How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)

Stella is a highly successful, forty-something San Francisco stock broker who is persuaded by her colorful New York girlfriend Delilah to take a well deserved, first-class vacation to ... See full summary »

Director:

Kevin Rodney Sullivan

Writers:

Terry McMillan (novel), Terry McMillan (screenplay)

Stars:

Angela Bassett, Taye Diggs, Whoopi Goldberg

4 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Angela Bassett	...	Stella Payne
Taye Diggs	...	Winston Shakespeare
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Delilah Abraham
Regina King	...	Vanessa
Suzzanne Douglas	...	Angela
Michael J. Pagan	...	Quincy Payne
Sicily Johnson	...	Chantel (as Sicily)
Richard Lawson	...	Jack
Barry Shabaka Henley	...	Buddy
Lee Weaver	...	Nate
Glynn Turman	...	Dr. Shakespeare
Phyllis Yvonne Stickney	...	Mrs. Shakespeare
Denise Hunt	...	Ms. Thang
Lisa Hanna	...	Abby
James Pickens Jr.	...	Walter Payne

Storyline

Stella is a highly successful, forty-something San Francisco stock broker who is persuaded by her colorful New York girlfriend Delilah to take a well deserved, first-class vacation to Jamaica. As she soaks in the beauty of the island, she encounters a strapping, young islander, Winston Shakespeare. His pursuits for her turn into a hot and steamy romance that forces Stella to take personal inventory of her life and try to find a balance between her desire for love and companionship, and the responsibilities of mother and corporate executive.

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Plot Keywords:

loss of job | best friend | family home | pet dog | african american protagonist | 

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Taglines:

Sometimes you have to break the rules to free your heart.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some sexuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 August 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

How Stella Got Her Groove Back On

Filming Locations:

1090 Rubio Street, Altadena, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,318,919, 16 August 1998

Gross USA:

$37,672,941

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$39,278,722

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Taye Diggs was performing in the Broadway production of "Rent" when he learned that he had landed the male lead in this film. He celebrated by streaking through the theater where he was working.

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Goofs

The airport is LAX but the story takes place in the San Francisco area.

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Quotes

Stella Payne: So how old are you anyway, young man?
Winston Shakespeare: Well, I'll be 21 on my next birthday so I guess that makes me 20. And how old are you, young lady?
Stella Payne: 40.
Winston Shakespeare: No, truthfully.

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Connections

Referenced in Hollywood Darlings: How Christine Got Her Groove Back (2017)

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Soundtracks

Mastablasta '98
Performed by Stevie Wonder & Wyclef Jean
Written by Stevie Wonder, Wyclef Jean and Jerry 'Wonder' Duplessis (as Jerry Duplessis)
Contains elements from " (Fallin' Like) Dominoes" (by Harold Clayton (as H. Clayton) / Mbaji (as Mabaji) / Sigidi Abdulla (as Sigidi))
Performed by Donald Byrd
Used Courtesy of Capitol Records, Inc.
Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for Flyte Tyme Productions,
Inc. and Wyclef Jean and Jerry 'Wonder' Duplessis (as Jerry Duplessis) for Refugee Productions
Wyclef Jean appears courtesy of Ruffhouse/Columbia Records
Stevie Wonder appears courtesy of Motown Record Co., L.P.

User Reviews

The word GARBAGE comes to mind

How Stella Got Her Groove Back is the worst movie that has been made in a long time. It is extremely slow and shallow, displays no acting talent whatsoever and the script is shocking. I think the only reason Angela Bassett went in this movie was to show off her body because that's all she does. It looks like getting a bit better when Angela leaves Jamaica but she soon goes back and then comes back and goes back again and just becomes a stupid cycle. I think the author should have kept her love life to herself and should not have let this awful book become a movie.