Product Details

• Actors: Holly Hunter, Danny DeVito, Queen Latifah, Martin Donovan (II), Richard Schiff
• Format: Anamorphic, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, French
• Region: Region 2 (Read more about DVD formats.)
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005R6RU
• For more information about "Living Out Loud" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential video

The original title of Living Out Loud was The Kiss, which also happens to be the title of one of the two Anton Chekhov stories the movie is loosely based on. (For those Russian lit mavens out there, the other story is "Misery.") The actual kiss in Living Out Loud is a somewhat mysterious affair: newly single Judith (Holly Hunter) suddenly finds herself laying a wet 'n' sloppy one on a total stranger (Elias Koteas, Hunter's Crash costar) in the back room of a cool jazz club, and then parting ways with the man. For good. Like so much of this exceptionally smart, generous movie, no explanation is given--or necessary. Screenwriter Richard LaGravenese (The Fisher King), making his directing debut, charts Judith's struggles in the wake of being dumped by her doctor husband (Martin Donovan). It turns out life has its ups and downs, some of which come courtesy of the elevator operator (Danny DeVito) in her swanky Upper East Side apartment building. DeVito's character is a nice guy in need of a little human touch, and the actor soft-pedals his usual sleaze in favor of a warm, directly emotional approach. It's the kind of turn that garners Oscar nominations, except that this movie didn't attract the box office it deserved. His performance, like the film, keeps surprising you--a fantasy sequence here, an ensemble dance there, plus a couple of smoky jazz tunes contributed by Queen Latifah. This unpredictable movie has the kiss of class. --Robert Horton

From The New Yorker

The sinews in Holly Hunter's neck and arms tighten like cables hauled in by a winch; she's all wired up, and in Richard LaGravenese's lovely comedy about loneliness in New York she uses the tension as a source of comedy. The movie hits an early high when Hunter, abandoned by her husband and alone in her Fifth Avenue co-op at night, runs through her fantasies and fears in a breathless internal whisper. Since she doesn't have to speak, Hunter does a rabbity, detailed facial commentary on what she's thinking. Based loosely on two Chekhov stories, the picture is about the ways that unlikely people reach out to one another, and it features a lyrical Manhattan, warmer than Woody Allen's, in which friends drop in to their regular night club, chat, and listen to performers like Queen Latifah sing easy blues about the strange predicaments of life. With Danny DeVito, quiet for once, as a failure who hasn't given up hope. -David Denby
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterpiece - Live Your Life Out Loud, July 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Living Out Loud (DVD)

Spectacular. Yes, a superb masterpiece that was completely snubbed at the Oscars. Living Out Loud rose above and beyond all other movies. Richard LaGravenese, screenwriter for Bridges of Madison County and The Fisher King gives a fine directing debut about a lonely upper east side woman who searches for a new life after the man she believed she loved for 20 years leaves, for a younger woman.

A unique tale of two stories intertwining from sudden devastating and life altering moments, starring the sensational Holly Hunter as Judith, and Danny Devito, as her building's elevator man, Pat.

The movie is a classic. Holly Hunter always surprises the audience with notably fine characters. She brings Judith to life as a woman searching for the reality that lies within herself. Danny Devito is wonderful as the man who brings substance to the screen. He plays a subtle man, only wanting the best out of life. Though misfortunes and tragedy always seem to strike at the most inconvenient of times. The two come together, shining the screen with passion amongst friends, who are geared toward two different entities in life.

Queen Latifah is simply dazzling and vibrantly amazing with her jazz vocals. The opening sequence with Lush Life scored and set the pace for what would lie ahead in the movie. Becoming friends with Judith, help both of them realize the love of their lives is not just within the souls of another man; the truest meaning is within their own self.

The movie flowed so elegantly, it certainly is more than your usual chick flick. I, being a 28 year old male, and a die hard movie fan, was thrown for a loop once I saw this movie a while back. I felt something deep, a hidden meaning that we all should look into. The movie was so real, unlike a lot of the movies out there that we chase for in a fantasy. I could go on and on about this movie, but I don't want to spoil any bit of it. All I have to say is from the start - with Queen Latifah rendition of Lush Life and all other poignant songs see jazzes herself into; the inner self of Hunter and her fantasy scenes, especially the crack baby thought; to the meeting and friendly journey of Devito and Hunter; the huge club scene, where Hunter lives out another one of her fantasy's; and then the end, the reality of life and the experiences and chances we take doing what we want out of life.

In the end, you hope that Holly Hunter does Live Out Loud, Danny Devito find his passage in life and that Queen Latifah moves from rap to jazz, cause she is just fantastic. I would have thrown Oscars to Hunter for best actress; Devito, best actor and; best supporting actress, Queen Latifah.

Again, this movie is a classic. It should be re-released. Movie-goers never had the chance to experience this movie the way it should be, due to the huge success, and my judgment of a good but not excellent film, As Good As It Gets.

Believe me when I say that you should watch this movie over and over and over again.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Whats not to love about this film?, October 26, 2003

By 

E. Smith (Glen Burnie, md United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Living Out Loud (DVD)

I got one of those blockbuster DVD cards. You know, watch 30 films in 30 days deal for 20 dollars. Except they didn't tell you that you can only rent one film a day. So having to go through as many films as possible to make this worthwhile, this gives me the opportunity to watch films that I have skipped over. Films for one reason or another, I have never given a chance, the ones that you think, hmmm, I don't know if I should give this a chance or not and you skip. So with this new found freedom (and since I really don't rent that much anymore), I decide to check out other people recommendations, films, whose previews I've seen and I thought COULD be interesting, and films I thought would make a nice addition to my growing DVD collection. LIVING OUT LOUD stars Holly Hunter who been sort of devastated by her recent divorce. She has to find out how to live all alone again after about 15 years of marriage, which resulted in no kids. Danny DeVito runs the elevator in the building she lives in. She strikes up a conversation with him one day and finds out he too is suffering from some sort of sadness. She reaches out to him and there is some sort of spark. Hard to describe this film without giving too much away. Holly Hunter is magnificent in this role as well as Danny DeVito. There is a real nice movie moment in this film that not all films have. Movie moments are scenes you take with you that sets that film apart. Scenes such as the whip scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark, or the Singing scene in Magnolia. Sometimes they are scenes that make you cry with laughter (such as hair gel scene in There's Something About Mary), make you cry with sadness (the girl in the red coat from Schindler's List), or scenes that make you take notice that you are watching something incredible (all the characters singing the same song in Magnolia). This film, Living Out Loud has one of those scenes (the dancing scene, you will know what I am talking about when you see it). I really enjoyed this film and I think you will too.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars simply great, December 11, 2003

By 

REBECCA ZAGORSKI (Seattle, or United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Living Out Loud [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is so well written and very funny. It reminds me of how people really think to themselves. It blends drama, humor and fantasy. Who would of thought to put Holly Hunter and Danny Devito together? And Queen Latifa is fabulous as a night club jazz singer. See it!