North (film)

North
Promotional poster
Directed by	Rob Reiner
Produced by	Rob Reiner Alan Zweibel
Written by	Alan Zweibel Andrew Scheinman
Starring	Elijah Wood Jason Alexander Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Music by	Marc Shaiman
Cinematography	Adam Greenberg
Editing by	Robert Leighton
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures Castle Rock
Release date(s)	July 22 1994
Running time	87 min.
Country
Language	English
Budget	$40,000,000
IMDb profile

North is a 1994 motion picture directed by Rob Reiner, and starring Elijah Wood, Bruce Willis, Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Dan Aykroyd and Reba McEntire. The story is based on the novel North by Alan Zweibel, who also wrote the screenplay and has a minor role in the film. North received generally negative reviews, and flopped at the box office, earning about US$7 million for an estimated budget of US$40 million [1]; the film was a multiple nominee at the 1994 Golden Raspberry Awards. Film critic Roger Ebert seemed especially baffled by North, noting that Wood and especially Reiner had both previously made much better films. Ebert awarded North a rare "zero-stars" rating, and even ten years later it remains on his list of most hated films. His review included the now-famous statement:

"I hated this movie. Hated hated hated hated hated this movie. Hated it. Hated every simpering stupid vacant audience-insulting moment of it. Hated the sensibility that thought anyone would like it. Hated the implied insult to the audience by its belief that anyone would be entertained by it."

An abridged version of the review became the title of a 2000 compilation of some of Ebert's negative reviews. Other critics have shown their dislike for the film, including the late Gene Siskel, who called it the worst film of the year.

Plot

An 11-year-old boy named North (Elijah Wood) tires of his parents (Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who never pay any attention to him, legally emancipates himself from them, and wanders around the world seeking a new family. Along the way, he encounters parents that are tribal, southern, Alaskan, Hawaiian, Jewish, etc. He tries to blend in with each group of parents. He finally decides that his own parents are the best with the help of the Narrator's various incarnations.

Cast

• Elijah Wood as North
• Jason Alexander as North's Dad
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus as North's Mom
• Marc Shaiman as Piano Player
• Bruce Willis as Narrator
• Jon Lovitz as Arthur Belt
• Alan Arkin as Judge Buckle
• Dan Aykroyd as Pa Tex
• Reba McEntire as Ma Tex
• Graham Greene as Alaskan Dad
• Kathy Bates as Alaskan Mom
• Ben Stein as Curator
• Alexander Godunov as Amish Dad
• Kelly McGillis as Amish Mom
• Faith Ford as Donna Nelson
• John Ritter as Ward Nelson
• Scarlett Johansson as Laura Nelson
• Jesse Zeigler as Bud Nelson

External links

• North at the Internet Movie Database