No Looking Back (1998 film)
| No Looking Back | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Directed by | Edward Burns |
| Produced by | Alysse Bezahler Ted Hope Michael Nozik Robert Redford John Sloss |
| Written by | Edward Burns |
| Starring |
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| Music by |
Joe Delia Patti Scialfa |
| Cinematography | Frank Prinzi |
| Edited by | Susan Graef |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | Gramercy Pictures |
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Release date
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March 27, 1998 |
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Running time
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96 mins |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $5 million |
| Box office | $222,099 |
No Looking Back is a 1998 American drama-genre film directed, written, produced by, and starring Edward Burns. The film centers on the relationship of Charlie (Burns) and Claudia (Lauren Holly). The film had a limited theatrical release and grossed less than $250,000 domestically from its $5 million budget.
Charlie Ryan (Burns) returns to his hometown after failed attempts at unmentioned endeavors in California. It becomes apparent that his mother no longer finds Charlie's Kerouac-like tendencies to be entertaining as one of her first greetings is telling Charlie she's not going to put up with his crap this time.
At first Charlie lays low, embarrassed he's returned home empty handed and unaccomplished. Hero to most of his childhood friends, Charlie appears to be the only one who left their small east coast sea-side town after high school. Word does soon travel instigating a visit from one of Charlie's best high school buds. Michael, (Bon Jovi) a thoroughly blue collar kind of guy, is interested in more than just saying hello after all these years. Michael's idea of catching up is letting Charlie know that Claudia and Michael are living together and are planning to be married. Although Charlie tells Michael he is okay with how things have changed, he is shocked and hurt.
Claudia,(Holly) it turns out, is a waitress in the small-town luncheonette, complete with skirted pink uniforms and is Charlie's high school sweetheart, whom he left behind in the wake of an unwanted pregnancy and abortion. Charlie visits Claudia at work despite his knowledge of her relationship with Michael. Still hurt from Charlie's post-high school departure, she tells Charlie to leave her alone. Stuck there most of her life and as her 30th birthday approaches, Claudia dreams of bigger things, but if afraid to take a chance.
Other subplots surrounding the love triangle include Claudia's sister, Kelly (Britton) who still lives at home and laments the absence of quality dating material. An even sadder subplot involves Claudia and Kelly's mother (Danner) who still holds a torch for her husband/father of the girls, even though he has left them. Their mother foolishly and unrealistically maintains that her husband will return, repeating to her daughters that he has done this before and came back. Claudia's best friend (Esposito) is so lonely she is willing to throw herself at the recently singled, bald pizza guy.
Making matters worse for Claudia is Michael's desire to get married and settle down, which was discussed before Charlie's return, but is now being sought by Michael in earnest. Beaten down, free-spirit Claudia takes stock of her life and the people around her in the small town and decides she is not ready to be someone's wife, worrying that once she settled for that, it's all she would ever be. Claudia is crushed at her mother's hidden pain and the unrealistic belief that her family will be reunited.
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