All the Real Girls

"Love is a puzzle. These are the pieces."

2003 1h 48m EN

😐

6.0

MID

★6.0TMDB · 115

DramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In a sleepy little mill town in North Carolina, Paul is the town Romeo. But when his best friend's sister returns home from boarding school, he finds himself falling for her innocent charm. In spite of her lack of experience and the violent protests of her brother, the two find themselves in a sweet, dreamy and all-consuming love.

“Love is a puzzle. These are the pieces.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Howdy Amazon ChannelSubscription

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Paul Schneider
Paul
Zooey Deschanel
Noel
Shea Whigham
Tip
Danny McBride
Bust-Ass (as Danny R. McBride)
Maurice Compte
Bo
Heather McComb
Mary-Margaret
Benjamin Mouton
Uncle Leland
John Kirkland
Justin

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: David Gordon Green
Writers: David Gordon Green, David Gordon Green, Paul Schneider
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 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $2.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 22% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 23 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by David Gordon Green, shot by Tim Orr. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Paul Schneider and Zooey Deschanel and Shea Whigham carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Love is a puzzle. These are the pieces.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

David Gordon Green directs. Tim Orr behind the camera. Michael Linnen scores. Steven Gonzales cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $2.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
2Earned back only 22% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
3Released 23 years ago.
4Directed by David Gordon Green, shot by Tim Orr. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Michael Linnen. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Steven Gonzales shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Paul Schneider and Zooey Deschanel and Shea Whigham carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Love is a puzzle. These are the pieces.".
9IMDB entry: tt0299458 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Tim Orr
Original score: Michael Linnen
Editing: Steven Gonzales
Production design: Richard A. Wright
Costume design: Erin Aldridge Orr
Makeup / hair: Persefone Karakosta
Sound: Christof Gebert
Stunt coordinator: Cal Johnson
Runtime: 108 min · 1h 48m
Status: Released
Budget: $2,500,000
Box office: $548,712
Return: 22% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: All the Real Girls (2003)

Awards

Sundance Special Jury Prize for Acting
Sundance Special Jury Prize

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

David Gordon Green

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

brettg2026-07-26
★ 5/10
All The Real Girls is quite visually impressive for what I expect was a low budget. It is filmed in a slow, meandering dreamlike manner that borders on mumblecore style. It's not terrible but it won't suit all viewers. 5/10

Production companies