INVENTING THE ABBOTTS (DVD/1997) DVD

Inventing the Abbotts
The lives of two closely linked, small town Illinois families dangerously intersect in this domestic drama set in the 1950s, based on a short story by Sue Miller and directed by Pat O'Connor. Though they are from the wrong side of the tracks, the working class brothers Jacey (Billy Crudup) and Doug Holt (Joaquin Phoenix) are in love with the wealthy and beautiful Abbott sisters. Shy and quiet Doug, who worships his womanizing brother, has eyes for the iconoclastic Pam (Liv Tyler), but Jacey's affections are more calculating; he's interested in whichever Abbott sister is interested in him. At first, this is Eleanor (Jennifer Connelly), the "wild" sister, but eventually Jacey sets his sights on the divorced oldest sister, Alice (Joanna Going). For Jacey, his conquest of the Abbotts is a form of economic revenge, as he believes that the head of the family, Lloyd (Will Patton), stole a patent that made him rich from the Holts' late father. When he's eventually revealed as an embittered cad, Jacey's mistreatment of the Abbott girls makes the genuine affection between Doug and Pam impossible for either family to accept. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Cast Joaquin Phoenix as Doug Holt Billy Crudup as Jacey Holt Liv Tyler as Pamela Abbott Will Patton as Lloyd Abbott Kathy Baker as Helen Holt Jennifer Connelly as Eleanor Abbott Joanna Going as Alice Abbott

Crew William V. Ryder - Art Director Aggie Guerard Rodgers - Costume Designer Vincent Agostino - First Assistant Director Pat O'Connor - Director Ray Lovejoy - Editor Karen Kehela - Executive Producer Jack Cummins - Executive Producer Michael Kamen - Songwriter Gary Frutkoff - Production Designer Kenneth MacMillan - Cinematographer Ron Howard - Producer Brian Grazer - Producer Janet Meyers - Producer Kathryn Peters - Set Designer John Pritchett - Sound/Sound Designer Ken Hixon - Screenwriter

Inventing the Abbotts
In this romantic coming-of-age story, director Pat O'Connor returns to territory previously explored in his film Circle of Friends, this time moving the action from Ireland to Illinois. Focusing on two very different families in the same town, the film uses the characters to not only explore the romantic tendancies of young adults, but also class differences in the American 1950's. The story is simple, with no more twists and turns than it needs to establish the mood and get its point across. It's the cast that really makes the movie work though. Each of the principals -- Billy Crudup, Joaquin Phoenix, Liv Tyler, Jennifer Connelly, Joanna Going, Will Patton, and Kathy Baker -- is among Hollywood's most capable and subtle performers, and they do not disappoint, making Inventing the Abbotts an actors' film whether it wants to be or not. Deliberately paced, the film might turn off the impatient viewer, but for those willing to give it a chance, an affecting story and rich characters await. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
 

(no awards)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, French Subtitle Options: English, Spanish Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel DDS: Dolby Digital Surround Additional Features: Anamorphic widescreen [aspect ratio 1.85:1] English 5.1 Surround, English Dolby Surround, French Dolby Surround Subtitles: English, Spanish Featurette Theatrical trailer DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1: Theatre Wide-Screen MPAA Rating: R DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 112 min   DVD Chapters: Scene Selections 0. Scene Selections 1. Main Titles [:35] 2. The End of My Innocence [1:45] 3. The Abbotts' Party [3:11] 4. Dad's Patent [2:32] 5. Eleanor [3:48] 6. Doug's Discovery [1:32] 7. Pam [2:34] 8. Re-Inventing Jacey [1:03] 9. A "Date" [2:43] 10. End of the Affair [:57] 11. Mom's Affair [2:01] 12. Pam's Party [5:39] 13. A Beer with Mom [1:50] 14. Graduation Day [3:18] 15. Battling Brothers [2:49] 16. Alice [3:03] 17. A Flat Tire [3:53] 18. A Day with Pam [2:20] 19. Illusions of Love [2:25] 20. The Truth about Lloyd [2:05] 21. The Past Catches Up [4:34] 22. It's Too Late [3:02] 23. Jacey's Girl [4:19] 24. A Sad Homecoming [2:55] 25. The Unfair Truth [5:59] 26. To Find Pam [1:42] 27. The Best Kind of Love [2:28] 28. End Titles [5:26]