Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Shirley MacLaine | ... | ||
Debra Winger | ... | ||
Jack Nicholson | ... | ||
Danny DeVito | ... | ||
Jeff Daniels | ... | ||
John Lithgow | ... | ||
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Lisa Hart Carroll | ... | |
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Betty King | ... |
Rosie Dunlop
(as Betty R. King)
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Huckleberry Fox | ... | ||
Troy Bishop | ... | ||
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Shane Serwin | ... |
Younger Tommy Horton
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Megan Morris | ... |
Melanie Horton
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Tara Yeakey | ... |
Baby Melanie
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Norman Bennett | ... |
Edward Johnson
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Jennifer Josey | ... |
Young Emma
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Aurora and Emma are mother and daughter who march to different drummers. Beginning with Emma's marriage, Aurora shows how difficult and loving she can be. The movie covers several years of their lives as each finds different reasons to go on living and find joy. Aurora's interludes with Garrett Breedlove, retired astronaut and next door neighbor are quite striking. In the end, different people show their love in very different ways. Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>
I've heard many good things about James L. Brooks's 'Terms of Endearment' and finally I decided to give it ago. Honestly speaking I was expecting a typical melodramatic tearjerker that's sole aim is to emotionally manipulate the viewer. I was wrong. 'Terms of Endearment' is a slice of life that centres around a mother, her daughter and their respective lives. The film looks very authentic. The sets, makeup, costumes and art direction look genuine.
This is very much a character driven film. The dialogues are full of humour and wit but what's also striking is how deeply layered the words are. While the visuals are quite simplistic it's the characters that shine especially through the actors' natural performances. Their excellent non-verbal gestures, spot on line delivery and restrained performances are superb.
A sassy Shirley Maclaine and bubbly Debra Winger are spellbinding. Both actresses beautifully carry the film and they are brilliantly supported by fine actors like Danny DeVito, Jack Nicholson, John Lithgow and Jeff Daniels.
What particularly appealed to me about 'Terms of Endearment' is the depiction of the mother-daughter relationship and the dynamic of it. It definitely has its ups and downs and it does not involve the use of clichéd lines like 'I love you' etc but at the same time the unconditional love between them is wonderfully conveyed.