Main Cast: Julie Kavner, Samantha Mathis, Gaby Hoffmann, Carrie Fisher, Dan Aykroyd
Release Year: 1992
Country: US
Run Time: 105 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
Based on the book by Meg Wolitzer, This Is My Life is the directorial debut for Nora Ephron, who adapted the script with sister, Delia Ephron. Dottie Engels (Julie Kavner) is a single mother with aspirations of becoming a standup comedian. When her Aunt Harriet dies, Dottie gets an apartment in Manhattan with her daughters, teenaged Erica (Samantha Mathis) and ten-year-old Opal (Gaby Hoffmann). Soon, Dottie's career is taking off and her agent, Claudia Curtis (Carrie Fisher), gets her on a comedy tour. Everything seems to work out well for Dottie, except that her daughters are left without a mother. Erica, who has just started dating Jordan (Danny Zorn) gets especially mad when she hears Dottie talking about her personal information on a talk show. The two girls are further upset with their mother's choice for a boyfriend, Arnold Moss (Dan Aykroyd). Eventually, Erica and Opal try to track down their real father, Norm (Louis di Banco), in upstate New York. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Review
Nora Ephron's debut feature, which she co-wrote with her sister Delia Ephron, is a warmhearted coming-of-age drama where comedy figures in the narrative yet does not make the movie that funny. Narrated mostly from estranged daughter Erica's (Samantha Mathis) point of view, This Is My Life follows a predictable path to tell the story of a single mother torn between her standup comedy career and watching her two daughters grow up. It's a noble character arc with the talented voice of Marge Simpson (Julie Kavner) in the role of the mother, Dottie. Unfortunately, the jokes just aren't that funny, and the stronger story line lies with dour Erica and her optimistic little sister, Opal (Gaby Hoffmann), who miss their mother and resent her career choice. Some funny character quirks do appear in the small roles of eccentric big-city agents played by Carrie Fisher and Dan Aykroyd, but such attempts fail in the neurotic bunch of baby-sitters who tell more stale jokes. This Is My Life does take a sitcom approach to the material, but the strong cast and the conflict between mother and daughter for protagonist make it a worthwhile exploration of show-biz families. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Danny Zorn - Jordan; Caroline Aaron - Martha Ingels; Sidney Armus - Morris Chesler; Joy Behar - Ruby; Jacob Bernstein - 3rd Tree Boy; Max Bernstein - 1st Tree Boy; Renessa Blitz - Lisa; Lisa Boynton - Shawn; Valri Bromfield - Dawna; Heather Brown - Jessica; Ellen Cleghorne - TV Talk Show Host; Faye Cohen - Evelyn's Daughter; Marcia de Bonis - Linda; Louis di Bianco - Norm Ingels; David Eisner - Oliver; Marita Geraghty - Mia Jablon; Annie Golden - Marianne; Katherine Greenwood - Young Matron; Estelle Harris - Aunt Harriet; Zoe Hayes - Girl in Mouse Costume; John E. Johnson - Martin; Sylvia Kauders - Evelyn; Renee Lippin - Arlene; Joseph Mastrodominico - Moving Man; Kate McGregor-Stewart - Jordan's Mom; Eric R. Mendelsohn - Ice Cream Parlor Waiter; Kathy Najimy - Angela; Tim Blake Nelson - Dennis; Oly Obst - 2nd Tree Boy; Patrick Rose - Gary Garry; Diane Sokolow - Charlene; Barbara Stewart - Joanna; Theresa Tova - Rochelle; Billy Van - Agent; Audrey Webb - Mrs. Fabricant; Welker White - Lynn; Tom Wood - Billy; Bob Zidel - Mr. Kaminski; Dr. Rabbi Joel Y. Zion - Rabbi; Bob Nelson - Ed; Juliet Taylor; Bo Dietl - Detective Wheedle; Harvey Miller - Lester
Credit
Jon Spirson - Art Director, Tom McDermott - Art Director, Patricia Birch - Choreography, Michael R. Joyce - Co-producer, Jeffrey Kurland - Costume Designer, Nora Ephron - Director, Robert Reitano - Editor, Carly Simon - Composer (Music Score), David Chapman - Production Designer, Barbara Matis - Production Designer, Bobby Byrne - Cinematographer, Lynda Obst - Producer, Carole Isenberg - Producer, Jaro Dick - Set Designer, Hilton Rosemarin - Set Designer, Nora Ephron - Screenwriter, Delia Ephron - Screenwriter, Meg Wolitzer - Book Author
This Is My Life is a 1992 film that marked the directorial debut of screenwriter Nora Ephron. The screenplay, written by Ephron and her sister, Delia Ephron, is based on the book, This Is Your Life, by Meg Wolitzer. The film tells the story of Dottie Ingels (Julie Kavner), who works at a cosmetics counter but aspires to be a stand-up comedian. Ingels' Aunt Harriet dies and leaves her an apartment in Manhattan. Ingels' comedy career start to take off with the help of a famous agent, Arnold Moss (Dan Aykroyd), and his assistant, Claudia Curtis (Carrie Fisher). Ingels' children, Erica (Samantha Mathis) and Opal (Gaby Hoffmann) get angry at Dottie because they hardly ever see her. Erica and Opal then run away to find their father in upstate New York, who Opal doesn't remember, only being 1 or 2 years-old when he left them.
The character portrayed by Aykroyd, Arnold Moss, is based on the famous New York talent agent Sam Cohn, and has some of the eccentricities for which Cohn was known, such as a habit of eating paper.[1]
The movie was re-rated from "R" to "PG-13".[citation needed]
