Forever Lulu (2000)

A schizophrenic romantic tracks down her college sweetheart to help her find their son she gave up for adoption sixteen years ago to the dismay of his new wife.

Director:

John Kaye

Writer:

John Kaye

Stars:

Melanie Griffith, Patrick Swayze, Penelope Ann Miller

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Melanie Griffith	...	Lulu McAfee
Penelope Ann Miller	...	Claire Clifton
Patrick Swayze	...	Ben Clifton
Richard Schiff	...	Jerome Ellsworth
Annie Corley	...	Millie Ellsworth
Lee Garlington	...	Linda Davis
Michael J. Pollard	...	Hippie
Ryan Bollman	...	Freddie
Matthew Fairchild	...	Man in Audience
Elisa Goodman	...	Woman in Audience
Greg Lipari	...	Book Seller
Nick Offerman	...	Man - Boardner's
Daniel Nathan Spector	...	Clark
Gabrielle Ashry	...	Hostess - Helena's
David Duran	...	Bar Tender - Helena's

Storyline

Lulu McAfee lives in a San Francisco home for mentally-ill adults. In June 1999, she bolts for Los Angeles and contacts Ben Clifton, an old flame, now unhappily writing for television and unhappily married to a psychiatrist, Claire. Ben is ready to call Lulu's doctor when she tells him they have a son, born after she became ill and their affair ended. He calls Claire to tell her he's driving Lulu to Wisconsin to meet the boy on his sixteenth birthday, a visit Lulu claims is arranged. On the drive, Lulu tries to rekindle the affair and restart Ben's idealism. Meanwhile, Claire boards a plane to Madison to watch her marriage collapse. Is there really a son? What emotional landmines will the trip set off?

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Plot Keywords:

schizophrenic | confronting the past | personal growth | first love | grief | 

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Taglines:

Two Ex-Lovers. One Open Road.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, brief nudity and a scene of disturbing images

Details

Country:

Germany USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 March 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Along for the Ride

Filming Locations:

Palmdale, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinelulu Internationale Filmproduktiongesellshaft mbH and Co. 1 Beteilegung KG,Cinerenta Medienbeteiligungs KG,Green Moon Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Antonio Banderas was originally cast as Ben Clifton.

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Goofs

The food throwing scene at the cafe is inconsistent between shots. First Lulu shoves a full plate of food and a mustard bottle behind the bar. In the next shot the mustard bottle and plate are back but the food is already all over the bar and the plate is empty, and the old man's glasses case is replaced by just the glasses. This time she just shoves the cups and mustard bottle behind the bar as well as a blue hat that was not there before, and also knocks over a bowl of artificial sweetener. In the next shot the bowl of sweeter is upright, a newspaper that was near Lulu is now near the old man, and the plate and glasses are gone.

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Connections

References ER (1994)

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Soundtracks

Eyeballin
Written and performed by Lonnie Brooks

User Reviews

Drama about several serious subjects

I have no idea why this film was listed as a comedy. It definitely is a romance and depicts several different loves - infatuation (in flash backs and memories), parents' love a child, a wife's love for a husband, a husband's love of a wife, and a love above other loves.

Patrick Swayze is brilliant portraying a man torn between the burning memory of an earlier passionate love with Lulu (Melanie Griffith) and a love he feels for his wife. Swayze's character takes off across country with Lulu in search of his son with Lulu that he just found out about. Swayze is a handsome, moving leading man.

It is an excellent film that portrays a beautiful woman (Griffith) who has struggled with mental illness for years. Melanie Griffith's seems to always be able to portray sweet vulnerability even when her characters should not be sweet and vulnerable - she is able to dig down and find the soul of her characters.

Penelope Miller does a wonderful job as the wife of Swayze's character. Definitely worth watching - have tissues nearby!