Elizabethtown (2005)

During a hometown memorial for his Kentucky-born father, a young man begins an unexpected romance with a too-good-to-be-true stewardess.

Director:

Cameron Crowe

Writer:

Cameron Crowe

Stars:

Orlando Bloom, Kirsten Dunst, Susan Sarandon

2 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Orlando Bloom	...	Drew Baylor
Kirsten Dunst	...	Claire Colburn
Susan Sarandon	...	Hollie Baylor
Alec Baldwin	...	Phil Devoss
Bruce McGill	...	Bill Banyon
Judy Greer	...	Heather Baylor
Jessica Biel	...	Ellen Kishmore
Paul Schneider	...	Jessie Baylor
Loudon Wainwright III	...	Uncle Dale (as Loudon Wainwright)
Gailard Sartain	...	Charles Dean
Jed Rees	...	Chuck Hasboro
Paula Deen	...	Aunt Dora
Dan Biggers	...	Uncle Roy
Alice Marie Crowe	...	Aunt Lena
Tim Devitt	...	Mitch Baylor

Storyline

After causing a loss of almost one billion dollars in his company, the shoe designer Drew Baylor decides to commit suicide. However, in the exact moment of his act of despair, he receives a phone call from his sister telling him that his beloved father had just died in Elizabethtown, and he should bring him back since his mother had problem with the relatives of his father. He travels in an empty red eye flight and meets the attendant Claire Colburn, who changes his view and perspective of life.

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Plot Keywords:

publicity | bad publicity | quote | cubicle | suit and tie | 

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Taglines:

The Best Place To Find Yourself.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language and some sexual references

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [UK] Paramount Pictures [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 October 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Elizabettauna

Filming Locations:

1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$57,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,618,711, 16 October 2005, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$26,838,389, 18 December 2005

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$13,500,000, 13 November 2005

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures,Cruise/Wagner Productions,Vinyl Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

While filming, Orlando Bloom first tasted Ale-8-One, a soda produced only in Winchester, Ky. He enjoyed the drink so much that he started receiving shipments to his personal address.

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Goofs

When the neighbors are loading Drew's belongings from the curb into their car near the beginning of the movie, there is a white box with holes in it (similar to a large wine rack). One of the guys loads this box into the car, but in the next shot it is back on the sidewalk with stuff piled on top of it.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Dock Worker: [receiving returning good] Welcome back, boys.
Drew Baylor: As somebody once said, there's a difference between a failure and a fiasco. A failure is simply the non-present of success. Any fool can accomplish failure. But a fiasco, a fiasco is a disaster of mythic proportions. A fiasco is a folktale told to others, that makes other people feel more... alive. Because it didn't happen to them.

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Crazy Credits

This film opens with the 1954 "VistaVision" Paramount Pictures logo - instead of the new 'live-action' one. This logo was used at the head of all Paramount films released from the mid-1950s through to 1986.

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Connections

Referenced in Late Night with Seth Meyers: Rashida Jones/Khloé Kardashian/Rachel Bloom/Glenn Kotche (2016)

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Soundtracks

Square One
(2005)
Written & Performed by Tom Petty

User Reviews

The Reviews Are So Off Base

The movie WAS NOT a series of disjointed vignettes, NOR was it lacking plausibility, as many critics have complained. Perhaps living on one of the coasts makes you too cynical and uptight to enjoy a movie that is based on the relationships and culture of the ordinary person. This movie was like reading a good book. If you've ever had a deep thought about life, or questioned the path your life has taken, or found pleasure in the small moments found in relationships with real people, you will find something in this movie that touches a chord within yourself. I think Cameron Crowe masterfully crafted a summary of those important moments in our lives that are meaningful. It didn't require a long, drawn out explanation. How many times do we think back to a particular moment, and all we remember is the person, the relationship, and the music tied to that moment? A song can take you to a precise moment in your life. He made that connection to all of us, through the life of one fictional character. I found myself enjoying being a fly on the wall, watching the characters, relating to the events, laughing at the poignant humor, and savoring the road trip reflections at the end. This was a movie worth watching, just because it is about the truths of life. The critics missed the boat on this one.