BOYS ON THE SIDE (DVD/ST&WS/FR-SUB) DVD

Boys on the Side
This emotion-filled story stars Whoopi Goldberg, Mary-Louise Parker, and Drew Barrymore as three women from different walks of life who find comfort in each other through tragedy. Parker plays Robin, an HIV-positive real estate executive who meets Jane (Goldberg), a lesbian lounge singer on her way to the West Coast who needs a driver. Robin volunteers for the job, and along the way, they stop in Pittsburgh to visit her friend Holly (Barrymore), who is pregnant and abused by her boyfriend. In an attempt to save Holly, all three decide to head West together to begin a new life. But they get only as far as Arizona before Robin falls ill and the three are forced to learn to rely on one another for growth and emotional sustenance. Jane, though concerned about Robin's condition, also finds herself with a romantic interest in her ailing companion. Holly confronts her need to be with abusive men, while Robin comes to grips with her fear of being alone and the realization of her own impending death. Fans of Herbert Ross' earlier Steel Magnolias (1989) might appreciate this movie, which tackles some of the same themes. Sometimes referred to as a "feminist road movie," the film deals with women who find one another in a time of crisis and realize that the bonds among women are more powerful than any of life's obstacles. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide

Cast Whoopi Goldberg as Jane Mary-Louise Parker as Robin Drew Barrymore as Holly Matthew McConaughey as Abe James Remar as Alex Billy Wirth as Nick

Crew William F. O'Brien - Art Director Russ Kavanaugh - Associate Producer Hank McCann - Casting Patrick McCormick - Co-producer Gloria Gresham - Costume Designer Barry K. Thomas - First Assistant Director Herbert Ross - Director Michael R. Miller - Editor Patricia Karlan - Executive Producer Don Roos - Executive Producer David Newman - Composer (Music Score) Michael Germain - Makeup Fern Buchner - Makeup Ken Adam - Production Designer Donald Thorin - Cinematographer Arnon Milchan - Producer Steven E. Reuther - Producer Herbert Ross - Producer Rick Simpson - Set Designer Stephen Myles Berger - Set Designer Jann K. Engel - Set Designer James Bayliss - Set Designer Dale Martin - Special Effects Connie Brink - Special Effects Jim Webb - Sound/Sound Designer Don Roos - Screenwriter

Boys on the Side
An offbeat but engaging script by screenwriter and future director Don Roos elevates this standard girl empowerment/tearjerker drama to a level above the typical entries in its genre. While the film occasionally veers off into sketchy territory, great performances by a trio of actresses (with Whoopi Goldberg in particular earning well-deserved kudos for her atypical restraint) and Roos's trademark sly sense of humor keep the cheese factor low. There are times when the story's roots are showing, such as in a phony crisis involving a possibly deceased, abusive boyfriend that smacks too clearly of Thelma and Louise and leaves the imagined sound of a fevered pitch-meeting ringing in one's ears. Boys on the Side has something altogether different in mind than distaff revenge fantasy, however, taking a welcome, unexpected twist in the road that leads to a more elegiac, thoughtfully sober, and aesthetically pleasing conclusion than the film's first act would lead viewers to expect. Director Herbert Ross displays the facility he demonstrated with a strong female cast in Steel Magnolias, resulting in a memorable film that, while far from being a classic, is worth viewing for those in need of a good, cleansing session of unrestrained weeping. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
 

(no awards)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, French Subtitle Options: English, French Sound Processing: DDS: Dolby Digital Surround Additional Features: Interactive menus Scene access Languages and subtitles: English, Français MPAA Rating: R DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 2 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 117 min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- STANDARD 0. Jump to a Scene 1. "I'm gone" ("Piece of My Heart"). [3:43] 2. Not close to Robin. [3:14] 3. On their way ("Willow"). [3:13] 4. Feeling ill. [1:21] 5. "The way we were" and what we want. [4:21] 6. Not a warm welcome at Holly's. [2:37] 7. Jogging Nick's memory. [3:13] 8. Fast exits ("Crossroads"). [4:04] 9. Word's out. [5:54] 10. Cruising #1 ("Keeping on Growing"). [1:45] 11. About Jane. [2:04] 12. Cruising #2 ("Shame, Shame, Shame"). [1:14] 13. About Robin. [1:57] 14. "You're safe with me." [4:41] 15. Happy birthday ("Joking, Jailhouse Rock, Southland in the Springtime"). [4:35] 16. Call me Abe. [2:07] 17. A curse. [1:47] 18. Words will make you free. [2:57] 19. A good night song ("Superstar"). [3:44] 20. Definitely not one of the girls. [:33] 21. What Jane wants. [2:20] 22. Can't get to a phone. [1:38] 23. Attracted ("Take Me to the River"); why can't we? [5:00] 24. Pulling apart and coming together. [4:34] 25. Spelling it all out for Elaine. [3:42] 26. Abe acts honestly. [2:44] 27. One of these gay women we read about. [2:30] 28. "I love her more." [1:34] 29. Not complaining. [3:09] 30. Between women. [3:34] 31. The bounds of love. [1:49] 32. No more lies. [1:43] 33. Rallying around Robin. [1:32] 34. A crush on woman. [5:47] 35. "Don't look at me." [1:47] 36. Homecoming ("Mellow Yellow"). [2:38] 37. "You Got It." [3:58] 38. End Credits ("I Take You with Me," " You Got It"). [7:27] Side #2 -- WIDESCREEN 0. Jump to a Scene 1. "I'm gone" ("Piece of My Heart"). [3:43] 2. Not close to Robin. [3:14] 3. On their way ("Willow"). [3:13] 4. Feeling ill. [1:21] 5. "The way we were" and what we want. [4:21] 6. Not a warm welcome at Holly's. [2:37] 7. Jogging Nick's memory. [3:13] 8. Fast exits ("Crossroads"). [4:04] 9. Word's out. [5:54] 10. Cruising #1 ("Keeping on Growing"). [1:45] 11. About Jane. [2:04] 12. Cruising #2 ("Shame, Shame, Shame"). [1:14] 13. About Robin. [1:57] 14. "You're safe with me." [4:41] 15. Happy birthday ("Joking, Jailhouse Rock, Southland in the Springtime"). [4:35] 16. Call me Abe. [2:07] 17. A curse. [1:47] 18. Words will make you free. [2:57] 19. A good night song ("Superstar"). [3:44] 20. Definitely not one of the girls. [:33] 21. What Jane wants. [2:20] 22. Can't get to a phone. [1:38] 23. Attracted ("Take Me to the River"); why can't we? [5:00] 24. Pulling apart and coming together. [4:34] 25. Spelling it all out for Elaine. [3:42] 26. Abe acts honestly. [2:44] 27. One of these gay women we read about. [2:30] 28. "I love her more." [1:34] 29. Not complaining. [3:09] 30. Between women. [3:34] 31. The bounds of love. [1:49] 32. No more lies. [1:43] 33. Rallying around Robin. [1:32] 34. A crush on woman. [5:47] 35. "Don't look at me." [1:47] 36. Homecoming ("Mellow Yellow"). [2:38] 37. "You Got It." [3:58] 38. End Credits ("I Take You with Me," " You Got It"). [7:27]