A Cool, Dry Place (1998)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

John N. Smith

Writers (WGA):

Michael Grant Jaffe (novel)
Matthew McDuffie (screenplay)

Release Date:

29 January 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

love, sex and starting over...

Plot:

A single father balances his work as an attorney with the care of his five year old son and his work as a high school basketball coach in rural Kansas...

Plot Keywords:

Basketball | Kansas | Single Father | Small Town | Divorce

Cast

Vince Vaughn	...	Russell Durrell
Monica Potter	...	Kate Durrell
Joey Lauren Adams	...	Beth Ward
Bobby Moat	...	Calvin Durrell
Devon Sawa	...	Noah Ward
Todd Louiso	...	Bob Harper
Jenny Robertson	...	Joyce Ives
Siobhan Fallon	...	Charlotte
Chris Bauer	...	Larry Ives (as Christopher Bauer)
Nicholas Campbell	...	Frankie Gooland
Aleksa Palladino	...	Bonnie
Janet Kidder	...	Carol Holman
Doug Wert	...	Tom Johnson
Skipp Sudduth	...	Jack Newbauer
Dara Perlmutter	...	Megan

Also Known As:

Dance Real Slow (USA) (original script title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexuality and brief strong language.

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:14A (Ontario) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #36172) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14

Filming Locations:

Canada

Company:

Fox 2000 Pictures

Quotes:

Kate Durrell: [to Russ] When I was in the bathroom, I was thinking about the time, God, I don't even think Calvin was 6-months-old, when we were down at the lake. And it started to rain, and you put him in the ice chest, you covered him - you covered him with a blanket. And that's the way I always think of him when I think of him with you. Y'know, being safe and protected in a cool dry place.

Movie Connections:

Features "ReBoot" (1994)

Soundtrack:

My Town

Lovely story about a single-parent father and his young son, but you would never know it from the film's cover or description

Russ (Vince Vaughn) has moved to a little town on the prairie. Once a hotshot Chicago lawyer, he lost his job when his wife took off and left him the sole provider for his five year old son. Now a country lawyer with a big house and yard, Russ and wee Calvin are learning to adjust. Calvin is making friends and loves the wide open spaces while Russ starts dating a nice veterinary assistant named Beth (Joey Lauren Adams, looking very lovely). But, unhappily, the ex-wife, Kate (Monica Potter) suddenly returns and wants time with her son, messing with Russ's mind. Then, too, Russ believes he needs a higher profile job to feel complete. How will it all end? This is an excellent movie about a single-parent father and his young son. But, alas, the film's cover and description lead one to believe it is a love triangle story, with hardly a mention for the darling little boy. Not so. The movie is about finding out what is important in life and what is not, with most of its footage devoted to the special relationship between a parent and a child. Vaughn is excellent as the caring father, just excellent. If you are a fan of his comedic talents, you might be surprised by the depth of his acting range. Adams is likewise very attractive as a small town girl with a big heart while Potter delivers a fine performance in a thankless, complex role. The rest of the cast is up to par as well, the costumes well-chosen and the grassland setting most beautiful. In short, you may never have heard of this film but it is richly rewarding and deserves a large audience. You will not be in a "high and dry" situation if you bring this film home tonight.