IMDb > One True Thing (1998)
One True Thing
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One True Thing (1998) More at IMDbPro »

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One True Thing (1998) -- A career woman reassesses her parents' lives after she is forced to care for her cancer-stricken mother.
One True Thing (1998) -- A career woman reassesses her parents' lives after she is forced to care for her cancer-stricken mother.
One True Thing (1998) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.9/10   5,285 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 24% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Anna Quindlen (novel)
Karen Croner (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for One True Thing on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
18 September 1998 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Love What You Have.
Plot:
A career woman reassesses her parents' lives after she is forced to care for her cancer-stricken mother. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 4 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(18 articles)
Their Best Role: Meryl Streep
 (From Cinematical. 18 November 2009, 9:02 AM, PST)

Uma Thurman Dons A Nun's Habit For 'Girl Soldier'
 (From MTV Movies Blog. 21 July 2009, 7:00 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
The story takes a very realistic view on the illness of a parent. If you want to see good acting and the reality of life do not miss this movie. more (107 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Meryl Streep ... Kate Gulden

Renée Zellweger ... Ellen Gulden

William Hurt ... George Gulden

Tom Everett Scott ... Brian Gulden

Lauren Graham ... Jules

Nicky Katt ... Jordan Belzer

James Eckhouse ... District Attorney
Patrick Breen ... G.A. Tweedy
Gerrit Graham ... Oliver Most
David Byron ... Senator Sullivan

Stephen Peabody ... Harold
Lizbeth MacKay ... Dr. Cohen
Mary Catherine Wright ... Clarice
Sloane Shelton ... Evelyn Best
Michele Shay ... June
more
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for language.
Runtime:
127 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Goofs:
Continuity: Ellen's nightdress changes between shots when she answers the phone in bed. more
Quotes:
Kate Gulden: It's so much easier to be happy. It's so much easier to choose to love the things that you have, instead of always yearning for what you're missing, or what it is that you're imagining you're missing. It is so much more peaceful. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in The 56th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1999) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Do You Want To Dance more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
5 out of 6 people found the following comment useful.
The story takes a very realistic view on the illness of a parent. If you want to see good acting and the reality of life do not miss this movie., 16 September 1999
8/10
Author: Rosemea D.S. MacPherson from US

Kate Gulden, played by one of the most nominated actresses of the last decade of this century, and also one of the most talented actresses Meryl Streep(Out of Africa). She is wonderful is every part that she plays. The Yale graduate is the pride and joy of the American Cinema.

Kate's health is deteriorating and her husband, George, role well developed by brilliant actor and also Oscar winner, William Hurt (Smoke, Kiss of the Spider Woman) has a hard time with the deteriorating health of his one true thing, and seeks his daughter's help. The poor daughter, Ellen Gulden, Renée Zellweger (Jerry Maguire) has way too much expected of her. No breaks! The story takes a very realistic view on the illness of a parent. In this movie the only daughter has to put her life on hold to care for the needs of others. There is always one in every family who faces that kind of responsibility. Ellen is angry the beginning of the movie, but as time passes she ends up understanding her mothers' life time dedication to her family. She even asks her mom: How do you do his, every day, in and out and nobody notices it? That is what women do, a lot of what I call invisible work. Moreover we clean, we fix, we mend, we stretch, we celebrate, we are the best friends, we are confidants, the mistress, outreachers, disciplinarians, sensitive. Some of us, like both women in this movie, have the perfect education, are the psychological pillar for the entire family and also do all that invisible work! That is Kate Ellen, and many women in our society. Many of us have already gone through that stage of life when our parents age and died. I have been there. They just went too young. I have given my parents my thanks, but I never understood them as well as when I had to play their roles, and had to walk in their shoes. This movie mirrors the reality of life. Perhaps it is sad, but that is how life is, at times. George a Professor at Harvard is complicated person, who appears to think that his work is more important than everybody else, and has a very "master/servant" mentality toward the women in his life. He is not strong enough to cope. If you want to see good acting and the reality of life do not miss this movie. Favorite Scenes: The restaurant coming to Kate, violins and all. The making of a table out of broken china. That I so symbolic! We are all broken vessels! Favorite Quotes: George: "It is only by going uphill, that you realize that you are really going downhill." George "You have a Harvard education but where is your heart?"



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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for One True Thing (1998)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Video Montage to One True Thing travisfan2
This Film's Defects.... alrodbel
Scene at the diner, where she argued with her dad . . . kdy_9
watching this film online sara-sulyma
Who gave Kate the pills? lilapplescruff
Most inspirational quote in the movie? iHeartMeryl
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