Bonneville (2006)

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.

Director:

Christopher N. Rowley

Writers:

Daniel D. Davis (screenplay), Daniel D. Davis (story)

Stars:

Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Joan Allen

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jessica Lange	...	Arvilla Holden
Robert Conder	...	Taxi Driver (as Bob Condor)
Kathy Bates	...	Margene Cunningham
Joan Allen	...	Carol Brimm
Bruce Newbold	...	Bishop Evans
Kristen Marie Jensen	...	Student
Christine Baranski	...	Francine Holden Packard
Tom Amandes	...	Bill Packard
Laura Park	...	Riva Fox
Tom Wopat	...	Arlo Brimm
Ivey Lloyd Mitchell	...	Evelyn Brimm (as Ivey Mitchell)
Evan May	...	Robert Brimm
Erin May	...	Lauren Brimm
Tom Skerritt	...	Emmett L. Johnson
Victor Rasuk	...	Bo

Storyline

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 ...

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Plot Keywords:

will | ashes | time | road trip | lake | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some mild language and innuendo

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 February 2008 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Por siempre amigas

Filming Locations:

Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$174,571, 2 March 2008

Gross USA:

$488,393

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,338,570

Company Credits

Production Co:

SenArt Films, Drop of Water Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The car used in this film was a 1966 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible, of which about 11,000 were produced. The standard model came with a 389 cubic inch (6.4 liter) engine with 2-barrel carburetor that produced about 325 horsepower. It was also available with an optional 421 cubic inch (6.9 L) engine with 4-barrel carb or GM's "Tri-Power" carb. Turbo-Hydramatic 3 speed transmission was standard, manual optional. The front seat in the movie car was a standard split-back bench seat, but bucket front seats were also available. The dark copper-red exterior of movie car was not an authentic color offered by Pontiac-General Motors in 1966. Original available colors included Black, White, Milano Maroon, Nocturne Blue, Martinique Bronze (aka Martinique Gold), and a creamy shade of Yellow. The interior of the movie car appears original (judging by the door panels) and is white/ivory. Other available interior colors included Black, Nocturne Blue, and Martinique Bronze. The rear-view mirror had been removed from all of the movie cars, probably to prevent the chrome mirror housing from casting a reflection of the film crew. The opaque black steering wheel appeared to be an aftermarket replacement, as the originals were transparent acrylic, tinted to match the interior color, overlaid on a chrome circular rod.

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Goofs

During the filling station scene, as Joan Allen walks towards the car the shadow of the boom mic runs across her face.

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Quotes

Arvilla: [sobbing] He doesn't want to be sealed up in a box! He wants to be out in the world!
Margene: Arvilla, Joe wouldn't want you to lose the house.
Arvilla: [wiping tears off cheeks] Well, I'm not packing Joe up and dropping him off at the post office.

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Soundtracks

I Feel Like Dynamite
Written by Larry Hamilton, Albert Savoy and Elijah Walker
Performed by King Floyd
Courtesy of Malaco Records
By Arrangement with Position Music

User Reviews

pleasant but unoriginal

Very little in Bonneville differs from numerous other road-trip movies. I watched it mainly for Joan Allen, and she did not disappoint. The three road-trip ladies were all worth watching, and it was good to see a story where most of the people get along and enjoy it with good humor. There's lots of fantastic Western scenery along the way. The bitter daughter was a major stereotype. All in all, glad I watched it but no desire to see it again.