One True Thing

Last updated
One True Thing
One true thing poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Carl Franklin
Written byKaren Croner
Based onOne True Thing
by Anna Quindlen
Produced byJesse Beaton
Leslie Morgan
Harry J. Ufland
William W. Wilson III
Starring
Cinematography Declan Quinn
Edited byCarole Kravetz
Music by Cliff Eidelman
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date
  • September 18, 1998 (1998-09-18)
Running time
127 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$30 million [1]
Box office$26.6 million [2]

One True Thing is a 1998 American drama film directed by Carl Franklin. It tells the story of a woman in her 20s who is forced to put her life on hold in order to care for her mother, who is dying of cancer. The script was adapted by Karen Croner from the novel by Anna Quindlen, with the story being based on Quindlen's own struggle with the death of her mother, Prudence Pantano Quindlen, from ovarian cancer in 1972. [3]

Contents

The film stars Meryl Streep, Renée Zellweger, William Hurt, and Tom Everett Scott. Bette Midler sings the lead song, "My One True Friend", over the end credits. The track was first released on Midler's 1998 album Bathhouse Betty . The film was shot in Morristown, New Jersey [4] and Maplewood, New Jersey, as well as at the campus of Princeton University.

Plot

Ellen Gulden has a high-pressure job writing for New York magazine. Ellen is visiting her family home for her father George's surprise birthday party. It becomes obvious that she deeply admires George, a once-celebrated novelist and literature professor at Princeton University, but Ellen has barely restrained disdain for her mother, Kate, and the domestic life she lives.

When it is discovered that Kate has cancer, George pressures Ellen to come home and take care of her mother. Ellen is taken aback by this request, knowing it could jeopardize her career and love interest. However, she eventually agrees, caving into her father's appeals and inducements.

As Ellen helps her mother with domestic chores while her father goes about his usual business without helping much, Ellen begins to reassess her views of her parents. She realizes she always brushed her mother aside and idealized her father, despite his self-centered focus on his career and, she discovers, a longtime habit of having flings with his female students.

Ellen attempts to find a place for herself in her parents' life while struggling to continue writing on a freelance basis and maintain her relationship with her boyfriend in New York. Over time, Ellen grows closer to her mother and learns more about her parents' marriage—including realizing that Kate has known about George's affairs all along. Ellen also learns that her father's philandering days have become lonely nights of drinking at a local bar to numb the pain of never again achieving success with, nor even being able to complete, further novels. George admits to Ellen the reason he loved Kate was that she was full of light shining through everything, and he could not bear the thought of her light slipping away.

As her mother is dying, Ellen tells her she loves her, and Kate says she knew it and always had. At the funeral, Ellen ends her relationship with her boyfriend.

After Kate's death, the autopsy reveals that Kate actually died of morphine overdose. A district attorney questions Ellen about her mother's death. Scenes from this interview are interspersed throughout the movie and raise the suspicion that Ellen assisted her mother's suicide. In the closing scene, by Kate's grave, Ellen has returned from a new job she found in New York with the Village Voice . She is planting daffodils when her father approaches and tells her that she was very brave to do what she did. She looks puzzled until she realizes George thinks she had given her mother the fatal overdose. Ellen replies that she had thought the accomplice was the father. They both realize Kate must have killed herself.

George speaks to Ellen about how much he loved Kate, considering her his muse, his "one true thing." Ellen explains to her father how to plant the daffodil bulbs and he helps her, foreshadowing their reconciliation based on a mutual and long-overdue appreciation of Kate.

Cast

Reception

Critical response

One True Thing received mostly favorable reviews from critics, with Streep being the subject of acclaim for bringing warmth and natural energy instead of appearing cold and technical. On Rotten Tomatoes the film has a rating of 87% based on reviews from 61 critics. The site's consensus states: "Solid performances lift this drama to a higher level." [5] The similar site Metacritic grades it 63 out of 100 based on reviews from 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [6] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "A" on a scale of A to F. [7]

Todd McCarthy of Variety called it "sensitively written, fluidly directed and expertly acted." [8] Roger Ebert, reviewing the film for the Chicago Sun-Times , commended it for rising above the level of a soap through pure craftsmanship, and awarded the film three stars out of four. [9]

Mick LaSalle in the San Francisco Chronicle declared, "After One True Thing, critics who persist in the fiction that Streep is a cold and technical actress will need to get their heads examined. She is so instinctive and natural – so thoroughly in the moment and operating on flights of inspiration – that she's able to give us a woman who's at once wildly idiosyncratic and utterly believable." [10] Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan noted, "[Streep's role] is one of the least self-consciously dramatic and surface showy of her career, but Streep adds a level of honesty and reality that makes [her performance] one of her most moving." [11] Among the few negative reviews, Salon.com 's Andrew O'Hehir complained that the movie "really has no plot", and found director Carl Franklin unable to properly connect with his cast. [12]

Accolades

Streep was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film, but lost out to Gwyneth Paltrow for her role in Shakespeare in Love . [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meryl Streep</span> American actress (born 1949)

Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep is an American actress. Known for her versatility and adept accent work, she has been described as "the best actress of her generation". She has received numerous accolades throughout her career spanning over four decades, including a record 21 Academy Award nominations, winning three, and a record 33 Golden Globe Award nominations, winning eight.

<i>Kramer vs. Kramer</i> 1979 film by Robert Benton

Kramer vs. Kramer is a 1979 American legal drama written and directed by Robert Benton, based on Avery Corman's 1977 novel. The film stars Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Justin Henry and Jane Alexander. It tells the story of a couple's divorce, its impact on their young son, and the subsequent evolution of their relationship and views on parenting. Kramer vs. Kramer explores the psychology and fallout of divorce, and touches on prevailing or emerging social issues, such as gender roles, fathers' rights, work-life balance, and single parents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renée Zellweger</span> American actress (born 1969)

Renée Kathleen Zellweger is an American actress. The recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards, she was one of the world's highest-paid actresses by 2007.

<i>Music of the Heart</i> 1999 film by Wes Craven

Music of the Heart is a 1999 American biographical musical drama film directed by Wes Craven and written by Pamela Gray, based on the 1995 documentary Small Wonders. A dramatization of the true story of Roberta Guaspari, portrayed by Meryl Streep, who co-founded the Opus 118 Harlem School of Music and fought for music education funding in New York City public schools, the film also stars Aidan Quinn, Angela Bassett, Gloria Estefan in her film debut, Jane Leeves, Kieran Culkin and Jay O. Sanders. It was Craven's sole mainstream cinematic film not in the horror or thriller genre, and also his only film to receive Oscar nominations.

<i>Marvins Room</i> (film) 1996 American drama film

Marvin's Room is a 1996 American drama film directed by Jerry Zaks. The script was written by John Guare and based on the play of the same name by Scott McPherson, who died in 1992. McPherson had completed a screenplay for a film version before he died; however, Guare was hired to update it when the film eventually started production years later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anna Quindlen</span> American author and journalist

Anna Marie Quindlen is an American author, journalist, and opinion columnist.

<i>Plenty</i> (film) 1985 film by Fred Schepisi

Plenty is a 1985 American drama film directed by Fred Schepisi and starring Meryl Streep. It was adapted from David Hare's play of the same name.

<i>Sophies Choice</i> (film) 1982 drama film

Sophie's Choice is a 1982 psychological drama directed and written by Alan J. Pakula, adapted from William Styron's 1979 novel of the same name. The film stars Meryl Streep as Zofia "Sophie" Zawistowska, a Polish immigrant to America with a dark secret from her past who shares a boarding house in Brooklyn with her tempestuous lover Nathan, and young writer Stingo. It also features Rita Karin, Stephen D. Newman and Josh Mostel in supporting roles.

<i>Still of the Night</i> (film) 1982 film by Robert Benton

Still of the Night is a 1982 American neo-noir psychological thriller film directed by Robert Benton and starring Roy Scheider, Meryl Streep, Joe Grifasi, and Jessica Tandy. It was written by Benton and David Newman. Scheider plays a psychiatrist who falls in love with a woman (Streep) who may be the psychopathic killer of one of his patients.

<i>Julie & Julia</i> 2009 film by Nora Ephron

Julie & Julia is a 2009 American biographical comedy drama film written and directed by Nora Ephron starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams in the title roles with Stanley Tucci, Chris Messina, and Linda Emond in supporting roles. The film contrasts the life of chef Julia Child in the early years of her culinary career with the life of young New Yorker Julie Powell, who aspires to cook all 524 recipes in Child's cookbook in 365 days, a challenge she described on her popular blog, which made her a published author.

<i>Dancing at Lughnasa</i> (film) 1998 Irish film

Dancing at Lughnasa is a 1998 Irish-British-American period drama film adapted from the 1990 Brian Friel play Dancing at Lughnasa, directed by Pat O'Connor.

<i>The Iron Lady</i> (film) 2011 British biographical drama film

The Iron Lady is a 2011 biographical drama film based on the life and career of Margaret Thatcher, a British politician who was the longest-serving Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of the 20th century and the first woman to hold the office. The film was directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Abi Morgan. Thatcher is portrayed primarily by Meryl Streep, and, in her formative and early political years, by Alexandra Roach. Thatcher's husband, Denis Thatcher, is portrayed by Jim Broadbent and by Harry Lloyd as the younger Denis. Thatcher's longest-serving cabinet member and eventual deputy, Geoffrey Howe, is portrayed by Anthony Head.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meryl Streep on screen and stage</span>

Meryl Streep is an American actress who has had an extensive career in film, television, and stage. She made her stage debut in 1975 with The Public Theater production of Trelawny of the 'Wells'. She went on to perform several roles on stage in the 1970s, gaining a Tony Award nomination for her role in 27 Wagons Full of Cotton (1976). In 1977, Streep made her film debut with a brief role alongside Jane Fonda in Julia. A supporting role in the war drama The Deer Hunter (1978) proved to be a breakthrough for Streep; she received her first Academy Award nomination for it. She won the award the following year for playing a troubled wife in the top-grossing drama Kramer vs. Kramer (1979). In 1978, Streep played a German, "Aryan" woman married to a Jewish man in Nazi Germany in the television miniseries Holocaust, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meryl Streep in the 2000s</span>

Meryl Streep throughout the 2000s appeared in many cinematic and theatrical productions. In 2001, Streep's voice appeared in the science-fiction film A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Streep that same year co-hosted the annual Nobel Peace Prize Concert, as well as appeared in the popular play The Seagull. In 2002, Streep appeared in the films Adaptation. and The Hours. In 2003, Streep appeared unaccredited in the comedy Stuck on You, and starred in the HBO play adaptation Angels in America. In 2004, Streep was awarded the AFI Life Achievement Award, and in that same year, she starred in the films The Manchurian Candidate and Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. In 2005, Streep starred in the film Prime. Streep began 2006 with the film A Prairie Home Companion, and that same year, she starred in The Devil Wears Prada and the stage production Mother Courage and Her Children. In 2007, Streep appeared in the films Dark Matter, Rendition, Evening, and Lions for Lambs. In 2008, Streep starred in the films Mamma Mia! and Doubt. In 2009, Streep starred in the films Julie & Julia and It's Complicated, as well as loaning her voice to the animated film Fantastic Mr. Fox.

<i>August: Osage County</i> (film) 2013 American drama film directed by John Wells

August: Osage County is a 2013 American black comedy-drama film directed by John Wells. It was written by Tracy Letts and based on his Pulitzer Prize-winning 2007 play of the same name. It was produced by George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Jean Doumanian, and Steve Traxler.

<i>The Homesman</i> 2014 film by Tommy Lee Jones

The Homesman is a 2014 Western historical drama film set in the 1850s Midwest and directed by Tommy Lee Jones. Jones, Kieran Fitzgerald, and Wesley Oliver based the screenplay on the 1988 novel of the same name by Glendon Swarthout. The film stars Jones and Hilary Swank and also features Meryl Streep, Grace Gummer, Miranda Otto, Hailee Steinfeld, John Lithgow, Jesse Plemons, and James Spader.

<i>The Giver</i> (film) 2014 film by Phillip Noyce

The Giver is a 2014 American dystopian drama film directed by Phillip Noyce and starring Jeff Bridges, Brenton Thwaites, Odeya Rush, Meryl Streep, Alexander Skarsgård, Katie Holmes, Cameron Monaghan, Taylor Swift, and Emma Tremblay. The film is based on the 1993 young adult novel of the same name by Lois Lowry. The Giver premiered on August 11, 2014, and was released theatrically in the United States on August 15, 2014. It grossed $67 million on a $25 million budget and received a People's Choice Award nomination for "Favorite Dramatic Movie".

<i>Ricki and the Flash</i> 2015 film directed by Jonathan Demme

Ricki and the Flash is a 2015 American musical comedy-drama film directed by Jonathan Demme and written by Diablo Cody, about a woman who leaves her family to become a rock star and later gets a chance to make amends. The film stars Meryl Streep, Mamie Gummer, Kevin Kline, Sebastian Stan, Rick Springfield, and Audra McDonald. The film marks Streep and Kline's third collaboration after Sophie's Choice (1982) and A Prairie Home Companion (2006). It was Demme's final narrative film before his death in April 2017.

<i>Florence Foster Jenkins</i> (film) 2016 film directed by Stephen Frears

Florence Foster Jenkins is a 2016 biographical film directed by Stephen Frears and written by Nicholas Martin and Julia Kogan. It stars Meryl Streep as Florence Foster Jenkins, a New York heiress known for her generosity and poor singing. Hugh Grant plays her manager and long-time companion, St. Clair Bayfield. Other cast members include Simon Helberg, Rebecca Ferguson, and Nina Arianda.

<i>The Prom</i> (film) 2020 film, based on the musical of the same name, directed by Ryan Murphy

The Prom is a 2020 American musical comedy film directed by Ryan Murphy from a screenplay by Chad Beguelin and Bob Martin, based on the 2018 Broadway musical of the same name by Martin, Beguelin, and Matthew Sklar. The film stars Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Keegan-Michael Key, Andrew Rannells, Ariana DeBose, Tracey Ullman, Kevin Chamberlin, Mary Kay Place, and Kerry Washington, and introduces Jo Ellen Pellman in her film debut as Emma Nolan. Logan Riley Hassel, Sofia Deler, Nico Greetham, and Nathaniel J. Potvin also appear in supporting roles.

References

  1. ↑ "One True Thing (1998) Financial Information". the-numbers.com. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  2. ↑ "One True Thing". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
  3. ↑ Her Own True Thing accessed 7-15-2015 Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ Much of the shooting took place in Michael Aaron Rockland's house, something he mentions in passing in An American Diplomat in Franco's Spain, pg. 104
  5. ↑ "One True Thing (1998)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  6. ↑ "One True Thing reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  7. ↑ "ONE TRUE THING (1998) A". CinemaScore . Archived from the original on 2018-12-20.
  8. ↑ McCarthy, Todd (7 September 1998). "One True Thing". Variety . Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  9. ↑ Ebert, Roger (18 September 1998). "One True Thing". The Chicago Sun Times . Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  10. ↑ LaSalle, Mick (18 September 1998). "Home Is a Beautiful 'Thing' / Streep shines in drama about ailing mother". San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved 1 Jan 2021.
  11. ↑ Turan, Kenneth (18 September 1998). "One True Thing". Los Angeles Times .
  12. ↑ O'Hehir, Andrew (18 September 1998). "One Blue Thing". Salon.com . Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  13. ↑ Waxman, Sharon (21 March 1999). "WashingtonPost.com: Academy Awards 1999". The Washington Post . Retrieved 6 June 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.