Stepmom (1998)

A terminally ill woman has to settle on her former husband's new lover, who will be their children's stepmother.

Director:

Chris Columbus

Writers:

Gigi Levangie (story), Gigi Levangie (screenplay)

Stars:

Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, Ed Harris

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 8 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Julia Roberts	...	Isabel Kelly
Susan Sarandon	...	Jackie Harrison
Ed Harris	...	Luke Harrison
Jena Malone	...	Anna Harrison
Liam Aiken	...	Ben Harrison
Lynn Whitfield	...	Dr. P. Sweikert
Darrell Larson	...	Duncan Samuels
Mary Louise Wilson	...	Mrs. Franklin
Andre B. Blake	...	Cooper (as Andre Blake)
Herbert Russell	...	Photo Assistant (as Russel Harper)
Jack Eagle	...	Craft Service Man
Lu Celania Sierra	...	Photo Shoot Model
Lauma Zemzare	...	Photo Shoot Model
Holly Schenck	...	Photo Shoot Model
Michelle Stone	...	Photo Shoot Model

Storyline

Anna and Ben, the two children of Jackie and Luke, have to cope with the fact that their parents divorced and that there is a new woman in their father's life: Isabel, a successful photographer. She does her best to treat the kids in a way that makes them still feel at home when being with their dad, but also loves her work and does not plan to give it up. But Jackie, a full-time mother, regards Isabel's efforts as offensively insufficient. She can't understand that work can be important to her as well as the kids. The conflict between them is deepened by the sudden diagnosis of cancer, which might may be deadly for Jackie. They all have to learn a little in order to grow together.

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Plot Keywords:

cancer | custody | rapunzel character | woman | photographer | 

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Taglines:

Be there for the joy. Be there for the tears. Be there for each other.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language and thematic elements

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Class Divided

Filming Locations:

Bedford, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$19,142,440, 27 December 1998, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$91,137,662

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$68,573,131

Company Credits

Production Co:

TriStar Pictures,1492 Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS (re-release) (2002) SDDS (re-release) (2002) Dolby Digital (re-release) (2002)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jena Malone plays Susan Sarandon's daughter in this film. Six years later, she would go on to star in the teen comedy Saved (2004) with Sarandon's real life daughter Eva Amurri Martino.

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Goofs

Isabel's rings constantly change from no ring to engagement ring to engagement ring and wedding band, in no logical order and often in direct conflict with the storyline.

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Quotes

[first lines]
DJ Scott Zoe: [the morning DJ on the radio] Hey, good morning, New York. Scott Zoe here at 102.7, WNEW-FM, where rock lives. Beautiful autumn day in the city, and a great record coming your way, too.
[the song Under Pressure by David Bowie plays]
Isabel: [Isabel gets up in a rush to go and wake up Ben] Ben? Ben? Ben. Get up, get up, get up. Late, late, late. Ben? Come on, honey. Get up. We're seriously late.
[...]

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Connections

References The Goonies (1985)

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Soundtracks

Under Pressure
Written by David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, John Deacon, Brian May, and Roger Taylor
Performed by Queen and David Bowie
Courtesy of Raincloud Productions Ltd.
Jones/Tintoretto Entertainment Co., LLC., Hollywood Records & EMI Records UK

User Reviews

Two Thumbs Up!

Chris Columbus directed 'Stepmom' is a winner all the way... a true 1998 Classic! The film is highly entertaining, in fact there is hardly a moment when you feel bored in this 123 minute-film. Columbus has made superb films, and 'Stepmom' ranks as his best.

The film has a beautiful story, a story about a divorced couple, their children and the Stepmom. The film explains the worth of a family... it surely leaves a great moral behind. The climax is superb, it gets you moist-eyed.

Performance-wise: Ed Harris is Incredible, as ever. He steals the show in a small, but significant role. Julia Roberts is fantastic as the Stepmom. Susan Sarandon needs to mentioning, she's a class apart. Liam Aiken & Jena Malone, the kids, stand out.

On the whole 'Stepmom' is a must watch for each and every cine-lover.