She's So Lovely (1997)

After being released from a psychiatric institution, a man tries to redeem himself in the eyes of his now-ex wife from the events that led up to his incarceration.

Director:

Nick Cassavetes

Writer:

John Cassavetes

Stars:

Sean Penn, Robin Wright, John Travolta

3 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robin Wright	...	Maureen Murphy Quinn (as Robin Wright Penn)
James Gandolfini	...	Kiefer
Susan Traylor	...	Lucinda
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Tony 'Shorty' Russo
Debi Mazar	...	Georgie
Bobby Cooper	...	Cooper
John Marshall Jones	...	Leonard
Chloe Webb	...	Nancy Swearingen
Sean Penn	...	Eddie Quinn
James Soravilla	...	Avi
Jamie Bozian	...	Intern #1 (as James Bozian)
Paul Johansson	...	Intern #2
Justina Machado	...	Carmen Rodriguez - Lady Ticket Taker
Tito Larriva	...	Lead Singer
Tony Marsico	...	Band Member

Storyline

Maureen is pregnant and her husband Eddie is missing. Nervous, Maureen shares a couple of drinks with neighbor Kiefer, who tries to rape her and then beats her. When Eddie returns and finds his wife bruised, he goes ballistic, shoots a paramedic and is put in a psychiatric institution. Ten years later, Eddie is released and finds that Maureen has divorced him and is remarried with three children, one of whom is his little girl Jeanie. Eddie goes to reclaim his wife.

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Plot Keywords:

ticklishness | rape | protective male | claim in title | half sister | 

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Taglines:

The story of one outrageous woman. Caught between two men. Both of them certain of one thing...

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language and some violence

Details

Official Sites:

Miramax

Country:

France USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 August 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

She's De Lovely

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,036,081, 1 September 1997, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$7,221,836, 5 October 1997

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax, Clyde Is Hungry Productions, Sheen/Michaels Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Cassavetes was going to direct the film in the 1980s with 'Sean Penn' in the lead but the project could not be completed before Cassavetes died.

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Goofs

Joey gets out of his Cadillac holding his car keys, but the car's warning beeper signifies that the keys are still in the ignition.

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Quotes

Eddie: Can you type 170 words a minute? Can you sew? Can you dance? What can you do?

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Alternate Versions

The film was released straight to video in Holland. This version has no strong language whatsoever. Every swearword etc. has been badly replaced with milder versions, probably not by the actors themselves.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Leave It to Beaver/Money Talks/Mimic/Masterminds/Gabbeh (1997)

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Soundtracks

That's the Way (I Like It)
(1976)
Performed by KC & The Sunshine Band
Written by Harry Wayne Casey (as Harry W. Casey) & Richard Finch
Published by Longitude Music Company
Courtesy of Rhino Records
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

Very good movie about very bad people

None of the major characters in this movie is particularly redeemable, yet it remains a fascinating film. Eddie (Sean Penn) is a hard-drinking working guy, devoted to his friends and passionate about his wife Maureen (Robin Wright Penn). Eddie's mentally unstable; he has a very weak grasp on the concepts of time and space, and thus often vanishes for days at a time without realising how long he's been gone (and without understanding why Maureen worries about him). Maureen is equally passionate about Eddie; but he's been gone for three days at the start of the film, and their neighbour Kiefer is pleasant and more importantly -there-, and she accepts his offer of drinks and later of dancing. Kiefer pushes it too far, however, and though Maureen tries to keep the truth from him, Eddie finds out. His tenuous grasp on mental stability snaps at this point, and this is really the climax of the film.

As has been mentioned before, this is not an Oscar-winning film. Not because it's not excellent -- with a script by John Cassavetes and command performances by both Penns (spectacular, really, both of them, in roles that would have been poorly played by clumsier actors) and John Travolta, and excellent supporting roles all around -- but because it isn't a Hollywood movie about Good versus Bad, with Good ultimately triumphing. People don't make good choices. People aren't particularly "good" parents. What ultimately happens isn't supposed to happen in the movies. But it does, and it's true to the characters, and it lifts this film up above the usual sugar-coated drabble we're so often fed by the cookie-cutter that is Hollywood.