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Plot

In this socially conscious drama with romantic overtones, Iris (Jane Fonda) is a working mother with a job at a large commercial bakery who is still getting over the death of her husband, though her circumstances don't give her much time to grieve. She's sharing her house with her two children, Kelly (Martha Plimpton) and Richard (Harley Cross); her unemployed sister, Sharon (Swoosie Kurtz); and her thuggish brother-in-law. The tensions at home become even greater when the teenaged Kelly announces that she's pregnant. One of the few bright spots in Iris' life is her blossoming friendship with Stanley (Robert De Niro), a nice guy who works in the bakery's cafeteria. However, Iris starts noticing a few odd things about Stanley and it slowly dawns on her that he can't read. When the boss figures this out, Stanley loses his job -- an especially troubling development, as Stanley has just had to put his father in a retirement home. Homeless and out of work, Stanley turns to Iris with a special request -- he'd like her to teach him how to read.
MPAA Rating:
Genre(s):
Romance
Run Time:
107min.
Theatrical Release Date:
02/09/1990
DVD Release Date:
01/13/2004
Distributor(s):
MGM-UA Distribution
Director(s):
Martin Ritt
Starring:
Jane Fonda , Robert De Niro , Swoosie Kurtz , Martha Plimpton , Harley Cross
Themes:
Opposites Attract,Teachers and Students,Death of a Partner
Tone:
Stirring,Drab,Earnest,Sentimental,Warm
Keywords:
bakery,employment,family,friendship,illiteracy,marriage,mother,pregnancy,relationship,romance,school,unemployment,widow/widower
Country of Origin:
USA (02-09-1990)
Language:
English