Starring: Andy Garcia, Meg Ryan, Ellen Burstyn, Tina Majorino, Mae Whitman Directed By: Luis Mandoki Average Rating: Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: VHS Tape Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC Label: Walt Disney Video Number of Items: 1 Release Date: August 11, 1995 Running Time: 126 minutes Theatrical Release Date: May 13, 1994
Description: Two of Hollywood's hottest stars, Meg Ryan (SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE) and Andy Garcia (THE GODFATHER, PART III), deliver critically acclaimed performances in this inspiring motion picture hit. As Alice and Michael, Ryan and Garcia are a passionate couple whose once-stable marriage is rocked by her increasing dependence on alcohol. As they strive to overcome this challenge, they discover a renewed sense of love and commitment. Sparked by hope and ignited by riveting star performances, WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN is the must-see hit of the year -- a story of fiery passion -- and the enduring power of love.
Amazon.com essential video: When a Man Loves a Woman is a dumb title (not another classic pop song, please) for a very smart movie. A kind of gender-switch take on The Lost Weekend, it's about a woman (Meg Ryan) whose alcoholism almost destroys her family. That may sound like just another TV movie, but When a Man Loves a Woman is so authentic in detail and emotion, that everything about it seems fresh, urgent, and engrossing. That's because the film is grounded in the actual experience of co-writer Al Franken (assisted by Rain Man scripter Ronald Bass). Franken is best known for his affiliation with Saturday Night Live and Politically Incorrect, and as the author of Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot, and Other Observations. You may recall that Franken is the creator of Stuart Smalley, 12-step programmer extraordinaire. Well, if you want to know how Stuart was born, you can start here. This is no comedy, however. In fact, one of the most painful realizations comes when attractive, "good-time girl" Alice Green (Ryan) and her husband (Andy Garcia) begin to realize how much of a role alcohol played in their marriage and in bringing them together in the first place. The issues and experiences confronted in this movie go far beyond the stuff you see on Oprah. --Jim Emerson
Alcholism and Love I use this movie as a homework project for my college Abnormal Psychology students to help them learn how to diagnose alcholism (by documenting the symptoms protrayed) and see its devastating effects on people which it demonstrates with remarkable clarity and sobering impact. It also gives a decent glimpse into where the disorder comes from (eiology) and its treatment, but not near as clearly.
Of course, I love Meg Ryan in any movie, but here she plays her part well, as does Andy Garcia who shows both the healthy side of love and its unhealthy side when it rears its head as codependent enabling. Yes, such spouses are to be commended for "hanging in there" no matter what, but love alone is simply not enough. For you also have to deal with conflict to have a successful marriage. So the only area that I would have changed would be to show how Alice's (Meg's) new assertiveness can come together with their love to resolve their issues, and for Michael (Andy) to be able to love her while accepting her new strength without needing to always rescue and do things for her.
But in contrast to so many other movies who show everything magically coming together within one therapy session or "aha" insight, "When A Man" avoids the usual Hollywood fantasy to show a more realistic picture. For real change does take time and working through so very much. So all in all, this is an excellent, superb movie even if you don't have to write a case report on a mental disorder.
A Classic! Bought this for a girl! I've never actually watched this movie! Only reviewing because Amazon asked to me review my purchases!
Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia, it must be good!
When a Man Loves a Woman I loved this movie! Andy Garcia and Meg Ryan were very good in this movie. Meg plays an alcoholic mother and Andy is her husband attempting to keep the family together during her rehab process. I thought the acting was very good, and the story line was captivating. Very enjoyable, but also will pull on your heartstrings.
When a Man Loves a Woman I thought this was going to be a romantic comedy, but was disappointed to find this a dark and depressing drama. It is a story about how being an alcoholic can affect a family and the journey they have to take to stay together. Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia play a married couple, and Meg is the one with the alcohol addiction. The saying about hitting rock bottom would definitely apply to this film. The audience sees Meg slowly spiral completely out of control, and how low she has to go until she finally is ready to reach out for help. Her family has to come to terms with the fact that she will not be the same person she was as a drunk. When Meg emerges from rehab, everyone is on edge with her - not only her family, but friends and acquaintances too. Everyone has adjustments to make.
Not my cuppa tea. Not a totally off-the-mark depiction of the effects of alcoholism on families, but over-the-top acting and embarrassingly bad dialogue here and there, especially at the end. And it's a little unbelievable to see Meg Ryan having turned from sweet-and-perky-but-screwed-up, pre-rehab, to "Don't 'f' with me" street-tuff, post-rehab. Best thing about this semi-soap, from my female perspective, is gazing at the always easy-on-the-eye Andy Garcia. MUCH better movies about addiction and recovery: Drunks (Richard Lewis), Jesus' Son (Billy Crudup), Clean and Sober (Michael Keaton) and the excellent, early-60's "Days of Wine and Roses" (Jack Lemmon), if you can wince through Mancini's syrupy-yucky title track. (But it won the Oscar for best song, so what do I know. Different times, I guess.)
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