Themes: Small-Town Life, Sibling Relationships, Fathers and Sons
Main Cast: Sean Astin, Stockard Channing, Melinda Dillon, Jim Haynie, Levon Helm
Release Year: 1989
Country: US
Run Time: 91 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
After winning an Academy Award for their documentary Down and Out in America (1986), actress-director Lee Grant and her producer-husband Joseph Feury filmed this comedy-drama based on an original script by playwright Monte Merrick. In a small Southern town, the McDermott family has owned and operated a popular chicken restaurant for years. Each of the three McDermott boys, Brian (Tim Quill), Kit (Dermot Mulroney), and Duncan (Sean Astin) expects to inherit part of the business from their father (Jim Haynie). While enjoying liberal amounts of skirt-chasing, marijuana-smoking, and alcohol consumption in their off hours, the McDermotts have big plans for the place, but then dad drops a bombshell -- he's sold the restaurant without consulting his family, leaving each son to struggle with his newfound, unwanted independence. In the meantime, mom (Melinda Dillon) considers reuniting with her old band. Because of the bankruptcy of its producer, Hemdale Film Corporation, Staying Together (1989) was shelved for over a year before its release. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Dinah Manoff - Lois Cook; Dermot Mulroney - Kit McDermott; Tim Quill - Brian McDermott; Keith Szarabajka - Kevin Burley; Daphne Zuniga - Beverly Young; Michael Burgess - Workman; Bonnie Cook - Waitress; Ryan Hill - Demetri Harper; Sheila Kelley - Beth Harper; Ann Pierce - Nurse; Robert Sedgwick - Doctor; Frances Arndt - Mrs. Crawford; James R. Barrow - Customer; Paul Branin - Guitar, Sax, Tenor, Vocals; Frank Campbell - Bass; Ed Carter - Announcer; Randy Ciarlante - Drums/Vocal; Wayne Coleman - Wedding Photographer; Susan Aude Fisher - Announcer; Jim Gandy - Announcer; Steve Jackson - Contestant; Nathan LeGrand - Husband; Rick Marshall - Charlie; Thelma McNinch - Customer; Pinner Leon Joseph - Newsman; Stan Szelest - Keyboard/Vocals; Jim Weider - Guitar
Credit
Steven W. Graham - Art Director, Stu Fleming - Associate Producer, Milton Justice - Co-producer, Carol Oditz - Costume Designer, Lee Grant - Director, Katherine Wenning - Editor, John Daly - Executive Producer, Derek Gibson - Executive Producer, Miles Goodman - Composer (Music Score), Miles Goodman - Musical Direction/Supervision, Christa Reusch - Makeup, Stuart Wurtzel - Production Designer, Dick Bush - Cinematographer, Joseph Feury - Producer, Elaine O'Donnell - Set Designer, Cliff Wenger - Special Effects, Greg Brickman - Stunts, Gilbert Combs - Stunts, Chuck Picerni, Jr. - Stunts, Monte Merrick - Screenwriter
