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 | Pastor | Love | Fashion Designer | Blessing

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

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:

Shot on the same streets in Queens as Spider-Man (2002) and It Could Happen to You (1994).

Goofs:

Continuity: In the beginning of the film when the sisters are in the kitchen there is a pot on the stove with something clearly visible and when they cut back it is gone.

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:

Referenced in On the Set: Raising Helen (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Get Loose

Funny; good family film, some tender moments.

I loved Kate Hudson in Almost Famous, and a few people told me this film was good, so we rented it.

We did enjoy it. It had some very funny moments, and some very tender moments. Kate Hudson was good, but don't expect "Almost Famous" style brilliance out of her in this one. The rest of the cast performs about the same -- good performances, nothing stellar. Except perhaps Joan Cusack; her performance was very good.

If you have kids, say, about ten years old and older this is a good film to watch together with them -- it introduces them to a few teen and adult issues (dating, death, etc.) and shows the sorts of tough decisions that parents sometimes have to make. And you'll have lots of fun laughing together too.