Judith Nelson (Holly Hunter) is sinking in her own depression. She'd given up medical school nearly 20 years prior to marry the man of her dreams. But now Martin (Robert Donovan) has left her for a younger woman, a pediatrician, who is pregnant -- a pregnancy denied Judith because Robert didn't want children even though she did.
Judith wallows in her bitterness as she goes through the routine of daily life and tries to cope with it by partying and drinking too much.
Pat Francato (Danny DeVito) is depressed, too. He's really a very sweet and earnest man who lost his marriage due to his gambling and inability to fulfill his goals for a decent future for his family. He's in trouble with the mob for gambling debts, but worst of all, he's reeling from the tragic death of his teenaged daughter.
Two needy people in deep pain come together when Pat takes a job as elevator man at Judith's NYC luxury apartment. Their tentative friendship begins to grow, with fits and starts and great fragility, as both learn how to trust again and move forward.
Judith introduces Pat to Liz Bailey (Queen Latifah), a marvelous jazz singer at a lounge Judith frequents. Liz is facing her own issues with her boyfriend Gary (Clark Anderson) who may only be using her to advance his own singing career.
Richard Schiff appears as Pat's brother, a barkeep who tries to help Pat get out of debt, and Eddie Cibrian is a masseur who helps Judith set her feelings free.
Some really wonderful jazz and blues song permeate the soundtrack giving another dimension to the entire film.
Written and directed by Richard LaGravenese.
Rated R for language, and for some drug content and sexuality.
My personal rating: B-
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