Raising Helen (2004)

Director:

Garry Marshall

Writers (WGA):

Patrick J. Clifton (story) &
Beth Rigazio (story) ...

Release Date:

28 May 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Helen help us.

Plot:

After her sister and brother-in-law die in a car accident, a young woman becomes the guardian of their three children.

Plot Keywords:

Fashion Show | Love | Pastor | Family Relationships | Opposites Attract

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Kate Hudson	...	Helen Harris
John Corbett	...	Pastor Dan Parker
Joan Cusack	...	Jenny Portman
Hayden Panettiere	...	Audrey Davis
Spencer Breslin	...	Henry Davis
Abigail Breslin	...	Sarah Davis
Helen Mirren	...	Dominique
Sakina Jaffrey	...	Nilma Prasad
Kevin Kilner	...	Ed Portman
Felicity Huffman	...	Lindsay Davis
Sean O'Bryan	...	Paul Davis
Amber Valletta	...	Martina
Ethan Browne	...	Devon
Michael Esparza	...	BZ
Katie Carr	...	Caitlin

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic issues involving teens.

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Malaysia:U | Brazil:Livre | Iceland:L | Ireland:12 | Finland:K-3 | South Korea:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #40251) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Chile:TE | Germany:o.Al. | Netherlands:AL | Philippines:G | Singapore:PG | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

While filming, director Garry Marshall kept referring to star Kate Hudson as Goldie. He had worked with Hudson's mother Goldie Hawn on Overboard (1987) and kept getting the name wrong, as he said they looked and acted so much alike. The actress was a good sport about it, but the crew put up a box for Marshall to pay $5.00 for every time he called her by the wrong name. By the end of the shoot the money in the box provided for a lavish party, thrown by Hudson for the entire crew.

Goofs:

Continuity: Audrey's hair alternates between messy and straight between shots.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Club Doorman: What we got here; 1,2,3,4 - 4 beautiful ladies. Come on. Cesar let them in. Nice. Not you, too random.

Movie Connections:

References The Exorcist (1973)

Soundtrack:

Fashion

Heartwarming and cute comedy

Helen Harris (Kate Hudson) is living the high life in New York City and working for a top-modeling agency, when her sister and brother-in-law die in an auto accident. Her good times are over when she gets a letter from her sister's attorney. Helen has been given custody of her sister's three children. Helen has never raised any children, and she thinks her older sister, Jenny (Joan Cusack) is better qualified to raise the children. Helen accepts the custody of the three children, and they move to a new apartment in Queens. Helen loved staying out late and going to nightclubs, but she now has to take care of the children. Helen is forced to change her lifestyle and become a real mom, which in turn gets her fired from her glamorous job. In the end, Helen learns what is really important in life. This is a heartwarming and cute comedy that will make you tear up. It is the type of movie that your girlfriend or wife will drag her mate to see. In other words, it will appeal more to women than men. (Touchstone Pictures, Run time 1:59, Rated PG-13) (6/10)