:

201 E. Eighth St. Smithville, Texas USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$14,210,464, 31 May 1998

Gross USA:

$60,053,195

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$81,471,882

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox, Fortis Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1