Waiting to Exhale (1995)

Director:

Forest Whitaker

Writers (WGA):

Terry McMillan (novel)
Terry McMillan (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

22 December 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Friends are the people who let you be yourself... and never let you forget it.

Plot:

Based on Terry McMillan's novel, this film follows four very different African-American women and their relationships with the male gender.

Plot Keywords:

African American | Single Mother | Human Relationship | Interracial Relationship | Divorce

Awards:

8 wins & 8 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Fri. Jan. 1	11:00 PM	BRAVO
Sat. Jan. 2	1:30 AM	BRAVO

Cast

Whitney Houston	...	Savannah 'Vannah' Jackson
Angela Bassett	...	Bernadine 'Bernie' Harris
Loretta Devine	...	Gloria 'Glo' Matthews
Lela Rochon	...	Robin Stokes
Gregory Hines	...	Marvin King
Dennis Haysbert	...	Kenneth Dawkins
Mykelti Williamson	...	Troy
Michael Beach	...	John Harris, Sr.
Leon	...	Russell
Wendell Pierce	...	Michael Davenport
Donald Faison	...	Tarik Matthews
Jeffrey D. Sams	...	Lionel
Jazz Raycole	...	Onika Harris
Brandon Hammond	...	John Harris, Jr.
Kenya Moore	...	Denise

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some strong sexuality.

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Iceland:L | South Korea:18 | Germany:12 (f) | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Chile:18 | Finland:K-12 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Chandler, Arizona, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Forest Whitaker stated in an interview with Ebony Magazine that Robin Givens and Halle Berry were among the women who auditioned for the role of Robin. After casting Angela Bassett and Whitney Houston, he decided to go with relative unknowns for the other two roles, and the role of Robin was subsequently given to Lela Rochon.

Goofs:

Continuity: Vannah's necklace is outside then inside then outside of her top at Glo's birthday party.

Quotes:

Gloria: Would you like to have dinner with us tonight? It's just leftovers. Collard greens and corn bread, some candied yams, a little potato salad, fried chicken, peach cobbler and a few slices of ham.
Marvin: I would love to, but I've got so much to do around here. Maybe some other time.
Gloria: To be honest, I don't have no business eating any of it as big as I am.
Marvin: My wife was a big woman too. I like a woman with some meat on her bones.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Booty Call (1997)

The Book was Better

The Feature Film version of the MacMillan Novel was a welcome change from all the "Hood" movies that were being released. Unlike the Hood movies "Exhale" did not have a plot that revolved around: violence,drugs, and guns. Instead it was a more Upscale drama. If you read the book the roles were cast perfectly with the exception of the woman that played Savannah. Angela Bassett as Bernadine, Lela Rochon as Robin; Loretta Devine as Gloria; could not have been better casted, if the movie were done over a thousand times!

Unfortunately Terry MacMillan allowed the project to get too commercial, thus compromising her craft! One verification of this is the exporting of Whitney Houston from the Music Industry to fill the lead as Savannah. The part of Savannah demanded a lot of acting ability. They could've gotten Theresa Randall, Robin Givens or Tyra Ferrell to do the lead, but they didn't. Instead they hired a pop diva in an effort to get millions of her fans into the cineplexes; and of course sing on the Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds produced soundtrack! Needless to say the grammy Award winner gave a highly unimpressive performance!

As for the directing; now Forest Whittaker's my boy, but the direction needed a womans touch! The story was supposed to be about feminine friendship, and all the complications that go with it.

Despite the box-office success of "Waiting to Exhale" it failed to produce a demand for more Upscale Black Dramas! Macmillan had to do it herself in her follow up book turned movie "How Stella Got Her Groove Back!"

Read my review of "How Stella Got Her Groove Back"