Cupid & Cate (2000)

Cupid & Cate is fast-food drama, but you can't turn away from a movie with a dazzling cast including Mary-Louise Parker, Peter Gallagher, Philip Bosco, Bebe Neuwirth, Brenda Fricker, and Joanna Going. This Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie features Parker as Cate, proprietor of an upscale, second-hand clothing store. In handy dramatic terms, the shop is a gleaming repository of old memories--memory itself being something like emotional quicksand for black sheep Cate, who blames her domineering father (Philip Bosco) for her sisters' over-achieving ways as well as for the suffering of her late, alcoholic mother. Newly freed from an engagement to a chilly Brahmin type, Cate begins her life anew with the arrival of a near-perfect fellow (Gallagher) who adores her but is in an uphill fight for survival. The patchy script is riddled with unmodulated emotional pitches and incredible resolutions, but, hey, those actors are charm personified. --Tom Keogh Amazon.com

A Tear-Jerker

This is a good movie that teaches about family relationships and how to forgive. It touches really close to home and is a movie that you need to watch with a box of tissues. This is a great movie to share with a large group of family. September 23, 2008

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For once, the Amazon reviewer is right: this script is a mess. Boy meets girl, should be easy, right? Every screenwriter should know by now the basic requirements. Well, this one didn't. Must be somebody's friend. The script does not give us any reason to like either the boy or the girl, much less love them, which is what we have to do if a love story is going to work.

To make sure this movie is off-putting, they did a number of Mary-Louise Parker. They turned one of the most beautiful faces in the movies into something almost ugly. And Gallagher, as always, is more effective playing a bad guy or a foil.

Maybe you have to belong to a certain ethnic group in order to appreciate this movie otherwise this movie is dull. I frankly don't know. But be careful with this one.
June 16, 2007

Don't Miss This One!!!

I happened to catch this on the Hallmark Channel and thought by the title is was going to be one of those 'cutsy' movies that Hallmark seems to produce. Well...I was pleasantly surprised! This film was a delight. Mary Louise Parker and Peter Gallagher are just adorable together. The story line is very real, and you could just imagine all the situations happening in your own family. It does not have just romantic overtones, but it is also a family drama. I loved it so much that I immediately got the video as soon as it came out. I now own the DVD as well and I can't count the times I have watched it. I just love romance I guess! If you have the chance to see this sweet film, try it, I think you might like it- March 31, 2006

A favorite

I enjoy Mary-Louise Parker in any setting, from Fried Green Tomatoes to Boys on the Side. This movie was captivating to me because of her unique mannerisms as always, and also because I enjoyed the vintage clothing she wore and sold.
The story line was bittersweet in parts, but the ending was how I had hoped it would be.
The entire cast was excellent in this movie and very well suited to their images.
I highly recommend it unless family turmoil isn't your thing. Mary-Louise Parker at her best. February 27, 2006

Better Than You Think...

I was not expecting much from Cupid & Cate.
After all, after reading that the 2000 film would be broadcast on St. Valentine's week via the Hallmark Channel, I was subjected to the tortures of endless promos for the "Love and Romance" week.
In short, I was expecting the quintessential, dreaded and demonic cash seeking "Date Movie".
You know the drill, a cute little romantic alleged comedy, starring the likes of Sandra Bullock or Hugh Grant or even worse, Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant TOGETHER.
Even commercials or online descriptions of the film, portrayed the film as something like: "The only thing standing in the way of true love for Cate....is her fiancée".

Hand me the remote.... Survivor in the Amazon is on!

To be honest, the film starts off just that way. It was easily predicted that the well meaning, but dull as watching paint drying fiancée would hit the road before the start of the second act. However, it quickly became apparent that the romantic aspects of the film, although genuinely portrayed by an excellent cast, were secondary. The film is primarily about the strained relationship between a father and daughter and how their experiences parallel one another.
It made for fascinating viewing, with outstanding performances from Philip Bosco and Mary-Louise Parker. After struggling to sit through the nearly banal Mr. Wonderful, where Ms. Parker was given 1 descent scene, here she really shines. One can easily see the development in her art over her performances from the early 90's. As good as her performance was in A Place For Annie, she's even better here. A very tender and above all, real performance. Peter Gallagher and Brenda Fricker are also standouts.
Added attractions to the film are beautiful autumn scenes and Ms. Parker's rather eccentric wardrobe (check out her hat during the christening scene, just stunning).
Cupid & Cate is highly recommended viewing and would actually make a better Father's Day DVD purchase than for Cupid's holiday.
I even forgot The West Wing was on.
Three and a half stars out of four. June 29, 2003

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