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 role of Isabel was written with Molly Ringwald in mind

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Goofs

Near the end of the yachts scene, an old man in a blue checked shirt can be seen walking by in the background. As they stand to leave a few seconds later he walks past again in the same direction.

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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

Baby Love
Written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland (as Edward Holland Jr.)
Performed by The Supremes
Courtesy of Motown Record Company LP
By Arrangement with PolyGram Film and TV Music

User Reviews

delightful & heart warming ...

Stepmom is one of the most delightful movies in recent times ... ! It's a touching tale of maternal love that doesn't fail to move you no matter how many times you see it. It's a gem !

Stepmom tells you the story of an American marriage that loses its spark with time and the man seeks love outside of it. This sensitive film deals with how the family handles the delicate situation --- at times, holding out bravely ... and at other times, buckling under the emotional trauma ! The other woman, very ably portrayed by Julia Roberts, is a genuinely good human being who tries to bond with her lovers' kids inspite of their mother's (and their own) initial bitterness towards her. The plot thickens when the mother of the kids, portrayed with finesse by Susan Sarandon, is found to have cancer. The mother's days in the world are now numbered and the family must learn to carry on without her ... ! Stepmom now paints a warm and endearing picture of how the members of this family reconcile their differences and stand united and strong in the face of this crisis.

It would be UNFAIR if I rated this one anything less than 9 ... !