By Jay Betsill
Julia Roberts headlines the all-star cast of “Something to Talk About” as Grace Bichon, who is managing her father’s riding-stable, and discovers that her husband Eddie (Dennis Quaid) is being unfaithful.
After confronting Eddie in public at a restaurant while wearing her nightgown, Grace takes their daughter Caroline and moves to her family’s ranch. She also causes a stir at the local charity league meeting when she inquires if any of the women on hand are having an affair with Eddie.
Once she arrives on the homefront, Grace surprisingly discovers that most of her family thinks that she should forgive Eddie’s “indiscretions.”
Her wealthy father, Wyly King (Robert Duvall), is concerned that Grace and Eddie’s public drama that has the whole town talking could be bad for a business deal that he has in the works with Eddie’s father. Wyly also causes Grace problems at work by purchasing a $150,000 horse for an upcoming competition and also taking his top horse trainer out of the competition so that he won’t have to face up against him.
Grace’s sister Emma Rae (Kyra Sedgwick) is unwilling to let Grace pretend this has come out of nowhere, or that she did not make choices that led to her current predicament in no small part due to the fact that she married a guy who’s college nickname was “Hound Dog.”
Grace’s mother Georgia (Gena Rowlands), stands along with Wyly until an argument with Grace has her thinking about her own husband’s infidelity and her handling of the situation’s effect on her daughters.
As Grace navigates her collapsing marriage, she is also prepping for the family’s big horse-jumping competition that is such a big deal it has a corporate sponsor : Crown Royal.
This movie was released in 1995, five years after Roberts burst on the scene with “Pretty Woman” and part of the reason it was a financial success at the box office was that her legion of fans were ready to see her back in a romantic comedy and this movie reminds us of why she became such a global superstar.
Sedgwick shines in her role as Grace’s sister, practically stealing every scene she is in and she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
Duvall also gives a solid performance as the patriarch of the King family. He has one of the best lines in the movie when blaming his daughters for most of his problems: “All of our friends complain about how their kids grow up and run off and they never hear from them anymore. Why the hell can’t that happen to us?”
Lasse Hallström, known for such hits as “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” and “An Unfinished Life,” is the director and he continues his exploration of families that do not see eye-to-eye on much of anything, this time in a warm-hearted fashion.
The film was originally titled “The Game of Love” before settling on its title from the hit Bonnie Raitt song.
“Something to Talk About” is currently available for rent on Amazon Prime.
SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT (Rated R)
Scale of 1-10 – 7 1/2
