Men Don't Leave

Men Don't Leave
Directed by Paul Brickman
Produced by Jon Avnet
Written by Barbara Benedek
Paul Brickman
Starring
Music by Thomas Newman
Cinematography Bruce Surtees
Edited by Richard Chew
Production
company
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release dates
 February 2, 1990
Running time
 115 min.
Country United States
Language English
Budget $7 million
Box office $6,070,725

Men Don't Leave is a 1990 American comedy-drama film starring Jessica Lange as a housewife who, after the death of her husband, moves with her two sons to Baltimore. Chris O'Donnell, Arliss Howard, Joan Cusack, Charlie Korsmo and Kathy Bates also co-star in this film.

The film, directed by Paul Brickman and co-written with Barbara Benedek, is a remake of the French film La Vie Continue. The original music score was composed by Thomas Newman. Warner Brothers released the film on DVD for the first time on September 15, 2009, as part of the "Warner Archive Collection".

Plot summary

Weighed down by her late contractor husband's debts in Bingham, Maryland, widowed mother Beth Macauley is compelled to sell her house and move to a less costly locale. She relocates in Baltimore with her sons Chris and Matt and takes a job at a gourmet food store managed by Lisa Coleman. 18-year-old Chris (Chris O'Donnell) turns angry and aggressive while 10-year-old Matt (Charlie Korsmo) hides his deep sense of loss under a steely exterior. Beth is drawn into a relationship with Charles Simon, a musician who builds her self-esteem. However, after losing her job, she plunges into a five-day depression during which she refuses to leave her bedroom.

Beth is an extremely vulnerable, easily discouraged person who cannot seem to get a grip on her circumstances. Chris falls in love with Jody, an older Radiographer who lives in the same building. Matt falls under the influence of a young schoolmate who breaks into houses and steals VCRs. His dream is to get enough money to buy back their suburban house. Beth and her sons eventually pull themselves together, and realize that to abandon each other is not the answer. Beth tells her sons, "Heartbreak is life educating us," and the lessons turn out to be worth learning.

Main cast

Actor Role
Jessica Lange Beth Macauley
Arliss Howard Charles Simon
Joan Cusack Jody
Chris O'Donnell Chris Macauley
Kathy Bates Lisa Coleman
Charlie Korsmo Matt Macauley
Belita Moreno Mrs. Buckley

Reception

The film received mixed reviews.[1][2][3][4] Lange's performance was praised by critics.

Box office

The film was unsuccessful at the box office, grossing just over $6 million in the US on a $7 million budget.

References

  1. ↑ "MOVIE REVIEWS : Women Alone . . . Except for the Children : Drama: 'Men Don't Leave' tells of love, loss and life's blissful unpredictability". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
  2. ↑ "Men Don't Leave". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
  3. ↑ "Review/Film;Jessica Lange As a Widow Waking Up To Problems". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
  4. ↑ "Men Don't Leave". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
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