| Family Prayers | |
|---|---|
 Poster | |
| Directed by | Scott M. Rosenfeld |
| Written by | Steven Ginsberg |
| Produced by | Steven Ginsberg Charmain Jago Mark Levinson Johine Novosel Bonnie Sugar |
| Starring | Joe Mantegna Anne Archer Paul Reiser Patti LuPone |
| Cinematography | Jeff Jur |
| Edited by | Susan Crutcher |
| Music by | Steve Tyrell |
| Production company | Earthquake Productions |
| Distributed by | Arrow Releasing Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment |
| Release date |
|
| Running time | 108 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Family Prayers is a 1993 American drama film starring Joe Mantegna, Anne Archer, Paul Reiser and Patti LuPone. It was directed by Scott Rosenfeld. It is notable for being the first film role of Brittany Murphy, who had a non-speaking role.
Plot
Set in 1969 Los Angeles, this movie aims at nostalgia but really is more a depiction of the tragedy of a dysfunctional family. Young Andrew, a 13-year-old male on the brink of manhood, is saddled with a father who is a compulsive gambler and a mother who is immersed in a constant battle with him because of it. Often desperate for money, their dependence on Andrew’s aunt Nan for money is one more cause of tension and anxiety in an already unhappy household. As Andrew cares for himself and his younger sister, the symbol of his coming of age—his approaching bar-mitzvah—comes to symbolize more than just a rite of passage.
Cast
- Joe Mantegna as Martin Jacobs
- Anne Archer as Rita Jacobs
- Tzvi Ratner-Stauber as Andrew Jacobs
- Julianne Michelle as Fay Jacobs
- Paul Reiser as Dan Linder
- Patti LuPone as Aunt Nan
- Conchata Ferrell as Mrs. Romeyo
- David Marguiles as Uncle Sam
- Shiri Appleby as Nina
- Allen Garfield as Cantor
- Keaton Simons as Mark
- Milt Oberman as Al
- Gina Hecht as Arlene
- James Terry as Mike
- John Capodice as Barber #1
- Brittany Murphy as Elise
References
- Leonard Maltin (2 September 2014). Leonard Maltin's 2015 Movie Guide. Penguin Group US. pp. 744–. ISBN 978-0-698-18361-2.
- Nachman, Gerald (July 17, 1993). "Family Prayers' left largely unanswered". San Francisco Chronicle.
- Mathews, Jack (March 19, 1993). "Growing up as dad blows it". Newsday. p. 79.
- Katz, Alyssa (February 16, 1993). "Family prayers". The Village Voice. No. 38. p. 60.
- Holden, Stephen (March 19, 1993). "Review/Film: Not easy growing up with a gambling father". The New York Times. No. 142.
- "Family Prayers". Rotten Tomatoes.
External links
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