Picture Perfect (1997 film)

Last updated
Picture Perfect
Picture perfect ver1.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Glenn Gordon Caron
Written by Arleen Sorkin
Paul Slansky
Glenn Gordon Caron
Produced by Erwin Stoff
Molly Madden
William Teitler
Starring
Cinematography Paul Sarossy
Edited byRobert Reitano
Music by Carter Burwell
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date
  • August 1, 1997 (1997-08-01)
Running time
105 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$18 million [1]
Box office$44.3 million [2]

Picture Perfect is a 1997 American romantic comedy film directed by Glenn Gordon Caron, written by Arleen Sorkin, and starring Jennifer Aniston, Jay Mohr, Kevin Bacon, Illeana Douglas, Olympia Dukakis, and Anne Twomey. The film centers around a young advertising executive's life, which becomes increasingly complicated when, in order to impress her boss, she pretends to be engaged to a man she just met. Picture Perfect was released on August 1, 1997, by 20th Century Fox. It received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $44.3 million against an $18 million budget.

Contents

Plot

Kate is struggling in the advertising business in New York City: she cannot move forward despite her talent. Her boss, Mr. Mercer, passes her up for a promotion because she is "not stable enough". Her coworker, Darcy, invents a story claiming Kate is engaged to Nick, a freelance videographer who lives in Massachusetts, with whom Kate had her picture taken during a friend's wedding.

All seems to work out well for Kate, who gets her promotion, but after Nick saves a little girl from a fire and winds up in the news, Kate is asked to bring her alleged fiancé to dinner with Mercer and his wife. She goes to Boston to ask Nick to do it and to "break up" with her during the evening. Nick, who likes Kate, agrees to please Kate. Meanwhile, Sam, a colleague that Kate had always wanted, takes notice of her because she is engaged, and they have sex on two occasions.

Nick arrives in New York and stays at Kate's apartment, and as they get to know each other, she starts to like him. When they are at the dinner with Mercer, Nick compliments Kate and expresses his desire for a future with her. Kate just wants their "fight" to happen, and after unsuccessfully trying to incite Nick at the dinner table, she pays a restaurant employee to call her mobile phone and makes out that Nick is having an affair with an ex-girlfriend. Nick figures it out and finally plays along. The next day, after his attempt to woo Kate fails, he returns to Boston.

A week later, Kate finds a special gift Nick had left her that prompts her to admit the fake to Mercer and her coworkers, stating that she was dressing for the job she wanted (repeating a line that Mercer had used on her earlier regarding her instability). When she tells him she is quitting, Mercer admits how he had exaggerated his own past at one point in his life. He lets Kate keep her job and suggests she take a few days off to go see Nick.

Kate walks in while Nick is recording a church wedding, and he rebuffs her attempts to patch things up until she interrupts the ceremony at a crucial point. Watched by the entire wedding assembly, she apologizes for the way she treated him. He invites her to stay for the wedding reception and dinner afterwards, and they embrace, as the congregation applauds them.

Cast

Production

Academy Award winner Tom Fleischman is the re-recording mixer of the film. Picture Perfect also consists of other Academy Award nominees such as Les Lazarowitz, Jane Robinson, and Debra Schutt.

The movie was shot in June and July 1996. [3]

Kaley Cuoco later revealed that "I was the last name in the credits (credited as ‘little girl’).. when I saw the movie, they had cut my one line". [4]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 47% of 43 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.4/10. [5] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 46 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. [6] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "B−" on a scale of A to F. [7]

Roger Ebert found the film at odds with itself, noting how the script has poor storytelling elements but contains "nice dialogue touches" delivered by the characters, saying that "it's a shame the plot is so contrived, because parts of this [movie] are really pretty good." [8] Janet Maslin of The New York Times called it a "light, undemanding comedy", commending its use of sitcom humor, bits of satire and the performances of Aniston, Douglas and Bacon, concluding that it "bounces busily among these players until it has to slow down and pretend to be sincere." [9] Marc Savlov of The Austin Chronicle heavily criticized the film for having the aesthetics of "an over-long, over-nice, made-for-TV movie that goes nowhere quick." He gave notice to Aniston's performance lacking sustainability to capture the big screen, and bringing the rest of the main cast to her acting level. [10]

Box office

The film opened at number 5 at the North American box office making $7.8 million in its opening weekend. It eventually earned over $44 million worldwide, against a budget of $18 million. [1] [2]

Soundtrack

Picture Perfect
Soundtrack album by
Various
Released1997
Genre Pop
Label Warner Bros. Records
No.TitleMusicLength
1."Show Me How to Catch a Fish"Jane Kelly Williams 
2."Sex Life"Geoffrey Williams 
3."They Don't Know" Kirsty MacColl  
4."Get Down Tonight" KC & The Sunshine Band  
5."Runaround Sue" Dion  
6."Love Will Keep Us Together" Captain and Tennille  
7."Fruitful Acre"From Good Homes 
8."Wide Open Wide"From Good Homes 
9."Extra Super Fine"Dragstrip Superstar 
10."Bad Girls" Donna Summer  
11."When Dreams Turn to Dust" Cathy Dennis  
12."Say What You Want" Texas  
13."Heaven Only Knows" Swing Out Sister  
14."I Try" Macy Gray  
15."Amateur" Aimee Mann  
16."Bach]s Jesu of Man's Desring #7" Marie-Claire Alain  
17."Mendelssohn's Wedding March" Marie-Claire Alain  

Related Research Articles

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

Jennifer Joanna Aniston is an American actress. She rose to international fame for her role as Rachel Green on the television sitcom Friends from 1994 to 2004, which earned her Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild awards. Since her career progressed in the 1990s, Aniston has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid actresses, as of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andie MacDowell</span> American actress and model (born 1958)

Rosalie Anderson MacDowell is an American actress and former fashion model. MacDowell is known for her starring film roles in romantic comedies and dramas. She has modeled for Calvin Klein and has been a spokeswoman for L'Oréal since 1986.

<i>What Women Want</i> 2000 film by Nancy Meyers

What Women Want is a 2000 American romantic fantasy comedy film written by Josh Goldsmith, Cathy Yuspa, and Diane Drake, directed by Nancy Meyers, and starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt.

<i>Moonstruck</i> 1987 film by Norman Jewison

Moonstruck is a 1987 American romantic comedy film directed by Norman Jewison and written by John Patrick Shanley. It stars Cher as a widowed Italian American woman who falls in love with her fiancé's hot-tempered, estranged younger brother, played by Nicolas Cage. The supporting cast includes Danny Aiello, Olympia Dukakis and Vincent Gardenia.

<i>The Object of My Affection</i> 1998 American film

The Object of My Affection is a 1998 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Nicholas Hytner, and starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd. The film was adapted from novel of the same name by Stephen McCauley and the screenplay was written by Wendy Wasserstein. The story is centered around a pregnant New York social worker who develops romantic feelings for her gay new friend and decides to raise her child with him, and the complications that ensue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaley Cuoco</span> American actress (born 1985)

Kaley Christine Cuoco is an American actress. She is known for starring as Bridget Hennessy on the ABC sitcom 8 Simple Rules (2002–2005), Penny on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory (2007–2019) and as the title character in the HBO Max comedic thriller The Flight Attendant (2020–2022). The latter earned her nominations for Primetime Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards.

<i>Serendipity</i> (film) 2001 romantic comedy film by Peter Chelsom

Serendipity is a 2001 American romantic comedy film directed by Peter Chelsom, written by Marc Klein, and starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. The film grossed $77.5 million on a $28 million budget.

<i>Very Bad Things</i> 1998 American film

Very Bad Things is a 1998 American black comedy film written and directed by Peter Berg in his feature film directorial debut and starring Cameron Diaz, Jon Favreau, Daniel Stern, Jeremy Piven, Christian Slater, Leland Orser, Kobe Tai and Jeanne Tripplehorn.

<i>Bridget Joness Diary</i> 2001 romantic comedy film directed by Sharon Maguire

Bridget Jones's Diary is a 2001 romantic comedy film directed by Sharon Maguire and written by Richard Curtis, Andrew Davies, and Helen Fielding. A co-production of the United Kingdom, United States and France, it is based on Fielding's 1996 novel of the same name, which is a reinterpretation of Jane Austen's 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice. The adaptation stars Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones, a 32-year-old British single woman, who writes a diary which focuses on the things she wishes to happen in her life. However, her life changes when two men vie for her affection, portrayed by Colin Firth and Hugh Grant. Jim Broadbent and Gemma Jones appear in supporting roles. Production began in August 2000 and ended in November 2000, and took place largely on location in London and the home counties.

<i>Seems Like Old Times</i> (film) 1980 film by Jay Sandrich

Seems Like Old Times is a 1980 American comedy film starring Chevy Chase, Goldie Hawn, and Charles Grodin, directed by Jay Sandrich and written by Neil Simon. It was the only theatrical film directed by Sandrich, who was best known for his television sitcom directing work. It follows Nick Gardenia, a writer who is forced to rob a bank and becomes a fugitive, leaving him to seek help from his ex-wife Glenda Parks, a public defender. Her current husband, Ira Parks, is the Los Angeles County district attorney, who harbors a jealous disdain towards Nick.

<i>Rumor Has It</i> (film) 2005 American film

Rumor Has It is a 2005 American romantic comedy film directed by Rob Reiner, and starring Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Costner, Shirley MacLaine and Mark Ruffalo. The concept of the screenplay by Ted Griffin is that a woman learns that her mother and grandmother may be the inspiration for the 1963 novel The Graduate by Charles Webb. The film received negative reviews from critics and was a box office disappointment, grossing $88.9 million against its $70 million budget.

<i>Dying Young</i> 1991 film

Dying Young is a 1991 American romance film directed by Joel Schumacher. It is based on a novel of the same name by Marti Leimbach, and stars Julia Roberts and Campbell Scott with Vincent D'Onofrio, Colleen Dewhurst, David Selby, and Ellen Burstyn. The original music score was composed by James Newton Howard, with the main song "Theme from Dying Young" performed by American saxophonist Kenny G.

<i>Mr. Magoo</i> (film) 1997 American comedy film

Mr. Magoo is a 1997 American comedy film directed by Hong Kong film veteran Stanley Tong and written by Pat Proft and Tom Sherohman. Based on UPA's cartoon of the same name, it was produced by Walt Disney Pictures, and stars Leslie Nielsen as the title character, alongside Kelly Lynch, Matt Keeslar, Nick Chinlund, Stephen Tobolowsky, Ernie Hudson, Jennifer Garner and Malcolm McDowell.

<i>The Age of Innocence</i> (1993 film) 1993 film directed by Martin Scorsese

The Age of Innocence is a 1993 American historical romantic drama film directed by Martin Scorsese. The screenplay, an adaptation of the 1920 novel of the same name by Edith Wharton, is by Scorsese and Jay Cocks. The film stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder, and Miriam Margolyes, and was released by Columbia Pictures. It recounts the courtship and marriage of Newland Archer (Day-Lewis), a wealthy New York society attorney, to May Welland (Ryder); Archer then encounters and legally represents Countess Olenska (Pfeiffer) before unexpected romantic entanglements.

Motion Picture Corporation of America (MPCA) is an American film production company specializing in the production, acquisition and distribution of low-budget films.

<i>The Wedding Ringer</i> 2015 film by Jeremy Garelick

The Wedding Ringer is a 2015 American buddy romantic comedy film directed and co-written by Jeremy Garelick. It stars Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, and Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting. The film was produced by Adam Fields, Will Packer Productions and Miramax, distributed by Screen Gems, and released on January 16, 2015.

Yes, Norman Productions is an American film and television production company founded on October 27, 2017 by actress and producer Kaley Cuoco. It is known for producing the television series Harley Quinn (2019–present) and The Flight Attendant (2020–2022).

The Flight Attendant is an American dark comedy drama mystery thriller television series developed by Steve Yockey based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Chris Bohjalian. It stars Kaley Cuoco in the title role and premiered on HBO Max on November 26, 2020. In December 2020, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on April 21, 2022. In January 2024, the series was canceled after two seasons.

<i>Can You Keep a Secret?</i> (film) 2019 film by Elise Duran

Can You Keep a Secret? is a 2019 American indie romantic comedy film directed by Elise Duran and stars Alexandra Daddario and Tyler Hoechlin. It is based on the 2003 novel of same name by Sophie Kinsella, with the screenplay adapted by Peter Hutchings.

<i>Role Play</i> 2024 film by Thomas Vincent

Role Play is a 2024 action comedy film directed by Thomas Vincent, written by Seth Owen, produced by Andrew Rona and Kaley Cuoco. The film stars Cuoco, David Oyelowo, Rudi Dharmalingam, Connie Nielsen, and Bill Nighy.

References

  1. 1 2 "'Spawn' Challenges 'Air Force One'". Los Angeles Times . 5 August 1997. considering its modest $18-million budget.
  2. 1 2 "Picture Perfect". Box Office Mojo .
  3. ↑ "Jennifer Anniston in 'Picture Perfect'".
  4. ↑ "kaleycuoco". Instagram. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  5. ↑ "Picture Perfect". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved April 20, 2020. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  6. ↑ "Picture Perfect". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  7. ↑ "PICTURE PERFECT (1997) B-". CinemaScore . Archived from the original on December 20, 2018.
  8. ↑ Ebert, Roger (August 1, 1997). "Picture Perfect". Chicago Sun-Times . Chicago, Illinois: Sun-Times Media Group. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2017– via RogerEbert.com.
  9. ↑ Maslin, Janet (August 1, 1997). "An Adorable Wardrobe Accessorized by Deceit" . The New York Times . New York City. Archived from the original on September 24, 2020. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  10. ↑ Savlov, Marc (August 1, 1997). "Pitch Perfect". The Austin Chronicle . Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2021.Star full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg
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.