Hysterical Blindness (2002)

Two friends lament their unhappy single lives while searching for Mr. Right in 1980s New Jersey.

Director:

Mira Nair

Writers:

Laura Cahill (play), Laura Cahill (teleplay)

Stars:

Uma Thurman, Juliette Lewis, Gena Rowlands

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Uma Thurman	...	Debby Miller
Gena Rowlands	...	Virginia Miller
Juliette Lewis	...	Beth
Justin Chambers	...	Rick
Ben Gazzara	...	Nick
Anthony DeSando	...	Bobby (as Anthony De Sando)
Jolie Peters	...	Amber Autumn
Callie Thorne	...	Carolann
Lisa Altomare	...	Dora
Laura Cahill	...	Tonya
Johann Carlo	...	Susan
Alex Draper	...	Michael
Russell Gibson	...	Diner Customer
Jayne Haynes	...	Annie
Susan Isaacs	...	Theresa

Storyline

In this bittersweet slice of working class single New Jersey life, best friends Debby and Beth (both pushing thirty) go looking for love in the wrong place - namely their favorite bar, Oliver's. Rugged contractor Rick eyes Beth but ends up going home with the more assertive Debby. Beth's style is further cramped by the responsibilities of single motherhood. As Debby tries to parlay what was essentially a casual fling into possible marriage with an indifferent Rick, her mother Virginia wonders if her affair with widower Nick is the real thing. Rounding out the romantic possibilities is Bobby, the bartender who flirts with Beth. The women clash as plans go awry, tragedy strikes, and hearts get broken. In the end, Debby, Beth, and Virginia find, if not the relationships of their dreams, peace with each other and within themselves.

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Plot Keywords:

looking at oneself in a mirror | crying woman | imaginary boyfriend | billiard cue | billiard table | 

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Taglines:

In the 80's, they said love was a battlefield...they were right.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene in Rick (Justin Chambers)'s house - where Debby (Uma Thurman) offers to make breakfast had to be shot that way because the house actually had no kitchen. It had been gutted for renovation prior to being selected as a location for the film. The filmmakers contemplated building a fake kitchen, but the homeowner refused.

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Goofs

The movie is set in 1987, but there are many late-90's model vehicles.

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Quotes

Debby Miller: What are we going to order we order?
Beth: Ok lets start with a shot, and then get two Rolling Rocks.
Debby Miller: Yeah, tequila?
Beth: Yeah, salt?
Debby Miller: Yes salt, I don't want people to think I don't know how to do a shot of tequila!

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Connections

Referenced in Jeopardy!: Episode #22.196 (2006)

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Soundtracks

Last Night A D.J. Saved My Life
Written by Michael Cleveland
Performed by Indeep, vocals by Réjane Magloire
Courtesy of Sutra/Unidisc Records
by arrangement with Unidisc Music Inc.
© 1982 Unidisc Music Inc.

User Reviews

A little GEM out of a paper bag

This movie is every good thing that was written on this board and maybe more.

First, when I saw that movie in the guide i had never heard of it before but being a fan of Lewis and Thurman I couldn't let this pass even if apriori the plot SEEMED a little less than original.

Boy was I in for a surprise. Not all great first scene gives you a good film but all good film will give you a great intro scene, but this one gets its greatness in it's "nothingness". There is so "nothing" about it that as soon as you see Juliette and Uma come on the screen, your jawbone drops.

Not only are they unrecognizable but from the moment you see them you KNOW and FEEL exactly where you are, who you are dealing with and that's exactly every director's dream...or nightmare...can I put my audience in the context of the next x minutes.

This could have been an ordinary movie with an ordinary story..who wants to hear about screwed up bimbos stuck in no name city, no name job and a no name life, But somehow without ever falling into melodrama, pity or cliché, you just fall in love with every caracter.

This is a very well directed movie as it is far from obvious and easy to move a story like this into such an enjoyable moment.

As far as acting goes, well as someone else said, It's off the chart. I love Lewis (Natural born killers at her best...here too) and frankly I've seen alot of Uma but she literally blew me away in this. Both are so good that like I said from the first scene they appear, all you see are the caracters not the actresses.

You can see what a truly beautiful women is when even with an "altered down" image of herself (to say the least) you just can't get your eyes off her (yeah I'm a man)

I think the scene in the bar when she really goes loose is stunning and again it comes from a subtle chemistry between good directing and good acting, As a man I felt like the barman which the camera just give you a quick glimpse just to give you the hint. You look at her and you feel love and compassion even admiration for that woman while if it had been badly acted and/or directed she could have looked stupid and slutty so again masterfully crafted. In other scenes you feel her misery and you want it to end as bad and fast as her.

I can't just say I enjoyed that movie, it feels more like you've met real people that were graceful enough to share their life for a monent, wide open. So real that iI felt as an everyday guy like me could ask Uma out for a drink...that's something :-)

My hat to HBO for this one

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 August 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cegueira Histérica

Filming Locations:

Bayonne, New Jersey, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

HBO Films, Blum Israel Productions, Karuna Dream

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1