Product Description

Four college friends meet up again years later and reconnect in ways that will change their lives forever.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16884 in DVD
• Brand: GENIUS PRODUCTS INC
• Released on: 2008-08-26
• Rating: Unrated
• Formats: Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 107 minutes

Customer Reviews

Ed Burns as "The Murph"
I really enjoyed this movie when I thought I wouldn't. I am a big fan of Selma Blair, and the rest of the cast looked great, so I thought I'd give it a go. It has a cynical feel to it (mostly in the beginning), so you may have to be in the right mood to appreciate it. If you've enjoyed any other Edward Burns films, I believe you will enjoy this one as well.

Set in New York (Burns loves New York), the main character, Patti Petalson (Blair) is a writer/real-estate agent who seems to be caught in a rut. She hates her job (real-estate agent) to the point where her sarcastic remarks to a client almost cause her boss (one of those in your face, I am always right type of fellows) to lose it. Her relationship with her husband is full of bickering, forced fights about nothing, and no sex. And even though she is fantastic writer she hasn't written anything since college. One night she goes out to celebrate her best friend, Kate's (Debra Messing) birthday, when they run into their college sweethearts. Brian Callahan (Patrick Wilson) is a writer who Patti let slip away, while Michael Murphy - "the Murp" (Edward Burns) is Kate's old boyfriend who she swears to the day, cheated on her back in college. Brian is currently frustrated over bad reviews of his latest book, and Michael is a wealthy lawyer who ends up hiring Patti to help find him a new flat. From there things progress, and past feelings between these two past couples renew. The story focuses on Patti and Brian's struggle to become great writers (well, more like Patti's struggle to start writing again, and Brian's struggle to be accepted by the world as a serious writer, and not just the crime novels he is known for) and the events that bring them together again.

I like the simplicity of the story, but to complexity of the characters. Debra Messing and Edward Burns added the humor, while Patrick and Selma added the romance and struggle of finding oneself. If this sounds like your type of movie I suggest you give it a shot!

Edit: They use the F-word a lot, if you are not into that, probably not the movie for you.

A Solid Film
Imagine a Woody Allen film without Jazz music, without references to Dostoevsky, Nietzsche and the Marx Brothers, without existential questioning but with similar themes - broken marriages, second chances - and some similar characters (there is usually a hysterical woman in a Woody Allen film and Purple Violets has one as well).

Edward Burns, I feel, is the next director to keep an eye on. The film's plot is relatively straight-forward: two guys (Burns, Wilson), two girls (Messing, Blair), they used to know each other, are slowly coming back into each other's lives. The two guys have been friends for a long time, the two girls have been friends for a long time. Reconciliation, being true to yourself... other themes which emerge making the film lovely, solid and very approachable.

I would guest 65% of the film is devoted to Blair and Wilson's characters whereas Messing and Burns follow-through with some comedic moments. He is a recovering alcoholic, trying to put the past right and she won't forgive him for the way he was. So the sexual tension proves to bring a good balance to the depth and romance between Blair and Wilson.

If you enjoy Woody Allen or previous films by Burns (She's The One, The Brothers McMullen) you will enjoy this one. He has the pace and tone of Allen but he is becoming more of his own. I was impressed with the pace, the authenticity of emotions and the nuances. It doesn't offer typical Hollywood bullsh-t - it offers more and is probably more genuine and truer to life than the formulaic tripe slipping across our movie theatre screens.

Definitely worth a look.

Selma Makes it a Great Movie!
We don't often get to see Selma Blair play good roles - she took front and center in this film and did a wonderful job! Really. I love her work, but not enough films with her playing good roles - she is usually here and there... not in Purple Violets! The movie overall has a great cast. It's a movie I'll watch over and over again. Also, check out the music in the film - I always wait until the end and jot them all down... and usually the soundtracks are missing the good songs - so it's off to iTunes or amazon.com to download. If you are a Selma Blair fan - or a fan of any of these actors/actresses - BUY the film! Give credit where credit is due! Hope to see Selma in more upcoming films!