BBB.5
(out of 5)
Barbra Streisand shows, as with her other films as director, her incredible talent with directing actors while never being able to balance out uneven storylines. Nick Nolte is excellent as a high school teacher from the south who is brought to New York City by a psychiatrist (Streisand) to help in the case of his mentally unstable twin sister (Melinda Dillon). Her latest suicide attempt has prompted her doctor to ask Nolte questions about their family’s past in order to unravel some of her troubles. Streisand is in no way prepared for the terrifying history of abuse and fear that these two were raised in, nor is Nolte ready for how much he ends up connecting with the good doctor. The film is at first a fascinating exploration of family troubles, then loses its focus when the problems are cleared up and the story concentrates on the romance budding between the two leads. It quickly shifts from interesting to romantic to ridiculous, ending with a lamentably bad finale that is completely out of touch with the rest of the experience. Streisand’s acting is even better than her direction, still managing to captivate audiences with her presence in the same fresh way she had about her in her film debut Funny Girl. She is equalled by the fierce and memorable performance by Kate Nelligan as Nolte’s domineering, social-climbing mother, a character whose experience walks away with the whole film.
Columbia Pictures Corporation, Barwood Films, Longfellow Pictures
USA, 1991
Directed by Barbra Streisand
Screenplay by Pat Conroy, Becky Johnston, based on the novel by Pat Conroy
Cinematography by Stephen Goldblatt
Produced by Barbra Streisand
Music by James Newton Howard
Production Design by Paul Sylbert
Costume Design by Ruth Morley
Film Editing by Don Zimmerman
Cast Tags: Alan Sader, Ann Pierce, Barbra Streisand, Blythe Danner, Bob Hannah, Bobby Fain, Bonnie Johnson, Brad Sullivan, Brandlyn Whitaker, Chris Stacy, Dottie Soracco, Francis Dumaurier, Frederick Neumann, George Carlin, Grayson Fricke, Jason Gould, Jeroen Krabbé, John Arceri, Justen Woods, Kate Nelligan, Kiki Runyan, Kirk Whalum, Lee Lively, Lindsay Wray, Maggie Collier, Marilyn Carter, Melinda Dillon, Milton Clark Jr., Nancy Moore Atchison, Nick Nolte, Nick Searcy, Norman Max Maxwell, R.D. Oprea, Rebecca Fleming, Ryan Newman, Sandy Rowe, Tiffany Jean Davis, Trey Yearwood, Warren Kremin, Yvonne Erickson
Academy Award Nominations
Best Actor in a Leading Role (Nick Nolte as “Tom Wingo”)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Kate Nelligan as “Lila Wingo Newbury”)
Best Art Direction (art direction: Paul Sylbert; set decoration: Caryl Heller)
Best Cinematography (Stephen Goldblatt)
Best Music (Original Score) (James Newton Howard)
Best Picture (Barbra Streisand, Andrew Karsch, producers)
Best Writing (Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published) (Pat Conroy, Becky Johnston)
Golden Globe Award
Best Performance By An Actor in a Motion Picture-Drama (Nick Nolte)
Nominations
Best Motion Picture-Drama
Best Director (Barbra Streisand)
New York Film Critics Award Nominations
Best Actor (Nick Nolte)
Best Supporting Actress (Kate Nelligan)
Los Angeles Film Critics Award
Best Actor (Nick Nolte)
National Society of Film Critics Award Nomination
Best Actor (Nick Nolte)
Writers Guild Award Nomination
Best Adapted Screenplay
Directors Guild Award Nomination
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures (Barbra Streisand)
Boston Film Critics Award
Best Actor (Nick Nolte)
