Product Details

• Actors: Sally Field, Judy Davis, Winston Rekert, Jerry Wasserman, Carly Pope
• Directors: Susan Seidelman
• Writers: Marsha Norman, Zena Collier
• Producers: Bob Chmiel, Colleen Nystedt, Dan Paulson, Susan Rose
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Paramount
• VHS Release Date: December 19, 2000
• Run Time: 99 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00004XPQH
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #144,991 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Different, but deeper., July 13, 2001

By 

A. Bouardi (San Antonio, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cooler Climate [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I give this five stars, not for it being an incredible film, but for it being a film which entails so much more than most films made today. I keep hearing people mention that it's the kind of movie made for older women. My response is...whatever. As a twenty yr old who watched this film with a male friend who makes hip hop music, I can say it's a film for everyone alike. We both felt the characters had so much depth and all were highly interesting as people. It's enjoyable and it moves at a nice brisk pace and regardless of some people say, it's a person movie, not a female movie. You don't have to wait for girl's night out, you can watch it with anyone who likes good character development and an interesting look at life from a new angle. Judy Davis is excellent. The movie only suffers from the fact that time is taken up with an unnecessary love interst for Sally Field...and wastes the time they could have used giving us a more solid understanding of the final relationship Field's character and Davis' character have developed. Ah...what they do for poignancy.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful character study, lackluster script, June 5, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Cooler Climate [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Iris (Sally Field) is an intelligent, middle-aged woman whose life has gone hopelessly awry after leaving her husband for a younger man. In desperation, she accepts a job in a resort town as housekeeper to Paula (Judy Davis), a strident, unhappy socialite whose own emotional life is equally fragile in spite of the superficial trappings of success. Despite their incompatibility, the two women slowly learn to co-exist and, as Paula's life also begins to unravel, eventually even come to respect and care about each other.

This made-for cable drama, which debuted on Showtime, feels (as one other reviewer here noted) more as if it belonged on Lifetime. Earnest to a fault, the script is hopelessly contrived and there isn't a plot twist that you won't see coming a mile away. In addition, the assortment of odd-but-lovable townspeople contains just about every stereotype you can think of. Nevertheless, this rates as a must-see for fans of its stars. Both Field and Davis are extraordinaly good in tailor-made roles.

Also, cliches notwithstanding, the film is at its best in some terrific quiet moments. Iris sits at a table with her daunting stack of bills spread out in front of her, trying valiantly to decide to whom she can afford to give twenty of her hard-earned dollars. Paula recoils after Iris first stands up to her, realizing that she may not have the upper hand in the relationship that she thinks she has. In a hotel room, Paula and her husband, Leo, discuss their troublesome 19-year old daughter and we get a glimpse of the sadness and emptiness of Paula's life. Unfortuantely, all these (and more) moments are done in by a script that ties up every conceivable loose end in the last fifteen minutes. In short, this is a film whose sum of its parts is much greater than the whole.

Still, it's worth a look. In addition to the performances, it is a rare film that even tries to explore a complex relationship between two radically different and difficult women.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars motivational, soothing and entertaining, October 17, 2006

By 

pjf "pjf" (MD USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cooler Climate [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I've seen this several times and finally purchased the videotape. This movie has a wonderful score, and beautiful scenery, but I think anyone can relate to the portrayal of people who have outgrown their previous identities and have to refind themselves. Steveston in the film is a little bit unbelievable, with everyone so helpful and kind, leaving only the principles (Sally Field, Judy Davis and Carly Pope) to battle their dysfunctional selves, so that is rather unrealistic, but the film is so seductive in its message of healing and hope, that you can overlook that. BTW, the book the movie is based on has a very different and not pleasant ending. I think the movie is better.