Bye Bye Love is a story about the breakup of the family. In particular, it focuses on the lifestyle of three divorced men. The film is presented from their perspective and it reveals their relationship with their children, ex-wives, girl friends, male friendships, and their identities as divorced men. In addition to dealing with divorce, the film touches on spousal loss and young adult homelessness. The film can be considered a social commentary that is both comical and emotional.
Bye Bye Love is a 1995 American comedy-drama film that deals with the central issue of divorce. It was directed by Sam Weisman and written by Gary David Goldberg and Brad Hall. It stars Matthew Modine, Randy Quaid, Paul Reiser, Janeane Garofalo, Amy Brenneman, Eliza Dushku, Rob Reiner, Amber Benson, and Lindsay Crouse. Production costs were heavily underwritten by McDonald’s product placement.
Goldberg and Hall stated that they included in the script several fictionalized accounts of events that had happened to divorced friends of theirs. Also acting in the film were Jayne Brook, and Ed Flanders in his last movie role. A not-yet-famous Jack Black has one line (“Reefer?”) as a disc jockey at a party. Co-stars Amber Benson and Eliza Dushku went on to play main roles on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as did Lindsay Crouse.
The film was not considered particularly successful, grossing less than $13 million in the U.S. in its theatrical run. It has a 19% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 21 reviews. Although overall critical reaction to the film was not positive, Janeane Garofalo’s performance as the “date from hell” got good reviews, and earned her a nomination for an American Comedy Award. Many of the reviews complained that the movie played more like an episode of a sitcom than a feature film.
Bye Bye Love (1995)
Directed by: Sam Weisman
Starring: Matthew Modine, Randy Quaid, Paul Reiser, Eliza Dushku, Janeane Garofalo, Amy Brenneman, Maria Pitillo, Lindsay Crouse, Ross Malinger, Mae Whitman, Jayne Brook
Screenplay by: Gary David Goldberg, Brad Hall
Production Design by: Linda DeScenna
Cinematography by: Kenneth Zunder
Film Editing by: Roger Bondelli
Costume Design by: Linda M. Bass
Set Decoration by: Yiu-Kwong But, Ric McElvin
Art Direction by: Greg Papalia
Music by: J.A.C. Redford
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for brief language and sensuality.
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: March 17, 1995
Hits: 254
