Hope Springs (2012)

After thirty years of marriage, a middle-aged couple attends an intense, week-long counseling session to work on their relationship.

Director:

David Frankel

Writer:

Vanessa Taylor

Stars:

Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, Steve Carell

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Meryl Streep	...	Kay
Tommy Lee Jones	...	Arnold
Steve Carell	...	Doctor Feld
Jean Smart	...	Eileen, Kay's Friend
Ben Rappaport	...	Brad, Their Son
Marin Ireland	...	Molly, Their Daughter
Patch Darragh	...	Mark, Their Son-in-Law
Brett Rice	...	Vince, Arnold's Friend
Becky Ann Baker	...	Cora, The Waitress
Elisabeth Shue	...	Karen, The Bartender
Charles Techman	...	Charlie, The Docent
Danny Flaherty	...	Danny, The Bookstore Clerk (as Daniel J. Flaherty)
Damian Young	...	Mike, The Innkeeper
Mimi Rogers	...	Carol, The Neighbor
Ann Harada	...	Ann, The Happy Wife

Storyline

Kay and Arnold are a middle-aged couple whose marriage has declined until they are now sleeping in separate rooms and barely interact in any meaningful loving way. Finally, Kay has had enough and finds a book by Dr. Feld which inspires her to sign them up for the Doctor's intense week long marriage counseling session. Although Arnold sees nothing wrong with their 30 year long marriage, he reluctantly agrees to go on the expensive excursion. What follows is an insightful experience as Dr. Feld manages to help the couple understand how they have emotionally drifted apart and what they can do to reignite their passion. Even with the Doctor's advice, Kay and Arnold find that renewing their marriage's fire is a daunting challenge for them both.

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Plot Keywords:

scene during end credits | story continued during end credits | marriage | couple | marriage counseling | 

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Taglines:

Sometimes to keep the magic, you need to learn a few tricks.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic content involving sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 August 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

Great Hope Springs

Filming Locations:

Guilford, Connecticut, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$14,650,121, 12 August 2012, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$63,536,011

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$114,281,051

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Mandate Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Datasat Dolby Dolby Surround 7.1 Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to David Frankel on the Director's Commentary, The MPAA was originally going to give the film an R rating due to the scene in the movie theater.

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Goofs

Several times we see Kay making Arnold's breakfast. She fries one strip of bacon and cracks one egg into the frying pan yet there are two eggs on Arnold's plate one morning.

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Quotes

Dr. Feld: Kay and Arnold, I'm so glad you are here.
Arnold: Well, that makes one of us.

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Crazy Credits

There is a scene during the end credits.

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Connections

Features Roma (1972)

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Soundtracks

You Make It Better
Written by Shawn Mullins and Gerry Hansen
Performed by Shawn Mullins
Courtesy of Vanguard Records, A Welk Music Group Company

User Reviews

Finally A Film That Resonates With Real People

There is no feeling of being lonesome so crushing as being in a room with someone, in a relationship with somebody, when the feeling is gone. This couple, married thirty one years, have discovered this, as some of us have at different times in our lives.

Tommy Lee Jones is the husband, marred down in his married life that has dimmed into something he feels will never be bright again. Never expects it to be. Is perfectly willing to plod along through life as is with his anger and dismay at how things have turned out hidden and suppressed. Meryl Streep is his wife, loving and longing to be loved, feeling that marriage should not be this way, no longer feeling attractive or appreciated. Willing to come out of her shell to try for change. Elizabeth Shue, who we don't see nearly enough of lately, was excellent. I have never liked Steve Carell so much in a role as I did in his part as the marriage counselor, trying to inflate this flattened union.

Many, many couples, married for decades will feel parts, if not all of this movie, in a personal way. I go to a lot of films and the number of people in the theater for the showing of this movie was more than I've seen gathered for an afternoon in the theater in years. I mean years. That's how infrequently we have a decent movie with fabulous actors come out, with no filthy language, no gratuitous sex….nothing to detract from a solid screenplay, a story well told and well acted. This one was exasperating, touching, amusing in spots, made you smile, caused you to shake your head…..it has it all. At the end of this film, everyone…and I mean everyone…was smiling, happy that they had come to see this one. Wow. That doesn't happen often.

Perhaps the young people won't see or appreciate the truth of this film so much, but let me tell you, the young are not the only folks buying tickets to movies. And every person with a few years under his or her belt, married to the same spouse for decades, will understand it and love it!