In and Out Movie Review 1997

See what an Oscar can do? When Tom Hanks thanked, and inadvertently outed, his high school drama teacher during his Academy Awards speech (for "Philadelphia"), it lead to this feature. Popular high school English teacher Howard Brackett (Kline) has his sexuality come into question on the eve of his wedding thanks to a former-student-turned-movie-star (Dillon). As a media circus converges on the small town, Howard is forced to examine his sexuality by openly gay reporter Selleck (out to prove Howard's gay), his mother Reynolds (who wants the wedding to go on regardless of his orientation) and his tightly wound fiancee Cusack (who wants to put a serious hurtin' on Barbra Striesand). All-around excellent performances, especially by Kline and Cusack.

Distribution

Paramount Home Video, 5555 Melrose Ave., 5555 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038, Phone: (323)956-5000, URL: http://www.paramount.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 92 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Gays, Mass Media, At the Movies, Wedding Hell, Repressed Men, Otherwise Engaged, Front Page, Model Citizens, Bachelor Party

Screenplay

Paul Rudnick

Cast

Kevin Kline, Joan Cusack, Matt Dillon, Debbie Reynolds, Wilford Brimley, Bob Newhart, Tom Selleck, Deborah Rush, Lewis J. Stadlen, J. Smith-Cameron, Zak Orth, Gregory Jbara, Shalom Harlow, Kate McGregor Stewart, Shawn Hatosy, Lauren Ambrose, Alexandra Holden

Cinematography

Rob Hahn

Director

Frank Oz

Music

Marc Shaiman

Producer

Scott Rudin, Paramount Pictures

Awards

N.Y. Film Critics 1997: Support. Actress (Cusack); Broadcast Film Critics 1997: Support. Actress (Cusack).