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:

Rencontres à Elizabethtown

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

The picture of Susan Sarandon holding a baby on the mantelpiece in the flashback, is the same picture used in Stepmom (1998).

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Goofs

The movie is set in 2005. But when Drew steps out of the car upon reaching the funeral home, the sound of 17-year-cicadas is very evident. Cicadas were not active in 2005, however, they were the year before.

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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 10 pelis (2011)

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Soundtracks

Moon River
(1961)
Music by Henry Mancini
Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
Performed by Patty Griffin
Patty Griffin performs courtesy of ATO Records, LLC

User Reviews

Another "don't listen to the critics" lesson.

If I listened to critics, I would never have gone to see this movie. Luckily I mostly ignore critics. I sat through this movie in an audience that cried with me, laughed loudly with me, groaned at a couple parts with me, and clapped when the movie ended. We all walked out smiling. There were a couple of dumb scenes but mostly this "life journey" movie was filled with moments we can all relate to and understand.

Orlando Bloom was perfect in his role. His facial expressions, his willingness to let go, and his timing was right on. I am not sure about the choice of Kirsten Dunst. She was good but I think she was not quite right for the role. I could have done without the Susan Sarandon role altogether but I am not a huge fan. The side story of Chuck and Cindy's wedding weekend was so appropriate to the life aspects of the movie.

Cameron Crowe has created a quirky, funny, sad, happy movie that made a couple of turns I did not expect. The road trip at the end was so familiar and brought back enough memories to leave me wanting more. This is a movie I will see again in the theater and add to my DVD collection.