How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)

Director:

Kevin Rodney Sullivan

Writers (WGA):

Terry McMillan (novel)
Terry McMillan (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

14 August 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Romance | Drama

Tagline:

Sometimes you have to break the rules to free your heart.

Plot:

Stella is a highly successful, forty-something San Francisco stock broker who is persuaded by her colorful...

Plot Keywords:

Jamaica | Vacation | Cancer | Age Difference | African American

Awards:

4 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Angela Bassett	...	Stella Payne
Taye Diggs	...	Winston Shakespeare
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Delilah Abraham
Regina King	...	Vanessa
Suzzanne Douglas	...	Angela
Michael J. Pagan	...	Quincy Payne
Sicily	...	Chantel
Richard Lawson	...	Jack
Barry Shabaka Henley	...	Buddy
Lee Weaver	...	Nate
Glynn Turman	...	Dr. Shakespeare
Phyllis Yvonne Stickney	...	Mrs. Shakespeare
Denise Hunt	...	Ms. Thang
Lisa Hanna	...	Abby
James Pickens Jr.	...	Walter Payne

Also Known As:

How Stella Got Her Groove Back On (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexuality.

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Iceland:L | USA:R (certificate #36023) | Argentina:13 | Chile:14

Filming Locations:

Glendale Exchange, Glendale, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Angela Bassett was planning her nuptials with then-fiancé Courtney B. Vance when cast in the lead role. The start of production kept being pushed back by producer Deborah Schindler which was a blessing and a curse for Bassett. The continued delay of production gave her ample time to get her body in perfect shape for the film but it also prevented her from being able to set a definite date for her wedding. Determined to get married in the fall of 1997, Bassett and Vance stood their ground and set a firm date for the ceremony, October 17, 1997, by that point Bassett had been filming for about a month on "Stella."

Goofs:

Continuity: While Stella and Winston argue in the restaurant, the level of wine in her glass keeps changing.

Quotes:

Stella: [eating breakfast] Something sure smells good.
Winston Shakespeare: It's my cologne, it's new.
Stella: I meant the food.
Winston Shakespeare: Oh.
Stella: [in her mind] I meant the cologne.

Movie Connections:

References "The Young and the Restless" (1973)

Soundtrack:

Got To Give It Up

Better than expected, but expectations were low.

Despite the obvious flaws in this film, one thought kept occurring to me each time Bassett and Diggs were on screen together: There are a lot of couples in this world who deserve each other less than these two would. Most marriages and long-term partnerships are safe and sterile in both how they were formed, and how they are lived. Most people date into their twenties or early thirties and just say, "aw hell. I guess it's time to settle down with so and so", and a boring relationship is made. With Stella and Winston, the relationship is a huge risk for many reasons. The two must really care a lot about one another in order for things to have gotten as far as they did. But, in the end, this is pure fiction. Most people would never take this chance, or even be in a position to make it. So, we are left with a romance between two attractive leads and some lush and expensive locations. A 20 million dollar romance novel played out on the screen.

Are there problems? You betcha. Characters like Winston's parents are hardly touched, and one would figure at his age they would still be able to keep him away from Stella and her life in California. Did anyone buy the subplot about Stella building furniture? Me, neither. Would more of Stella's family and friends object to this relationship? Most definitely. Had she only hooked up with him in Jamaica and left it at that, she would have been celebrated by all. But in real life, more than just one sister would have made objections. And certainly her ex-husband wouldn't have been so understanding about having his son living under the same roof as this young stud.

But heck. Most of this film's target audience probably got what it paid for, and the film was profitable. The romantic scenes between the leads are steamy, if a bit too brief, and the locations and photography are excellent. Do Stella and Winston make a believable couple? For the movies, sure. But in real life, not so much. But at least they are a lot more appealing than Linda Hogan and Charlie Hill! 6 of 10 stars.

The Hound.