Grand Canyon (1991)
The tagline of Grand Canyon is perfect: “In the 1980s, director Lawrence Kasdan brought you The Big Chill. Welcome to the ’90s.” In this ensemble drama, cultures and families in Southern California collide amidst an introduction to the decade. Kevin Kline, married to Mary McDonnell but having an affair at the office with Mary-Louise Parker, has a life-changing experience when his car breaks down in Inglewood. A group of punks start to harass him, but the garage worker called on the scene, Danny Glover, has a frank discussion and convinces them to leave him alone. Kevin feels a connection to Danny, and their lives intermingle through the rest of the film.
Danny’s world is vastly different from Kevin’s, as he tries to help his sister and her children get out from a bad neighborhood. Her oldest son falls in with the wrong crowd and doesn’t listen to his uncle’s advice, sadly answering, “I’ll never live to be 25.” This movie is full of difficult truths about how the “other half” lives, race relations, midlife crises, infidelity, coming-of age romance, and the sad cynicism of real life. With Steve Martin as a bottom-line movie director given the opportunity to change his worldview, Alfre Woodard as Danny’s adorable and sexy love interest, and Jeremy Sisto as Kevin and Mary’s teenage son, every scene is memorable in this classic from the ’90s.
You’ve got to watch this movie. Full of symbolism and realism, it’ll become one of your favorites the first time you watch it. Ladies, a warning: after falling in love with this movie, you might take a photo of Mary McDonnell to your hairdresser, like I did! If this movie were made today, her character would undoubtedly be played by Jennifer Connelly. She’s a privileged wife who works out of interest rather than necessity and whose strong beliefs tend to back up what she wants rather than what makes sense. If it were any other actress playing the part, I probably would cringe every time she opens her mouth, but Mary’s so adorable, I can’t help but like her. She does the best she can with her lines, which are, like everyone else’s, extremely realistic.
Not a single line of the Kasdans’ screenplay is accidental, and while it’s difficult to pinpoint a mere handful of lines as the best, each character is given his or her own “nutshell” line of dialogue. Alfre tells Mary-Louise that “the lucky ones” feel they’re on the verge of constant hysteria. Danny delivers heartbreaking lines about how life has turned out far more complicated than it should be, and that he should be able to peacefully work in his garage without asking a kid with a gun not to shoot him. Mary makes the audience wonder about the power of the universe, suggesting to her husband that his new friend might last the rest of his life. Steve breaks the struggle of life into two topics: fear and control. If somehow the ’90s passed you by and you never watched Grand Canyon, buy yourself a copy. As sad as it is, nothing has changed, and almost everything in the movie feels like it was filmed yesterday.
DLM warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. During the dream sequences, there’s a bit of swirling camera movement and it will make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to violence and mature subject matter, I’d wait until my kids were teenagers before showing it to them.
More Kevin Kline movies here!
More Steve Martin movies here!
Danny’s world is vastly different from Kevin’s, as he tries to help his sister and her children get out from a bad neighborhood. Her oldest son falls in with the wrong crowd and doesn’t listen to his uncle’s advice, sadly answering, “I’ll never live to be 25.” This movie is full of difficult truths about how the “other half” lives, race relations, midlife crises, infidelity, coming-of age romance, and the sad cynicism of real life. With Steve Martin as a bottom-line movie director given the opportunity to change his worldview, Alfre Woodard as Danny’s adorable and sexy love interest, and Jeremy Sisto as Kevin and Mary’s teenage son, every scene is memorable in this classic from the ’90s.
You’ve got to watch this movie. Full of symbolism and realism, it’ll become one of your favorites the first time you watch it. Ladies, a warning: after falling in love with this movie, you might take a photo of Mary McDonnell to your hairdresser, like I did! If this movie were made today, her character would undoubtedly be played by Jennifer Connelly. She’s a privileged wife who works out of interest rather than necessity and whose strong beliefs tend to back up what she wants rather than what makes sense. If it were any other actress playing the part, I probably would cringe every time she opens her mouth, but Mary’s so adorable, I can’t help but like her. She does the best she can with her lines, which are, like everyone else’s, extremely realistic.
Not a single line of the Kasdans’ screenplay is accidental, and while it’s difficult to pinpoint a mere handful of lines as the best, each character is given his or her own “nutshell” line of dialogue. Alfre tells Mary-Louise that “the lucky ones” feel they’re on the verge of constant hysteria. Danny delivers heartbreaking lines about how life has turned out far more complicated than it should be, and that he should be able to peacefully work in his garage without asking a kid with a gun not to shoot him. Mary makes the audience wonder about the power of the universe, suggesting to her husband that his new friend might last the rest of his life. Steve breaks the struggle of life into two topics: fear and control. If somehow the ’90s passed you by and you never watched Grand Canyon, buy yourself a copy. As sad as it is, nothing has changed, and almost everything in the movie feels like it was filmed yesterday.
DLM warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. During the dream sequences, there’s a bit of swirling camera movement and it will make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to violence and mature subject matter, I’d wait until my kids were teenagers before showing it to them.
More Kevin Kline movies here!
More Steve Martin movies here!