My Own Love Song (2010)

A wheelchair-bound former singer and her best friend embark on a road trip from Kansas to New Orleans, Louisiana.

Director:

Olivier Dahan

Writer:

Olivier Dahan

Stars:

Renée Zellweger, Madeline Zima, Forest Whitaker

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Renée Zellweger	...	Jane
Forest Whitaker	...	Joey
Madeline Zima	...	Billie
Nick Nolte	...	Caldwell
Chandler Frantz	...	Devon
Elias Koteas	...	Dean
Annie Parisse	...	Nora
Julia Lashae	...	Suzie
Bill Ladd	...	Ben
Tim Parati	...	Chris
Del Pentecost	...	Dale
Don Sparks	...	Iceman Jim
Joe Forbrich	...	Allan
John Henry Cox	...	Boss
Richmond Hoxie	...	Jeff Noffray

Storyline

Jane (Renée Zellweger) is a woman who is hiding from life after an accident leaves her wheelchair-bound. Joey (Forest Whitaker) is her friend who speaks to ghosts and angels no one else can see or hear. When he reads in the newspaper that his favorite author will be speaking in New Orleans, Louisiana, he convinces Jane to go with him. Along the way, they meet up with Billie (Madeline Zima), a young woman in search of her missing husband. The travellers have many obstacles in their path. They meet many different "angels" and "devils" along the way. Will they make it in time for the most important gig of Jane's life?

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Plot Keywords:

wheelchair | angel | singer | new orleans louisiana | road trip | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some language and brief drug and sexual references

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Estrenos Críticos: Harry Potter y las Pelis que no conocía ni Dios (2011)

User Reviews

Forced empathy that takes us nowhere, slowly

A road trip drama where lost souls are looking for their lost dreams, or as the title suggests, their own love song. The filmmakers used characters who suffer from opposite inflictions to increase the sense of conflict, sympathy, and drama. Jane (Renée Zellweger) is in a wheelchair and Joey (Forest Whitaker) is schizophrenic. Do you feel sorry for them? You should.

It's an awfully long journey to somewhere that we, the characters, nor the filmmakers quite know where it is, and all we have to get us there is two people who learn to become more than they are by each using their own strengths. Sound a little prosaic? Sadly, it is.

Perhaps one of the most frustrating aspects is that "My Own Love Song" is not a truly independent film by new filmmakers trying desperately to break into the industry, nor is it a Hollywood film where they threw in cliché ideas in a desperate attempt to make a dollar. It is by award-winning filmmakers who had access to great actors and original songs by Bob Dylan. Frustrating because it can't be as easily dismissed as one would assume.

The plot summary, the title, the poster and DVD cover art all suggest that it will be boring. I can't fault the marketers, it is boring. And that is its ultimate problem. Zellweger is perfect in the role, the messages are all quite respectful, and the idea that this journey is about dreams not about reality could have made it substantial. But "My Own Love Song" doesn't go anywhere very interesting and it takes too long to get there.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [France]

Country:

France USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 April 2010 (France)

Also Known As:

A Minha Canção de Amor

Filming Locations:

Kansas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$16,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$300,849

Company Credits

Production Co:

Légende Films, Od Shots, Studio 37

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS-Stereo SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1