Inventing the Abbotts (1997)
- Starring:
- Joaquin Phoenix, Billy Crudup, (more)
- Director(s):
- Pat O'Connor, Pat O'Connor, (more
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R
My RatingTheatrical Release Information | See Details About All Versions
The lives of two closely linked, small town Illinois families dangerously intersect in this domestic drama set in the 1950s, based on a short story by Sue Miller and directed by Pat O'Connor. Though they are from the wrong side of the tracks, the working class brothers Jacey (Billy Crudup) and Doug Holt (Joaquin Phoenix) are in love with the wealthy and beautiful Abbott sisters. Shy and quiet Doug, who worships his womanizing brother, has eyes for the iconoclastic Pam (Liv Tyler), but Jacey's affections are more calculating; he's interested in whichever Abbott sister is interested in him. At first, this is Eleanor (Jennifer Connelly), the "wild" sister, but eventually Jacey sets his sights on the divorced oldest sister, Alice (Joanna Going). For Jacey, his conquest of the Abbotts is a form of economic revenge, as he believes that the head of the family, Lloyd (Will Patton), stole a patent that made him rich from the Holts' late father. When he's eventually revealed as an embittered cad, Jacey's mistreatment of the Abbott girls makes the genuine affection between Doug and Pam impossible for either family to accept.
~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 112 mins
Complete Cast:
- Joaquin Phoenix - Doug Holt
- Liv Tyler - Pamela Abbott
- Kathy Baker - Helen Holt
- Joanna Going - Alice Abbott
- Billy Crudup - Jacey Holt
- Will Patton - Lloyd Abbott
- Jennifer Connelly - Eleanor Abbott
- Barbara Williams - Joan Abbott
- Director(s):
- Pat O'Connor, Pat O'Connor
- Writer(s):
- Ken Hixon
- Producer(s):
- Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Janet Meyers
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R(Sexual Situations, Questionable for Children, Adult Situations)
- Closed Captioning:
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- Subtitles:
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