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Bonneville

  • 20062006
  • PGPG
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Joan Allen, Kathy Bates, and Jessica Lange in Bonneville (2006)
This is the U.S. theatrical trailer for Bonneville, directed by Christopher N. Rowley.
Play trailer2:28
1 Video
28 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama

Three women take a road trip to Santa Barbara in order to deliver the ashes of one of their dead husbands to his resentful daughter.Three women take a road trip to Santa Barbara in order to deliver the ashes of one of their dead husbands to his resentful daughter.Three women take a road trip to Santa Barbara in order to deliver the ashes of one of their dead husbands to his resentful daughter.

IMDb RATING
6.1/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Christopher N. Rowley
  • Writers
    • Daniel D. Davis(screenplay)
    • Christopher N. Rowley(story)
  • Stars
    • Jessica Lange
    • Kathy Bates
    • Joan Allen
Top credits
  • Director
    • Christopher N. Rowley
  • Writers
    • Daniel D. Davis(screenplay)
    • Christopher N. Rowley(story)
  • Stars
    • Jessica Lange
    • Kathy Bates
    • Joan Allen
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 38User reviews
    • 33Critic reviews
    • 46Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    U.S. trailer: Bonneville
    Trailer 2:28
    U.S. trailer: Bonneville

    Photos28

    Joan Allen in Bonneville (2006)
    Joan Allen, Kathy Bates, and Jessica Lange in Bonneville (2006)
    Joan Allen and Kathy Bates in Bonneville (2006)
    Joan Allen, Kathy Bates, and Jessica Lange in Bonneville (2006)
    Tom Skerritt in Bonneville (2006)
    Jessica Lange in Bonneville (2006)
    Kathy Bates and Jessica Lange in Bonneville (2006)
    Kathy Bates in Bonneville (2006)
    Joan Allen in Bonneville (2006)
    Joan Allen, Kathy Bates, and Jessica Lange in Bonneville (2006)
    Bonneville (2006)
    Joan Allen, Kathy Bates, and Jessica Lange in Bonneville (2006)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jessica Lange
    Jessica Lange
    • Arvilla Holdenas Arvilla Holden
    Kathy Bates
    Kathy Bates
    • Margene Cunninghamas Margene Cunningham
    Joan Allen
    Joan Allen
    • Carol Brimmas Carol Brimm
    Robert Conder
    • Taxi Driveras Taxi Driver
    Bruce Newbold
    Bruce Newbold
    • Bishop Evansas Bishop Evans
    Kristen Marie Jensen
    Kristen Marie Jensen
    • Studentas Student
    Christine Baranski
    Christine Baranski
    • Francine Holden Packardas Francine Holden Packard
    Tom Amandes
    Tom Amandes
    • Bill Packardas Bill Packard
    Laura Park
    Laura Park
    • Riva Foxas Riva Fox
    Tom Wopat
    Tom Wopat
    • Arlo Brimmas Arlo Brimm
    Ivey Lloyd Mitchell
    Ivey Lloyd Mitchell
    • Evelyn Brimmas Evelyn Brimm
    • (as Ivey Mitchell)
    Evan May
    • Robert Brimmas Robert Brimm
    Erin May
    • Lauren Brimmas Lauren Brimm
    Tom Skerritt
    Tom Skerritt
    • Emmett L. Johnsonas Emmett L. Johnson
    Victor Rasuk
    Victor Rasuk
    • Boas Bo
    Lyn Vaus
    • Mechanicas Mechanic
    Ryan Christopher Combe
    • Bellhopas Bellhop
    Jayson Creek
    • Maitre D'as Maitre D'
    • Director
      • Christopher N. Rowley
    • Writers
      • Daniel D. Davis(screenplay) (story)
      • Christopher N. Rowley(story)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    The distressed emotions that Arvilla Holden are feeling upon the death of her husband Joe Holden are compounded by dealing with Joe's adult daughter, Francine Packer. Joe and Arvilla were lovingly married for twenty years, and although they lived in Pocatello, Idaho - Arvilla's home town - they traveled the world on one adventure after another. Joe was from Santa Barbara, California, where Francine and the extended Holden family still live. Arvilla is certain that Joe wrote a new will after they got married, but since that will is nowhere to be found, the official will is the one that Francine has in her possession, which outlines certain things that Arvilla knows Joe would not now have wanted. That will states that Joe's embalmed body is to be interned with Francine's mother in Santa Barbara, despite Joe already having been cremated. Arvilla knows that Joe would have wanted his ashes scattered into the wind. The will also deeds the house in which Arvilla and Joe lived their entire marriage to Francine, which would leave Arvilla not only homeless, but shut out of the house in which she has strong and loving memories. Francine offers a settlement with Arvilla: Joe's ashes for the house. Arvilla reluctantly agrees. Arvilla plans on bringing the ashes to the memorial service in Santa Barbara in one week's time, accompanied by her two best friends, free wheeling and single Margene Cunningham, and "perfect" mom Carol Brimm, all three women being Mormon of varying devotion. The plan is to drive the three hours from Pocatello to Salt Lake City, Utah, to catch a flight to Santa Barbara. But upon their departure from Pocatello in Joe's refurbished Pontiac Bonneville convertible, Arvilla takes the three on a road trip instead to all the places she and Joe loved en route to Santa Barbara. This trip gives Arvilla time to decide ultimately what she will do regarding her deal with Francine, which is affected by her time with Margene and Carol, and by encounters they have with people they meet along the way, most specifically a young man named Bo who is on a search for his biological father who he has never met, and a long haul trucker named Emmett. —Huggo
    • las vegas nevada
    • neon sign
    • female police officer
    • will
    • ashes
    • 95 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated PG for some mild language and innuendo
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Rose Ranger was commissioned to write and performed the song "Soul Sisters" for Bonneville's premiere screening at The Toronto International Film Festival.
    • Goofs
      A stretch of highway with a large distinctive rock formation in the background is seen right before the scene in which Arvilla gives her friends their sunglasses and scarves. Much later in the film, when they are supposedly in another state, the same stretch of road with the unique rock formation (also same trees, etc.) is seen again.
    • Quotes

      Margene: [Arvilla washing dishes] When Ralph died I washed dishes non-stop for weeks. Eased the pain. Ruined my hands.

      Arvilla: I don't know what I would have done without you.

    • Soundtracks
      Under the Waves
      Written by Pete Droge and Elaine Summers

      Performed by Pete Droge

      Courtesy of Puzzle Tree Records

      By Arrangement with Coda Music

    User reviews38

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    A Little Film with Heart: Appreciating Fine Actors
    BONNEVILLE creeps up on the viewer. It is a solid marriage of light comedy and sentiment and the somewhat slight story is brought to life by the natural gifts of a trio of superb actors. Why it did not find popularity in the theaters is probably due to the topic of death and the cast of 'older actresses', but it is a solid little film that deserves more attention.

    Arvilla (Jessica Lange) has lost her husband of 20 years and promised to scatter his ashes over places the couple loved. Her step daughter Francine (Christine Baranski) demands the 'ashes' be buried next to her mother's grave in Santa Barbara, threatening her stepmother with eviction from her Pocatello, Idaho home if Arvilla doesn't comply. Two of Arvilla's friends - the restless widow Margene (Kathy Bates) and the oh-so-Mormon Carol (Joan Allen) support their friend and plan to fly with Arvilla to take the ashes to Santa Barbara. But circumstances begin to change when the threesome bond tightly and decide to take Arvilla's husband's old Bonneville on a road trip to California. From here on the film is a Road Trip - a time when the three women learn lessons about life and death and love and compassion from each other - and from a young hitchhiker Bo (Victor Rasuk of 'Saving Victor Vargas', 'Stop- Loss' etc) and trucker Emmett (Tom Skirrett). The trip from Idaho to California passes through some of the Southwest's most beautiful scenery, places once shared by Arvilla and her late husband, and slowly the urn of ashes is distributed along the way to the dreaded Santa Barbara funeral.

    Christopher N. Rowley directs this sweet story by Daniel D. Davis with great respect for the gifts of the three fine actors, allowing them to show us just why they remain some of our finest talent on the screen. It is not a great film, but it has such a fine heart that we can relax and just ride along with it. Grady Harp
    helpful•8
    1
    • gradyharp
    • Jul 3, 2008

    FAQ3

    • Is "Bonneville" based on a novel?
    • I heard there was more than one Bonneville automobile used in the movie. If so, how many...and why more than one?
    • Why are the three main characters Mormons?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 29, 2008 (Canada)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • 辣媽上路
    • Filming locations
      • Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, USA
    • Production companies
      • SenArt Films
      • Drop of Water Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $488,393
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $174,571
      • Mar 2, 2008
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,338,570
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 33 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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    Sep 25Entertainment Tonight
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    Dec 6Flickeringmyth

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