Mixed Nuts
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| Mixed Nuts | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Nora Ephron |
| Produced by | Delia Ephron Joseph Hartwick Paul Junger Witt James W. Skotchdopole John Solomon John L. Solomon Tony Thomas |
| Written by | Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron |
| Starring | Steve Martin Madeline Kahn Robert Klein Anthony LaPaglia Juliette Lewis Rob Reiner Adam Sandler Liev Schreiber Garry Shandling Rita Wilson Parker Posey Jon Stewart Joely Fisher |
| Music by | George Fenton |
| Editing by | Robert M. Reitano |
| Distributed by | TriStar Pictures |
| Release date(s) | December 21, 1994 (USA) |
| Running time | 97 minutes |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
- For the 1922 short comedy film, see Mixed Nuts.
Mixed Nuts is a motion picture released in the United States on December 21, 1994. It is notable for its many colorful characters and intertwining storylines, but was not a critical success at the box office. It is also most notably a remake of very popular French comedy Le Père Noël est une ordure (1982)
Tagline: A comedy on the edge.
[edit] Plot
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The plot summary in this article or section is too long or detailed compared to the rest of the article. Please edit the article to focus on discussing the work rather than merely reiterating the plot. |
The movie is centered around the goings-on at the Lifesavers suicide prevention hotline, whose lack of funding has resulted in an eviction notice from the landlord (Garry Shandling). The hotline is staffed by Philip (Steve Martin), the crabby Mrs. Munchnik (Madeline Kahn), and the mousy and passive Catherine (Rita Wilson). Supposedly the expectations "of everyone thinking of jumping off a bridge or slitting their wrists on Christmas Eve" has only resulted in a few women frightened against a serial killer called the Seaside Strangler, several obscene phone calls, and one unfortunate misunderstanding involving a man, a gun, and a static-filled phone connection.
Mrs. Munchnik, intent on getting to her dead husband's sister's Christmas Eve dinner on time, leaves, only to become stuck in the elevator for a good amount of time, futilely trying to attract help. Meanwhile, Philip is trying to hide the landlord's eviction notice from Catherine, while at the same time trying to figure out how to raise money to pay the rent bill and save the hotline. Philip's emotions are further strained when his girlfriend Susan (Joely Fisher) breaks up with him over the phone. (She really wanted to fax him. But he didn't even have a fax.)
Also, Catherine's best friend Gracie (Juliette Lewis) is experiencing strain of her own, pregnant by her slacker boyfriend Felix (Anthony LaPaglia), a man she's not sure she can count on as a father. Especially since he just ran out of her vintage clothing store with a Santa Claus suit she could have sold and crashed into a Christmas tree being ported by two innocent rollerbladers (Parker Posey and Jon Stewart). She makes plans to stay at the hotline's condo to blow off some steam.
Philip has since given out the address of the office to a caller who was begging for some personal help. The caller is actually a transvestite (Liev Schreiber), named Chris, who is apparently taking lots of name calling from his-or-her family (such as being called "Arnold" in reference to Arnold Schwarzenegger). Shortly after this, Philip's eviction notice shows up on the underside of a present he just gave to Catherine. His attempt to retrieve it are unsuccessful, sending Catherine into a fit.
After some innovative songs and unanswered calls for help to clueless songwriter Louie (Adam Sandler), the neighborhood dogwalker Mr. Lobel (Robert Klein) finds her and reports the so-called "dog hater" to Philip and Catherine, who attempt to free her. By this point, Gracie arrives at the condo's lobby, followed close behind by Felix and re-activates the lift, much to the fright of Philip and Munchnik, who are now dangling from the top-floor shaft. Thankfully, the elevator stops just short of crushing them, and they all head back into the hotline's office. Gracie locks herself in the bathroom, to the agony of the full-bladdered Mrs. Munchnik. Once Gracie unlocks the door and Munchnik relieves herself, Felix continues the fight he and Gracie were having, which ends abruptly when Gracie smacks him in the head with Munchnik's fruitcake tin.
Philip and Catherine scold Munchnik for re-starting the fight (she had questioned Gracie as to who the baby's father really was), and make her cover the phones while they take Felix to the veterinarian (Rob Reiner) (Gracie asserts that she and Felix can't afford to have the baby in the hospital). Gracie refuses to accompany them. Once at the vet's office, Felix overdoses on dog tranquilizers and has to be revived at the hospital. While the vet dunks Felix's head in water, Philip and Catherine fight over Philip's lack of real care for people and their feelings.
While making ornaments back at the condo, Gracie discovers the eviction notice, which Mrs. Munchnik notices and fumes over. At this point, Chris (the transvestite) arrives at the door and buzzes the doorbell. Ignoring Munchnik's plea to not open the door to a possible Seaside Strangler, Gracie flings open the door, knocking Munchnik unconscious. Gracie welcomes Chris in, before excusing herself to leave, leaving the unconscious Munchnik in the care of Chris. While Chris tends to Munchnik, The power goes out to the building, causing Chris to trip and fall over as he tries to answer the phone. The lights are still out when Philip comes back alone from the vet, and is visibly shocked when he finds Chris waiting for him, and the placid Mrs. Munchnik lying on the floor behind the couch. Chris begins trying to flirt with Philip, who's obviously not interested. Philip tries to subtly tell Chris to leave, but only succeeds in inviting Chris to dance.
Gracie takes Catherine back to the clothing shop for a makeover and girl talk. There, they talk about their wants and wishes. Catherine, for a partner, Gracie, for her baby to have a better life. They then leave the store to get some Chinese take-out and bring it back to the office. At the office, Munchnik revives in time to see Philip and Chris slow-dancing in the foyer. Munchnik resolves to tell her story to the Los Angeles Times, intent on destroying Lifesavers and Philip's career. Philip then takes out his frustrations on Chris, at the same time proving to himself that Catherine was right--"In person, I'm a disaster."
Munchnik's car won't start, so she has to have Louie wait with her for the auto club to fix it. She catches Catherine and Gracie coming, and gives them both the fruitcake Philip gave her, plus the details of Philip's encounter with Chris. Louie follows Gracie and Catherine up to the office, where they basically ignore Philip and start dinner. Louie takes the opportunity to steal Catherine's heart by singing her an unfinished love song, which ended with the line "Oh, I love grape jelly." Philip discovers the fruitcake Munchnik sent back and in a fit of rage, tosses it out of the window...
...which lands on and shatters the windshield on Munchnik's just-fixed car. She finally breaks down in tears, only to be found by Mr. Lobel. After reminding her of her dead husband, Munchnik walks up to Lobel and starts to make out with him. They both run to the beach (with his dogs still leashed to them) to make passionate love.
Felix has since woken up and left the hospital. Still under the influence from the dog tranquilizers, he runs to Gracie's store, takes out their hidden gun, and runs towards Lifesavers. He barges in as Chris returns to retrieve his/her cape. Chris tries to wrestle the gun away from Felix, and Felix shoots him/her in the foot. The gun is finally taken away from Felix, and Gracie empties it by firing all the bullets wildly, including two through the front door. It is soon learned that the landlord was behind the door, and is now very dead. Catherine begins to suffer from shock, and Philip takes her into the bathroom to run her a hot bath. Irritated by Chris's continued pleas for a bandage, Philip barges in, accidentally smacking Chris in the face with the door and breaking his/her nose, and tosses the first aid kit into his/her crotch. Returning to Catherine, "something happens," and they begin to make love as the steam from the bath fogs the room.
Louie and Chris stay in the living room getting to know one another, while Gracie and Felix think of what to do with the dead body. Chris and Louie hit it off immediately, and Louie sings his love song to Chris, altering the lyrics to suit the new name. Louie may or may not know that Chris is a transvestite. Philip and Catherine soon emerge glowing from the bathroom, only to find the landlord's body missing. They also find Felix and Gracie proudly sticking the last few branches onto a "tree," the trunk of which is burlap sacks wrapped around the dead body.
It is then decided to place the tree somewhere else to let the City take it down and discover the body. But as they make their way down the street, they encounter the rollerbladers, of whose tree Felix destroyed. Intent on revenge, they barrel through the group, but Felix tosses the tree upwards, and it crashes to the ground, revealing the dead body.
The police soon arrive, and everyone is held for questioning. Felix confesses to the killing, but Gracie pulls out the gun as proof that she did it. Felix grabs the gun and runs to the top of a nearby building, where it looks as if he will kill himself. But he is stopped by a wonderful counsel from Philip, who at the same time confesses his love for Catherine. Felix comes down, and the group is confined to a bench for questioning (while Chris holds the familiar fruit cake). Catherine hands the landlord's bag to the detectives, who search it. They find fishing twine and kelp--the weapons of choice for the Seaside Strangler. Having killed a wanted criminal, Gracie is awarded $250,000. Gracie offers to pay for Lifesavers' moving expenses, then promptly goes into labor. She gives birth to Felix's child on midnight Christmas Day (the scene resembles the birth of Jesus Christ). Philip then asks Catherine to marry him.
[edit] Soundtrack
The soundtrack to the film was released on November 22, 1994, and featured twelve tracks, including the "Grape Jelly" song from Adam Sandler, the musical rant from Madeline Kahn, labeled as "Mixed Notes", Eartha Kitt's sexy rendition of "Santa Baby" and Carly Simon's first published Christmas song, "The Night Before Christmas". It was released by Sony Music.
Tracks on the album are as follows:
- Mixed Nuts - Dr. John
- I'll Be Home For Christmas - Fats Domino
- Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
- Jingle Bells - Eastern Bloc
- Blue Christmas - Leon Redbone
- What Are You Doing New Year's Eve - The O'Jays
- Mixed Notes - George Fenton
- Grape Jelly - Adam Sandler
- Christmas Medley - George Fenton
- The Night Before Christmas - Carly Simon
- Silent Night - Baby Washington
- White Christmas - The Drifters
