Angie (1994 film)

Angie is a 1994 American romantic comedy-drama film produced by Caravan Pictures directed by Martha Coolidge, and starring Geena Davis as the title character. It is based on the 1991 novel Angie, I Says by Avra Wing, which was a New York Times Notable Book of 1991.

Plot
Angie (Geena Davis) is an office worker who lives in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, New York and dreams of a better life. After learning that she is pregnant by her boyfriend Vinnie (James Gandolfini), she decides that she will have the baby, but not Vinnie as a husband.

This turns the entire neighborhood upside down and starts her on a journey of self-discovery, including a love affair with a man named Noel (Stephen Rea) who she meets at an art museum. Even her best friend Tina (Aida Turturro) has trouble understanding her.

Cast

 * Geena Davis as Angie
 * James Gandolfini as Vinnie
 * Stephen Rea as Noel
 * Aida Turturro as Tina
 * Leonard Spinelli as Tina

Production
20th Century Fox films head Joe Roth, production president Roger Birnbaum and producer Larry Brezner had “Angie, I Says” under development. Todd Graff had written the screenplay for Madonna. The adaptation was place into turnaround. Roth and Birnbaum had left for an independent label at Disney, Caravan Pictures, and were able to get the “Angie, I Says” adaptation moved over. With scheduling conflicts with her role in Abel Ferrara’s movie Dangerous Game, which is also produced by her company, Maverick, she dropped out of then Jonathan Kaplan-directed movie. Madonna had wanted them to push back production on the film, but give that it was a winter story Caravan want to film it in winter then debut in winter. She bowed out as they additional had issue with her lack of acting experience. The lead role was then offered to Geena Davis.

Reception
The film opened to mixed reviews and was a box office bomb. In addition, Geena Davis, who won an Oscar six years before for The Accidental Tourist received mixed to negative reviews. Critics felt she could have been better in this movie or another set in Brooklyn. The film was famous for introducing three actors who would star on the TV show The Sopranos: James Gandolfini, Aida Turturro, and Michael Rispoli.

Awards

 * The movie was nominated an Artios for Best Casting for Feature Film, Comedy by the Casting Society of America.