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

Rob Reiner offered the part of Annie in Sleepless in Seattle to Michelle Pfeiffer. She turned it down they later worked on this film. Both films had Rita Wilson in supporting roles.

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Goofs

When Katie and Ben are in the first restaurant, Katie is shown eating with a fork in her right hand and a knife placed between her two plates. In the reverse shot the knife is gone.

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Quotes

Katie: I want to go to Chow Funs
Ben: I thought we agreed we couldn't really talk at Chow Funs
Katie: I know
Ben: Are you saying Chow Funs because you can't face telling the kids? Because if that's why you're saying Chow Funs, don't say Chow Funs
Katie: That's not why I'm saying Chow Funs. Funs, I'm saying Chow Funs because we're an us. There's a history here, and histories don't happen overnight. In Mesopotamia or Ancient Troy there are cities built on top of other cities, but I don't want another city, I like this city. I know...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Be Kind Rewind (2008)

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Soundtracks

(I) Get Lost
Written and Performed by Eric Clapton
Produced by Eric Clapton
Courtesy of Reprise Records

User Reviews

Heart Felt and Funny - Just like Middle Class real Life

I was miffed the first time I saw this film. Miffed that I had allowed the opinions of others to steer me away from it until it came out on DVD. What a lovely bitter sweet/sweetly bitter film. After seeing The Story Of Us and talking to others about it, I came to the pejorative conclusion that the folk I spoke to just didn't get the film because they simply had not been there. I realized that no one I talked to at first had shared his or her lives with anyone for any more than a few years. This film deals with the daily wear and tear of ANY truly long-term relationship. It is an accurate, albeit theatrical, portrayal of the way high ups and devastating downs that can come to two people who love each other … hate each other … need each other … want each other desperately … hate each other some more and finally love each other again. I concluded that those who had never been to the end (and I mean the it's over and I am outta here end) of a relationship and still been able to pull away form the precipice and put things back together again, just didn't have a clue. So there my partner and I were after 16 years together truly touched by all that we saw, nodded our heads to, laughed at and balled our eyes out over and, in the end, really uplifted by in this gem of a film. Michelle Pfeiffer's final monologue alone would have been worth the price of a movie ticket just to watch – All Actors should be made to watch her has she creates brilliant comedy by bursting into tears. It is a true lesson in comic artistry while still touching the heartstrings. I HATE THE KIRBYS TOO!!!!

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