In this gentle send-up of life in L.A., a TV weatherman stuck in an unfulfilling relationship and embarrassing job receives a mysterious message from a freeway sign saying the weather will change his life. Soon his life is turned upside down--he loses his job, his agent, his girlfriend, and his reasons not to start living life to the fullest.
A wacky TV weatherman loses his job after taking off yet another weekend -- after all, he figures, L.A. weather never changes, does it? And his personal life is a mess too, because his relationship with his long-time girlfriend has gone kaput. Everything looks pretty dismal, when he unexpectedly meets a British journalist on assignment in L.A. and falls instantly in love. He fears he has no chance with her, though, and in desperation he starts a relationship with a ditzy young shopgirl who introduces him to the wonders of rollerskating and colonics. All the while he pines away for the journalist. Then, while driving down the L.A. freeways, he suddenly realizes that one of the highway signs is trying to communicate with him. He stops to read the messages, takes a risk, and trusts in them to save his life.
Co-stars Steve Martin and Victoria Tennant are husband and wife.
Film played at the Deauville Film Festival in late summer 1991.
Chevy Chase and Rick Moranis have uncredited cameos.
Steve Martin worked on the screenplay for this film on and off for 7 years.
Copyright 1991 Carolco Pictures Inc.
DVD Features:
Region 1 Encoding
Keep Case
Featurette
Interactive Menus
Scene Access
Theatrical Trailer
Cast and Crew Information
Cameo
Chevy Chase: American actor, comedian, VACATION
Cameo
Woody Harrelson: Woody of TV's "Cheers"
Production Designer
Lawrence Miller: Art Director
Director of Photography
Andrew Dunn: American Cinematographer
Review 1:
"...Decent, intelligent, and sweet..."
Source: New York Times
p.C8 02/08/1991
Review 2:
"...A film which suffuses the world's most plastic city with a sense of wonder, giving this underrated feelgood comedy an irresistible glow..."
Source: Total Film
p.120 05/01/2000
Review 3:
"...Warmly warped....[Parker] personifies the city's giddy spirit..." -- Rating: B
Source: Entertainment Weekly
pp.108-9 01/21/2000
Review 4:
"...L.A. Story has a completely original spirit. It's wiggy yet deeply, helplessly romantic....The imagery has a spin to it, as if we too were being enswooned by it all..."
Source: Los Angeles Times
p.F1 02/08/1991
Review 5:
"...Sly, romantic fun..."
Source: Rolling Stone
p.47-8 02/21/1991
Review 6:
"[A] thoughtful comedy about life and love in the city of angels."
Source: Widescreen Review
p.72 07/01/2006
Review 7:
4 stars out of 5 -- "[A] sweet and surreal romantic comedy..."
Source: Ultimate DVD
p.99 07/01/2006
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