Once Around (1991)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Lasse Hallström

Writer (WGA):

Malia Scotch Marmo (written by)

Release Date:

18 January 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

The Bellas were one big happy family. Then Renata met Sam...

Plot:

Renata Bella feels like a failure at life and career. But when Renata attends a seminar on selling real estate...

Plot Keywords:

True Love | Salesman | Christmas | Pregnancy | Baptism

Cast

Richard Dreyfuss	...	Sam Sharpe
Holly Hunter	...	Renata Bella
Danny Aiello	...	Joe Bella
Laura San Giacomo	...	Jan Bella
Gena Rowlands	...	Marilyn Bella
Roxanne Hart	...	Gail Bella
Danton Stone	...	Tony Bella
Tim Guinee	...	Peter Hedges
Greg Germann	...	Jim Redstone
Griffin Dunne	...	Rob
Cullen O. Johnson	...	Sonny
Joan Gay	...	Aunt
Lou Criscuolo	...	Uncle
Myra Taylor	...	Trainer #1
Michael Steve Jones	...	Trainer #2

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Cinecom Entertainment Group

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: In this, as in almost all films where an attempt is made to characterize a Boston accent, players don't understand that Bostonians would never not pronounce the r at the end of a word if the next word begins with a vowel. The classic "Park the car in Harvard Yard" is supposed to be pronounced thusly, "Pahk the car in Hahvad Yahd."

Quotes:

Joe Bella: Isn't it funny - on the one lousy day you wanna put a gun in your mouth, everybody wants to come over to celebrate.

A little thing of beauty

After watching the preview a local tv-station broadcast a couple of times I expected a kind of lame film about a silly romantic girl who falls for the wrong guy who presents himself as a rich spoiled arrogant piece of work and then turns out to be the imposter type. The only reasons I decided to watch it nonetheless were a lack of alternatives at the time, Holly Hunter and good old Richard Dreyfuss. Since the first film I saw with Dickie in it (Moon over Parador) I can't help but love the guy. And I am a man for crying out loud! Anyway, now you know why. And I have no regrets whatsoever. Holly is charmingly innocent, clumsy, all the ingredients for disappointment in life waiting around every corner are present. She clearly is the type who can't do a thing without her father telling her how, when where en with whom. She hasn't exactly grown up and become an independent woman yet. Then her fiance finally bursts her bubble admitting he is not going to marry her. This event triggers her growing up (the theme of the film). I won't reveal the story, but the good thing is it never becomes the true cliche you expect it to. Richard can do the arrogant -yet loving, caring- schmuck on autopilot and clearly has a ball portraying his character, so full of energy. The rest of the cast also display great performance in this little film that keeps surprising. Even though it is an all-American product, it has got none of the typical cheap traits so often spoiling Hollywood films. If you ask me, that explains the relative meager score here on IMDb, I wouldn't be surprised if people just missed the point in this film. A pearl! (8/10)