I Love You to Death (1990)

Director:

Lawrence Kasdan

Writer (WGA):

John Kostmayer (written by)

Release Date:

6 April 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

An unbelievable story that's incredibly true.

Plot:

Joey owns a pizza parlor, and is married to Rosalee, and is a major womanizer. Rosalee goes to extremes when she finds he has been cheating.

Plot Keywords:

Pizza | Mother | Revenge | Italian American | Interrogation

Cast

Kevin Kline	...	Joey Boca
Tracey Ullman	...	Rosalie Boca
Joan Plowright	...	Nadja, Rosalie's Mother
River Phoenix	...	Devo Nod
William Hurt	...	Harlan James
Keanu Reeves	...	Marlon James
James Gammon	...	Lt. Larry Schooner
Jack Kehler	...	Sgt. Carlos Wiley
Victoria Jackson	...	Lacey
Miriam Margolyes	...	Joey's Mother
Alisan Porter	...	Carla Boca
Jon Kasdan	...	Dominic Boca
Heather Graham	...	Bridget
Michelle Joyner	...	Donna Joy
John Kostmayer	...	Benny

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian | Serbo-Croatian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Iceland:L | Netherlands:6 | Germany:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Denmark:7 (2003) | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Antique's Row, Tacoma, Washington, USA

Company:

Chestnut Hill Productions

Trivia:

Loosely based on the true story of Frances Toto and her four unsucessful attempts to kill her cheating husband, Anthony Toto, in Allentown, Pennsylvania in 1984. Anthony spent four days in bed after being drugged and shot by Frances and her friends; who spent four years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted murder.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the opening title sequence, a close up of Kline preparing pizza shows a wedding ring on his left hand. But when he is seen, in a tight shot of his hands, slicing mushrooms like a pro (i.e. his mushroom slicing double), there is no ring.

Quotes:

Nadja: Last week on TV, I heard about a woman who stabbed her husband twenty-seven times. And you know why? Because he refused to put the top back on the mustard jar. Twenty-seven times! Can you *imagine*?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Bob Saget/TLC (#20.19)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

Felicia

Strange-But-True Characters In Dark Comedy

A surprise hit....at least with me. I found this dark comedy hilarious in spots and so-so in others, but overall a funny movie. With comedy that's what happens anyway: some jokes connect; others don't. Most are pretty good in here but beware: some of the jokes are in poor taste, but that's a dark comedy for you. Also, some Catholics might be offended because the film takes some shots at them, or at least people who go overboard in rationalizing their sins, as Kevin Kline does in here.

There is an odd assortment of actors in here and they all contribute to the fun: Kline, Tracey Ullman, William Hurt, River Phoenix, Keannu Reeves, Joan Plowright and James Gammon.

Supposedly, this film was based on a real-life happening, which makes it all the more interesting and lending credence to the saying that "truth is stranger than fiction."

Plowright almost steals the show from Kline and Ullman, the husband-and-wife team who have problems because of Kline's persistent cheating on her. Plowright in Ullman's mother and has some of the best lines in the film as mother and daughter plot how to kill the immoral Kline.

Phoenis plays a young New Age devotee and Hurt and Reeves are funny as two totally stoned-out hit men. Hurt is particularly good.

This movie is so-so to start until Ullman finds her husband cheating. Then, after a heart-wrenching minute or so, she and her mother plot to kill the unfaithful spouse. The comedy then goes full out as they hire these really goofy hit men and things don't go smoothly. The ending is quite different and quite touching with a very good message....which is all I will say in case you haven't seen this.