Nearing Grace (2005)

In the shadow of a family loss, the youngest son develops interest in an attractive high school classmate, paying little mind of her athletic boyfriend or of his own female best friend.

Director:

Rick Rosenthal

Writers:

Scott Sommer (novel), Jacob Estes (screenplay) (as Jacob Aaron Estes)

Stars:

Gregory Smith, Jordana Brewster, Ashley Johnson

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gregory Smith	...	Henry Nearing
Jordana Brewster	...	Grace Chance
Ashley Johnson	...	Merna Ash
David Moscow	...	Blair Nearing
Chad Faust	...	Lance
Brian Doyle-Murray	...	Clement C. Haydes
Logan Bartholomew	...	Tripp
David Morse	...	Shep Nearing
Shannon Day	...	Rose Nearing
Amy Main	...	Strawberry (as Amy Minderhout)
Raissa Fleming	...	Spanish Teacher
Noah Rosenthal	...	Studly Bartender
Courtney Taylor-Taylor	...	Prom Band - The Band of Warhols
Brent DeBoer	...	Prom Band - The Band of Warhols
Jon Fell	...	Prom Band - The Band of Warhols (as John Fell)

Storyline

In New Jersey, 1978-79, the Nearing family loses Rose Nearing, leaving a husband and two sons reeling with the loss. As the father slips increasingly toward drink and the collegiate older brother toward substance abuse and a career in drug smuggling, youngest son Henry has eyes for Grace, the high school senior class beauty. She reciprocates Henry's interest, despite having a steady boyfriend. What Henry takes for granted is his best friend friendship with Merna, a girl who's been there for him since childhood.

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Plot Keywords:

drug abuse | taxicab | watching television | friend | high school | 

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Taglines:

What if the one thing you want is the last thing you need?

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for drug use, language and sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 June 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Flertarontas me tin katastrofi

Filming Locations:

Grant High School - 2245 NE 36th Avenue, Portland, Oregon, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,650,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$164,220, 13 October 2006, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,159,038, 6 December 2006

Company Credits

Production Co:

Whitewater Films,Ironic Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The car which Grace (Jordana Brewster) steals, and Henry (Gregory Smith) burns is a 1969 Plymouth Fury.

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Goofs

The white van outside Henry's home in one scene is a 1983-1991 Ford Econoline.

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Quotes

Grace Chance: Nipples are very personal.

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Connections

References Easy Rider (1969)

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Soundtracks

I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend
Written by Dee Dee Ramone (as Douglas Colvin), Tommy Ramone (as Thomas Erdelyi), Joey Ramone (as Jeff Hyman), and Johnny Ramone (as John Cummings)
Performed by Ramones
Courtesy of Sire Records
By arrangement with Warner Strategic Marketing

User Reviews

John Hughes lives on!

Enjoyable coming-of-age tale, set in 1979, is reminiscent of Hughes' pre-HOME ALONE efforts. A high school senior (Greg Smith) is in shock after his mom's death and begins disengaging from life. His dad (David Morse, sporting a beard and long, scraggly hair) is a hopeless doper and his brother is a chip off the old block. The only thing that keeps him from falling off the face of the earth are the women in his life: childhood pal Merna (Ashley Johnson) and the alluring and slightly crazy Grace Chance (Jordana Brewster). Based on a novel, NEARING GRACE works about half the time. It is far too predictable for anyone who has ever seen a John Hughes flick. Worth a watch, however, for Smith, who is a terrific young actor. Brewster has several semi-nude scenes, but her bony body doesn't match her beautiful face.