A Life Less Ordinary (1997)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Danny Boyle

Writer:

John Hodge (written by)

Release Date:

24 October 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Comedy | Crime | Fantasy

Tagline:

A comedy for anyone who's ever been in danger...of falling in love.

Plot:

Ewan McGregor stars as a cleaning man in L.A. who takes his boss's daughter hostage after being fired and replaced by a robot...

Plot Keywords:

Angel | Cleaning Man | Hostage | Cult Favorite | Wealth

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Ewan McGregor	...	Robert Lewis
Cameron Diaz	...	Celine Naville
Holly Hunter	...	O'Reilly
Delroy Lindo	...	Jackson
Dan Hedaya	...	Gabriel
Ian McNeice	...	Mayhew
Frank Kanig	...	Ted
Mel Winkler	...	Francis 'Frank' Naville
Stanley Tucci	...	Elliot Zweikel
Anne Cullimore Decker	...	Violet Eldred Gesteten
K.K. Dodds	...	Lily
Tony Shalhoub	...	Al
Christopher Gorham	...	Walt
Ian Holm	...	Naville
Maury Chaykin	...	Tod Johnson

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and language.

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:12 | USA:R (certificate #35216) | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:NC-16 | Brazil:12 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:16 (w) | Hong Kong:IIA | Ireland:15 | Mexico:B | Netherlands:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Company:

Channel Four Films

Trivia:

Both Holly Hunter and Ewan McGregor play the French horn.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Robert is digging the grave, Jackson is talking to him, sitting on the ground with legs crossed. There is a cut to Jackson's back, and a few seconds later a front view shows him with legs out-stretched.

Quotes:

Celine: Look, they weren't trying to kill you. They were trying to confuse you, and scare you.
Robert: Yeah, before they killed me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in One Step Beyond: The Making of 'Alien: Resurrection' (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

BEYOND THE SEA

Another whimsical and wacky comedy!!!

Years ago I didn't really like this film. I couldn't get into it, but I watched it the other night, needing a Ewan fix, and I loved it!!! It does seem a very strange mess of a movie if you browse thru it or happen to miss a scene while going to the bathroom, but I made myself pause it when I needed to and now I seem to get it!!!

Part road trip, part romantic comedy, part wacky comedy, part fantasy, it's all about how the angel Gabriel (Dan Hedaya) is getting pressure from the Big Man Himself to arrange love matches that will actually last.

Down on earth, oblivious to what's going on in heaven, a janitor named Robert (Ewan McGregor) has just been fired and replaced by a robot. His ruthless boss (a hysterical Ian Holm) refuses to even act apologetic about replacing hardworking men with mindless robots he doesn't have to pay. His reason completely gone, Robert kidnaps the spoiled princess daughter of his boss, Celine (Cameron Diaz) and hits the road with her, hoping to get his job, some money, or just an apology!!!

This is the kind of film which is perfect when you need something very fluffy and fun with no heaviness. There is some violence (one very funny scene involves Delroy Lindo forcing Robert to dig his own grave), but it's so funny and comedic that it's not going to fit in with the regular violence in movies, like in Die Hard or something.

It's a very delightful film for anyone who likes Ewan or Cameron. I think they had great chemistry and the whole movie was just pure fun!!!