Inventing the Abbotts

"When you want it all but can't have it, there's only one way to handle life... invent it."

1997 1h 50m EN

😐

6.3

MID

🥫

41%

ROTTEN

😬

METACRITIC

⭐

6.4

IMDB

★6.3TMDB · 273🥫41%Rotten Tomatoes●49Metacritic★6.4IMDB · 14,381

DramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In the 1950s, brothers Jacey and Doug Holt, who come from the poorer side of their sleepy Midwestern town, vie for the affections of the wealthy, lovely Abbott sisters. Lady-killer Jacey alternates between Eleanor and Alice, wanting simply to break the hearts of rich young women. But sensitive Doug has a real romance with Pamela, which Jacey and the Abbott patriarch, Lloyd, both frown upon.

“When you want it all but can't have it, there's only one way to handle life... invent it.”

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Cast

Joaquin Phoenix
Doug Holt
Liv Tyler
Pamela Abbott
Jennifer Connelly
Eleanor Abbott
Billy Crudup
Jacey Holt
Joanna Going
Alice Abbott
Kathy Baker
Helen Holt
Will Patton
Lloyd Abbott
Michael Sutton
Steve

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Pat O'Connor
Writers: Ken Hixon, Sue Miller
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

29 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Pat O'Connor, shot by Kenneth MacMillan. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Michael Kamen. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Ray Lovejoy shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Joaquin Phoenix and Liv Tyler and Jennifer Connelly carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "When you want it all but can't have it, there's only one way to handle life... invent it.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0119381 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Pat O'Connor directs. Kenneth MacMillan behind the camera. Michael Kamen scores. Ray Lovejoy cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

129 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Directed by Pat O'Connor, shot by Kenneth MacMillan. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Michael Kamen. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Ray Lovejoy shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Joaquin Phoenix and Liv Tyler and Jennifer Connelly carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "When you want it all but can't have it, there's only one way to handle life... invent it.".
7IMDB entry: tt0119381 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 17 themes, including "new love", "sibling relationship", "family secrets", "coming of age".