North (1994 film)
| North | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| Directed by | Rob Reiner |
| Written by | Alan Zweibel (novel) Alan Zweibel and Andrew Scheinman (screenplay) |
| Produced by | Rob Reiner Alan Zweibel |
| Starring | Elijah Wood Jason Alexander Julia Louis-Dreyfus Bruce Willis Jon Lovitz Alan Arkin Dan Aykroyd Reba McEntire |
| Cinematography | Adam Greenberg |
| Edited by | Robert Leighton |
| Music by | Marc Shaiman |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date | July 22 1994 (USA) |
Running time | 87 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $40,000,000 (estimated) |
| Box office | $7,138,449 (USA) |
North is a 1994 film directed by Rob Reiner, and starring Elijah Wood, Bruce Willis, Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Dan Aykroyd, Reba McEntire, and a then-unknown Scarlett Johansson. The story is based on the novel North by Alan Zweibel, who also wrote the screenplay and has a minor role in the film.
North received generally negative reviews, and flopped at the box office, earning about US$7 million for an estimated budget of US$40 million.[1] The film was a multiple nominee at the 1994 Golden Raspberry Awards.
Film critic Roger Ebert seemed especially baffled by North, noting that Wood and especially Reiner had both previously made much better films. Ebert awarded North a rare "zero-stars" rating, and even ten years later it remains on his list of most hated films. His review included the now-famous statement:
"I hated this movie. Hated hated hated hated hated this movie. Hated it. Hated every simpering stupid vacant audience-insulting moment of it. Hated the sensibility that thought anyone would like it. Hated the implied insult to the audience by its belief that anyone would be entertained by it."
The review was later read at a roast for Reiner, who jokingly insisted that "if you read between the lines, it [the review] isn't really that bad." An abridged version of the opening remark quoted above became the title of a 2000 book by Ebert, I Hated, Hated, Hated This Movie, a compilation of reviews of films most disliked by Ebert.[2]
Plot
An 11-year-old boy named North (Elijah Wood) tires of his parents (Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who never pay any attention to him, legally emancipates himself from them, and wanders around the world seeking a new family. Along the way, he encounters parents that are tribal, southern, Alaskan, Hawaiian, Jewish, etc. He tries to blend in with each group of parents. He finally decides that his own parents are the best with the help of a guardian angel (Bruce Willis) who uses several guises throughout the film.
Cast
- Elijah Wood as North
- Jason Alexander as North's Dad
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus as North's Mom
- Marc Shaiman as Piano Player
- Bruce Willis as the Guardian Angel/Narrator
- Jon Lovitz as Arthur Belt
- Alan Arkin as Judge Buckle
- Dan Aykroyd as Pa Tex
- Reba McEntire as Ma Tex
- Graham Greene as Alaskan Dad
- Kathy Bates as Alaskan Mom
- Ben Stein as Curator
- Alexander Godunov as Amish Dad
- Kelly McGillis as Amish Mom
- Faith Ford as Donna Nelson
- John Ritter as Ward Nelson
- Scarlett Johansson as Laura Nelson
- Jesse Zeigler as Bud Nelson
References
Trivia
- In the scene where North meets his Amish parents, they are played by Alexander Godunov and Kelly McGillis, who played Amish people in the 1985 movie Witness.
External links
- North at IMDb
- North at Rotten Tomatoes
