The Next Best Thing

Plot

Two best friends—Abbie, a heterosexual woman, and Robert, a gay man—have a one-night stand, which leads to a pregnancy for Abbie. They decide to co-parent the child. Five years later, Abbie falls in love with a heterosexual man and wants to move away with him and Robert's son Sam, and a nasty custody battle ensues.

Cast

• Madonna as Abigail "Abbie" Reynolds
• Rupert Everett as Robert Whittaker
• Benjamin Bratt as Benjamin "Ben" Cooper
• Michael Vartan as Kevin Lasater
• Josef Sommer as Richard Whittaker
• Lynn Redgrave as Helen Whittaker
• Malcolm Stumpf as Samuel "Sam" Whittaker
• Neil Patrick Harris as David
• Illeana Douglas as Caroline Ryder
• Mark Valley as Cardiologist
• Suzanne Krull as Annabel
• Stacy Edwards as Finn
• William Mesnik as Ashby
• Linda Larkin as Kelly
• Adam Marlow as Baby
• Kimberley Davies as Hostess

Cast taken from Variety and Turner Classic Movies listing of The Next Best Thing.

Production

The film began as an original screenplay titled The Red Curtain by Tom Ropelewski, which he intended to direct, with his wife Leslie Dixon to produce. It was announced to be made in 1995 with Richard Dreyfuss attached to star as Robert; he dropped out, then Helen Hunt was named as female lead to play Abbie. She was replaced by Madonna and then Rupert Everett signed on as star. Filming took place between April 23 and June 30, 1999. It later was claimed the script was rewritten extensively by Ryan Murphy and Rupert Everett.

Release

Paramount Pictures distributed the film in North America while international sales were held by Lakeshore International. Buena Vista International acquired distribution rights from Lakeshore in most territories.

Home media

On August 26, 2000, Billboard announced the film would debut on DVD and VHS from Paramount Home Entertainment, although spokespeople would not confirm it. The release debuted at number 20 on Billboards Top DVD Sales, and peaked at number 11 on the Top Video Rentals chart. The Philadelphia Inquirer gave two out of four stars.

Reception

Critical response

Variety commented: "The Next Best Thing to a good movie is a well-intentioned one, and at the end of the day, that less-than-compelling consolation prize is about the best thing one can hand this resoundingly adequate Advanced Family Values comedy-drama". Roger Ebert gave the film one star out of four, stating: "The Next Best Thing is a garage sale of gay issues, harnessed to a plot as exhausted as a junkman's horse."

Stephen Holden of The New York Times wrote of the film: "In its early scenes The Next Best Thing shows promise as a sophisticated screwball comedy about romantic love, parenthood and sexual orientation in contemporary Los Angeles. But about halfway through, the story takes a disastrous turn and heads away from comedy into the land of suds and sorrow. Any psychological credibility the movie has built up is quickly dissipated, as it turns into a stumbling, poor man's Kramer vs. Kramer."

Box office

The film opened at number two at the North American box office, making US$5,870,387, behind The Whole Nine Yards. The film grossed $14,990,582 in the U.S. and $24,362,772 worldwide on a $25 million budget.

Awards

CNN film critic, Paul Clinton, named The Next Best Thing one of the top 10 worst movies of 2000. In 2020, Screen Rant ranked Madonna's performance among her best movie roles.

Soundtrack

Main article: The Next Best Thing (soundtrack)

References

References

1. "The Next Best Thing". Bomb Report.
2. "The Next Best Thing". [[Turner Classic Movies]].
3. Nat Segaloff, ''Final Cuts: The Last Films of 50 Great Directors'', Bear Manor Media 2013 p 258-260
4. Block, Debbie Galante. (August 26, 2000). "Billboard's 4th Quarter Video Buyer's Guide".
5. (September 16, 2000). "Top DVD Sales: September 16, 2000".
6. (October 21, 2000). "Top Video Rentals: October 21, 2000".
7. Cornell, Christopher. (September 3, 2000). "Video Reviews". [[The Telegraph-Herald]].
8. (March 21, 2000). "The Next Best Thing".
9. Ebert, Roger. (March 3, 2000). "The Next Best Thing". [[Chicago Sun-Times]].
10. Holden, Stephen. (March 3, 2000). "'The Next Best Thing': Oh, Your Daddy's Gay, and Your Mama's a Yogi".
11. {{mojo title. nextbestthing. The Next Best Thing
12. (September 6, 2000). "Nominees announced for the hollywood reporter's fifth annual YoungStar awards; britney spears to receive starlight award". Business Wire.
13. (January 16, 2001). "GLAAD Announces Nominees For 12th Annual Media Awards Presented by Absolut Vodka". [[GLAAD]].
14. Vice, Jeff. (March 25, 2001). "'Battlefield Earth' sweeps the Stinkers". [[Deseret News]].
15. Clinton, Paul. (December 29, 2000). "The 10 worst movies of 2000". CNN.
16. Thompson, Rocco. (April 27, 2020). "10 Madonna Movie Roles, Ranked". [[Screen Rant]].