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Plot

This character drama, set in a local pub in rural New York State, focuses on the lives, thoughts, and emotions of a group of social outcasts. The lead misfit is Victor, a shy and very rotund man in his '30s who works as a pizza maker in a roadside inn. His mother, Dolly owns the establishment. She dominates his life. The senior waitress there is Dolores, an aging woman with a reputation for being easy. Dolores is resentful when Dolly hires the vivacious teenager Callie, who is in love with Jeff, a garage mechanic. Victor develops a painful crush on Callie and fantasizes about rescuing her from a life with Jeff. To help himself, he begins to diet and enrolls at a chef school. His mother becomes suddenly ill. Then Delores makes a pass at him, but he doesn't respond. He does however, feel emboldened to make a play for Callie. His actions lead him into a new world of expression.
MPAA Rating:
R for language and a scene of sexuality.
Genre(s):
Drama
Run Time:
104min.
Theatrical Release Date:
06/24/1996
DVD Release Date:
09/21/1999
Director(s):
James Mangold
Starring:
Pruitt Taylor Vince , Liv Tyler , Shelley Winters , Deborah Harry , Joe Grifasi
Themes:
Eccentric Families,Single Parents,Misfits and Outsiders,Unrequited Love,Mothers and Sons
Tone:
Fanciful,Gentle,Understated,Melancholy,Bittersweet,Intimate,Compassionate,Downbeat,Meditative,Somber,Poignant
Keywords:
crush,death-in-family,diet,misfit,mother,overweight,pizza,promiscuity,pub,waiter/waitress
Language:
English