The Story of Us (1999)

Ben and Katie Jordan are a married couple who go through hard times in fifteen years of marriage.

Director:

Rob Reiner

Writers:

Alan Zweibel, Jessie Nelson

Stars:

Bruce Willis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Colleen Rennison

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bruce Willis	...	Ben Jordan
Michelle Pfeiffer	...	Katie Jordan
Colleen Rennison	...	Erin Jordan at Ten
Jake Sandvig	...	Josh Jordan at Twelve
Casey Boersma	...	Josh Jordan at Two and a Half
Tim Matheson	...	Marty
Rob Reiner	...	Stan
Julie Hagerty	...	Liza
Rita Wilson	...	Rachel
Dylan Boersma	...	Josh Jordan at Three
Ken Lerner	...	Dr. Rifkin
Victor Raider-Wexler	...	Dr. Hopkins
Albert Hague	...	Dr. Siegler
Jayne Meadows	...	Dot
Tom Poston	...	Harry

Storyline

Ben and Katie married fifteen years ago and gifted with two children. They stay together but their hearts had separated long back. After the kids are send to summer camp both start living separately and eventually preparing to break news of their separation to the kids. But being alone in each one's own world makes them to think about the other. When the D-day comes Katie and Ben stick together for the good of their children.

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Plot Keywords:

husband wife relationship | marriage | summer camp | male rear nudity | four word title | 

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Taglines:

Can a marriage survive 15 years of marriage?

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and brief sexuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

Albert Hague's last film.

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Goofs

Ben's wine glass and the bottle during dinner with Stan.

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Quotes

Rachel: The key to a happy marriage is to accept the essential chasm between men and women.
Liza: Which is?
Rachel: A man can mend a fight with sex. A woman can't have sex until they've resolved the fight.
Liza: Why is that?
Rachel: It's the basic difference between the penis and the vagina. A penis is a thruster, a battering ram, if you will. Even if it's mad, it can ram. Sometimes it even helps. It's the mad ram principle. However, the vagina - ah, the vagina. The vagina has to be relaxed in order to open and receive. It can't be ...

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Connections

References Two for the Road (1967)

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Soundtracks

I'm So Excited
Written by Trevor Lawrence, June Pointer, Ruth Pointer and Anita Pointer
Performed by The Pointer Sisters
Courtesy of The RCA Records Label of BMG Entertainment

User Reviews

Very close to being great, but doesn't quite make it...

This movie holds so much truth; it cannot possibly be watched by anyone, man or woman who are or who have been in a serious relationship without any such crying at some point during it, or at least being strongly enough emotionally affected to do so. I cried. I cried before the opening credits song was more than a few lines in. It spoke to me like few movies have. It is the first movie about the subject of love that I've watched since I became this involved, physically and emotionally with my wife-to-be. That alone makes the movie have an impact on me, good or not. That it dealt with a subject that has so recently become so important to me. A successful marriage. But while I was this into the film, while it had this impact on me... I can't claim that it was great. The performances are. The editing is. The script is. Most of the parts are. But somehow, the sum, it just doesn't add up to being that... great. It might be that the ending feels flat. It might be that the movie offers no answers, only observations. The movie goes back and forth between present day chaos/unhappiness and fond memories... these were particularly difficult to watch without crying. This works to the film's advantage and creates a sense of more than a non-linear time-line; a life-time, years upon years of memories returning to this old married couple. The story of two people who love each other... they do. They've just tired of each other, of the differences, of the arguing. Comes very close to being great, but it just doesn't quite make it, I'm afraid. Worth watching for any fans of the genre, and has plenty of insights to offer. I recommend this to anyone who is or has been in a serious relationship. 6/10

Details

Official Sites:

Universal

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

15 October 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Story of Us

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,673,080, 17 October 1999

Gross USA:

$27,100,031

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$58,900,031

Company Credits

Production Co:

Castle Rock Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1