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 | tickling | woman | 

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Taglines:

Sometimes the Person Will Cant With Live Becomes the Pearson You Can't Live without

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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

The song that Isabel (Julia Roberts) sings to Ben (Liam Aiken) in the hospital is "If I Needed You". It was recorded by Roberts' ex-husband Lyle Lovett on his 1998 album "Step Inside This House". The song was originally written and performed by Texas singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt in 1972.

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Goofs

Medical marijuana is not legal in New York, and they actually had lengthy and frequent sentences for possession and distribution of controlled substances until 2001 when Governor George Pataki launched a campaign to reform the drug laws.

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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

Referenced in Chasing Life: Unplanned Parenthood (2014)

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Soundtracks

Green Onions
Written by Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Lewie Steinberg, and Al Jackson Jr.
Performed by Booker T. & the M.G.s (as Booker T. and the MG's)
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

Great movie!

I'm still wondering why Susan and Julia didn't even get a nomination of the Academy, or the screenplay. This movie is a great movie about jelousy of a mother, that is scared that her children might love someone else as their second mother, and gives such a hard time to that person. And in the other hand, you see that young lady, in love (with the father of those kids), that forgives everything that has been done to her. She was called a bitch a couple of times (the dog scene with Ana, and when she brings the kids at Jackies, and Ana has make up). Was ignored, and even lost her job for those kids. And she forgives all of this, and tryes to like everyone. The world sure would be perfect if everyone would be this way. The problem is that the world has too many Jackies, and not enough Isabels.

If you are someone that likes to cry, and cry. Watch it. Is one of the sweetes movie ever, talking about peoples feelings, fears, and happynes. Great!