The Next Best Thing
The Next Best Thing | |
---|---|
Directed by | John Schlesinger |
Written by | Tom Ropelewski |
Produced by |
|
Starring | |
Cinematography | Elliot Davis |
Edited by | Peter Honess |
Music by | Gabriel Yared |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Paramount Pictures (North America) Lakeshore International (Internationally) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 108 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $25 million |
Box office | $24.3 million[1] |
The Next Best Thing is a 2000 American
Plot
This article needs an improved plot summary. (January 2023) |
Two best friends – Abbie, a heterosexual woman, and Robert, a gay man – decide to have a child together. Five years later, Abbie falls in love with a heterosexual man and wants to move away with him and Robert's son Sam, and a nasty custody battle ensues.
Cast
- Madonna as Abigail "Abbie" Reynolds
- Rupert Everett as Robert Whittaker
- Benjamin Bratt as Benjamin "Ben" Cooper
- Michael Vartan as Kevin Lasater
- Josef Sommer as Richard Whittaker
- Lynn Redgrave as Helen Whittaker
- Malcolm Stumpf as Samuel "Sam"
- Neil Patrick Harris as David
- Illeana Douglas as Elizabeth Ryder
- Mark Valley as Cardiologist
- Suzanne Krull as Annabel
- Stacy Edwards as Finn
- William Mesnik as Ashby
- Linda Larkin as Kelly
- Adam Marlow as Baby
Cast taken from Variety and Turner Classic Movies listing of The Next Best Thing.[2][3]
Production
The film began as an original screenplay titled The Red Curtain by Tom Ropelewski, which he intended to direct, with his wife Leslie Dixon to produce. It was announced to be made in 1995 with Richard Dreyfuss attached to star as Robert; he dropped out, then Helen Hunt was named as female lead to play Abbie. She was replaced by Madonna and then Rupert Everett signed on as star. Filming took place between April 23 and June 30, 1999. It later was claimed the script was rewritten extensively by Ryan Murphy and Rupert Everett.[4]
Distribution
Reception
Critical response
The film received a 19% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 94 reviews, with an average rating of 3.8/10. The website's critical consensus states: "Story elements clash and acting falls short."[5] On Metacritic, the film has rating of 25 out of 100 based on 31 reviews, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[6]
Variety commented, "to a good movie is a well-intentioned one, and at the end of the day, that less-than-compelling consolation prize is about the best thing one can hand this resoundingly adequate Advanced Family Values comedy-drama".[2] Roger Ebert gave the film one star out of four, stating: "The Next Best Thing is a garage sale of gay issues, harnessed to a plot as exhausted as a junkman's horse."[7]
Box office
The film opened at number two at the North American box office, making USD$5,870,387, behind The Whole Nine Yards. The film grossed $14,990,582 in the U.S. and $24,362,772 worldwide on a $25 million budget.[1]
Accolades
Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
---|---|---|---|
GLAAD Media Award[8] | Outstanding Film – Wide Release | The Next Best Thing | Nominated |
Golden Raspberry Awards[9] | Worst Picture | The Next Best Thing | Nominated |
Worst Screenplay | John Kohn and Robert Bentley | Nominated | |
Worst Actress | Madonna | Won | |
Worst Screen Combo | Madonna and Rupert Everett | Nominated | |
Worst Director | John Schlesinger | Nominated | |
Stinkers Bad Movie Awards[10] | Worst Actress and Musician or Athlete Who Shouldn't Be Acting | Madonna | Won |
In 2020, Screen Rant ranked it among the best Madonna movie roles.[11] CNN film critic, Paul Clinton, named The Next Best Thing one of the Top 10 worst movies of 2000.[12]
Soundtrack
The Next Best Thing (Music from the Motion Picture) | |
---|---|
Soundtrack album by Various Artists | |
Released | February 22, 2000[13] |
Recorded | 1997–1999 |
Length | 49:31 |
Label |
|
Producer |
|
Singles from The Next Best Thing (Music from the Motion Picture) | |
|
The soundtrack album was released by
Track listing
No. | Title | Performer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Boom Boom Ba" | Métisse | |
2. | "Bongo Bong" | Manu Chao | |
3. | "Don't Make Me Love You ('Til I'm Ready)" | Christina Aguilera | |
4. | "American Pie" | Madonna | |
5. | "This Life" | Mandalay | |
6. | "If Everybody Looked the Same" | Groove Armada | |
7. | "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?" | Moby | |
8. | "I'm Not in Love" | Olive | |
9. | "Stars All Seem to Weep" | Beth Orton | |
10. | "Time Stood Still" | Madonna | |
11. | "Swayambhu" | Solar Twins | |
12. | "Forever and Always" | Gabriel Yared | |
Total length: | 49:31 |
Reception
Critical response
The soundtrack received generally positive feedback from music journalists. Various reviewers praised Madonna's hand-pick selection and Madonna's songs. Portland Press Herald editor Michael Histen called it a "strong collection" and complimented the release as a "cohesive collection, and one of the better soundtracks in quite some time".[14] The Washington Post's Richard Harrington, described "Most of this soundtrack has a cool luster to it".[26] Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was overall positive towards the soundtrack, concluding "It's not great, but it's the next best thing".[23] Kerry Gold, from Vancouver Sun, similarly described the album as "the next best thing to an excellent soundtrack".[15]
Other reviewers praised soundtrack's dance-oriented songs. According to Billboard, the album is a "clubber's dream",[18] and a "pop/dance punter's dream" that have "groovy mix of global beats" and "intertwines the old with the new".[27] New York Daily News made similar remarks, complimenting the music style featured on the soundtrack, describing the album as "nouvelle electronica", "a revolutionary mix of woozy electronics and retro-lounge sounds".[28] Writing for The Baltimore Sun, J. D. Considine considered "is the next best thing to a new Madonna album", further describing "anyone who was a fan of her last album, 1998's Ray of Light" will find much to like about The Next Best Thing.[20] J. D. Considine complimented "Time Stood Still" as "far more convincing" describing it as "mournful, Latin-tinged ballad".[20] Jim Farber, in his review for Orlando Sentinel overall praised the soundtrack, and also complimented "Time Stood Still" saying "her best ballad since 'Take a Bow'; vocally, Madonna "has never sounded more beautiful than on her other song".[29] In a mixed response, Howard Cohen from the Miami Herald commented "American Pie" is the "best thing" on the album while "the rest is the usual soundtrack grab-bag of found oldies".[30] Kevin C. Johnson, from St. Louis Post-Dispatch was overall critical calling the soundtrack a "horrific material".[31] Courier News referred the soundtrack is "as impersonal as the film's storyline".[32]
Commercial performance
The Next Best Thing debuted and peaked at number 34 on the US
Impact
The soundtrack album helped boost US sales for British band
Charts and sales
Chart (2000) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[41] | 16 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[42] | 19 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[43] | 55 |
US Billboard 200[33] | 34 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Mexico | — | 40,000[a] |
United States | — | 155,000[b] |
Home media
On August 26, 2000, Billboard announced the film will debut on DVD and VHS from Paramount Home Entertainment, although spokespeople would not confirm it.[45] The release debuted at number 20 on Billboard's Top DVD Sales,[46] and peaked at number 11 on the Top Video Rentals chart.[47] The Philadelphia Inquirer gave 2 out of four stars.[48]
See also
- List of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender-related films by storyline
Notes
References
- ^ a b The Next Best Thing at Box Office Mojo
- ^ a b "The Next Best Thing". March 21, 2000. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ "The Next Best Thing". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on September 25, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ Nat Segaloff, Final Cuts: The Last Films of 50 Great Directors, Bear Manor Media 2013 p 258-260
- ^ The Next Best Thing at Rotten Tomatoes
- ^ The Next Best Thing at Metacritic
- ^ Ebert, Roger (3 March 2000). "The Next Best Thing". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
- ^ "GLAAD Announces Nominees For 12th Annual Media Awards Presented by Absolut Vodka". GLAAD. January 16, 2001. Archived from the original on April 9, 2001. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ "'Battlefield' rules in Razzies' list of bad flicks". CNN. February 12, 2001. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- "2000 RAZZIE® Nominees & "Winners"". Razzies. Archived from the original on May 13, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ Vice, Jeff (March 25, 2001). "'Battlefield Earth' sweeps the Stinkers". Deseret News. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ Thompson, Rocco (April 27, 2020). "10 Madonna Movie Roles, Ranked". Screen Rant. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ Clinton, Paul (December 29, 2000). "The 10 worst movies of 2000". CNN. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ Fitzpatrick, Eileen (February 12, 2000). "newsline... In an effort". Billboard. p. 75. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- Pietroluongo, Silvio (February 19, 2000). "Hot 100 Spotlight: Slice of Americana". Billboard. p. 91. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- "Upcoming release: February 22". CMJ New Music. February 7, 2000. pp. 34–35. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ ProQuest 276986670. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ ProQuest 242719526. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ a b Browne, David (February 25, 2000). "The Next Best Thing". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ^ "> Discography > The Next Best Thing". Madonna.com. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
- ^ a b "Dance Trax". Billboard. February 19, 2000. p. 32. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ^ Ruhlmann, William. "The Next Best Thing - Original Soundtrack - Album Review". AllMusic. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ^ a b c J. D. Considine (February 23, 2000). "Madonna is second string on soundtrack; Review: The singer is not the only voice on the CD that accompanies her new movie, "The Next Big Thing."". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ProQuest 244786670. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ "Reviews: The Next Best Thing". Indiana Gazette. March 4, 2000. p. 10. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ ProQuest 391314091. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ProQuest 271653858. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ProQuest 254353683. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- Washington Post. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ^ Paoletta, Michael (March 4, 2000). "Reviews & Previews". Billboard. p. 40. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ^ "Madonna: What's 'Next' Soundtrack To Her New Film Has A Catchy 'Nouvelle' Sound". New York Daily News. February 20, 2000. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ProQuest 279457720. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ProQuest 261040610. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ProQuest 403995365. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ProQuest 378001325. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ a b "The Billboard 200". Billboard. March 11, 2000. p. 88. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ^ "The Billboard 200". Billboard. April 29, 2000. p. 101. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ^ a b c Paoletta, Michael (April 15, 2000). "Artists & Music: Soundtrack Cut Gives Boost To Olive's New Maverick Set". Billboard. p. 16. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ^ "Hitparada RADIO 2001. 13 tyden" (in Czech). ČNS IFPI. Archived from the original on April 5, 2002. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
- ^ Paoletta, Michael (June 10, 2000). "Reviews & Previews: Albums: Pop: Olive". Billboard. p. 30. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ^ Britt, Bruce (March 31, 2000). ""American Pie" More Than Just a Song". Broadcast Music, Inc. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ^ Shapiro, Nat (2001). "Popular Music: 2000". Gale. p. 2. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ^ Bronson, Fred (March 18, 2000). "Chart Beat: A Single As British As 'American Pie'". Billboard. p. 94. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Soundtrack – The Next Best Thing" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
- GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Soundtrack – The Next Best Thing". Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
- ProQuest 377191064. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
El sencillo de 'American Pie' ha logrado ventas por mas de un millon y medio de unidades a nivel mundial, pero todo el disco tiene temas muy interesantes, todos escogidos por Madonna. En Mexico el disco completo ya rebaso las 40 mil copias
- ^ Block, Debbie Galante (August 26, 2000). "Billboard's 4th Quarter Video Buyer's Guide". Billboard. p. 75. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ^ "Top DVD Sales: September 16, 2000". Billboard. September 16, 2000. p. 74. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ^ "Top Video Rentals: October 21, 2000". Billboard. October 21, 2000. p. 78. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- The Telegraph-Herald. p. 68. Retrieved October 5, 2023.