Main Cast: Jim Wise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kathy Bates, Jack Kehler, Sarah Koskoff, Stephen Tobolowsky
Release Year: 2002
Country: US
Run Time: 89 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Love Liza is a psychological drama about a man trying to come to terms with his wife's suicide. Wilson Joel (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) is searching for answers as to why his wife, Liza, killed herself. He is unable to bring himself to read the suicide note Liza left behind. Instead of facing his demons, Wilson becomes addicted to sniffing gasoline. Kathy Bates co-stars as Liza's mother. This film was written by the star's brother Gordy Hoffman, and directed by newcomer Todd Louiso. Love Liza was screened at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Erika Alexander - Brenda; Kevin Breznahan - Jim; Wayne Duvall - Shane; Shannon Holt - Angela Ryan; Terry Loughlin - High School Principal #2; J.D. Walsh - Bern; Jim Wise; Joanne Pankow - Emily; Ann Morgan - Liza Joel
Credit
Tim Cohn - Art Director, Monika Mikkelsen - Casting, Lisa Mae Fincannon - Casting, Mark Bennett - Casting, Rita Vanderwaal - Casting, Jill Newell - Costume Designer, Sholto Roeg - First Assistant Director, Todd Louiso - Director, Anne Stein - Editor, Katz - Editor, Rainer Kolmel - Executive Producer, Jim Czarnecki - Executive Producer, Vincent Maraval - Executive Producer, Alain de la Mata - Executive Producer, Daniel Guckau - Executive Producer, Jim O'Rourke - Composer (Music Score), Stephen Beatrice - Production Designer, Lisa Rinzler - Cinematographer, Ruth Charny - Producer, Fernando Sulichin - Producer, Chris Hanley - Producer, Jefrey Roda - Producer, Skip Godwin - Sound/Sound Designer, Gordy Hoffman - Screenwriter, Dean Mark Beattie - Supervising Sound Editor
Wilson Joel's (Philip Seymour Hoffman) wife Liza (Annie Morgan) has, for an unexplained reason, committed suicide. Wilson one night discovers a sealed letter from his wife, which he believes to be her suicide note. In his grief-stricken state and with the added stress of finding the letter, which he cannot bring himself to open and read, he forms an addiction to inhaling gasoline fumes (“huffing”).
In order to hide his addiction from a work colleague, he informs her that the petrol smell in his house is from his hobby of flying remote controlled planes. To try to engage an ever-distant Wilson, she asks her brother-in-law Denny (Jack Kehler), a radio control (RC) hobbyist, to visit Wilson. With the knowledge of an impending visit from Denny, Wilson heads down to the local RC hobbyist shop to buy himself a plane. He also stocks up on some RC fuel to fill his plane and feed his addiction. Out of this lie, a very unusual friendship forms between Wilson and an energetic Denny.
His mother-in-law (Kathy Bates) tries her best to help Wilson and deal with her own loss at the same time. She becomes increasingly anxious to know the contents of the letter.
