Picture Perfect

Plot

Kate is working on a career at Mercer Advertising but is passed up for promotion because she's 'not stable enough'…

Release Year: 1997

Rating: 5.3/10 (8,791 voted)

Critic's Score: 44/100

Director:
Glenn Gordon Caron

Stars: Jennifer Aniston, Jay Mohr, Kevin Bacon

Storyline
Kate is working on a career at Mercer Advertising but is passed up for promotion because she's 'not stable enough', still being single and having no ties to the company. A story is made up about her being engaged to Nick, a guy whom she just met at a friend's wedding, and all seems to work out well for Kate. She even gets the attention of a colleague she had always wanted, but events soon take a dramatic turn, forcing her to 'present' her alleged fiance to her boss.

Writers: Arleen Sorkin, Paul Slansky

Cast:

Jennifer Aniston
–

Kate Mosley

Jay Mohr
–

Nick

Kevin Bacon
–

Sam Mayfair

Olympia Dukakis
–

Rita Mosley

Illeana Douglas
–

Darcy O'Neil

Kevin Dunn
–

Mr. Mercer

Anne Twomey
–

Sela

Faith Prince
–

Mrs. Mercer

John Rothman
–

Jim Davenport

Meg Gibson
–

Jackie Davenport

(as Margaret Gibson)

Paul Cassell
–

Brad

Ivar Brogger
–

1st Ad Executive

Peter McRobbie
–

2nd Ad Executive

Bray Poor
–

3rd Ad Executive

Daryl Edwards
–

4th Ad Executive

Taglines:
Kate always lived her life by the rules…some rules were meant to be broken

Details

Official Website:
Fox |

Release Date: 1 August 1997

Filming Locations: Central Park South Restaurant, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office Details

Budget: $19,000,000

(estimated)

Opening Weekend: $7,809,026
(USA)
(3 August 1997)
(1707 Screens)

Gross: $31,058,643
(USA)
(5 October 1997)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers):
When Kate is sitting in the seats, waiting to present to the group towards the end of the movie, right before she explains the lie about Nick, she orders food from a girl. When she goes to pay she finds the watch Nick left for her, but she never pays for the food.

Quotes:

Nick:
[arriving early and unexpectedly at Kate's office]
It's good to see you again…
[Kate plants a big, sudden kiss on Nick]

Nick:
[in a low voice]
I'm-I'm sorry, I didn't know we were on the clock yet.

Kate Mosley:
[also in a low voice]
Okay, just shush, grab my ass, kiss my neck, and pull me into the office, okay?

Nick:
Uh, y… yeah… yeah… uh, yes, sir!

User Review

This is beyond charming – it has heart

Rating: 7/10

A seemingly small movie yet it's beyond charming, it has heart. Don't
dismiss this as an expanded version of the TV series Jennifer is in, she's
what she is, yet she fits into this story so well, playing opposite Jay Mohr
and Kevin Bacon, with Ileanna Douglas as her best friend and Olympia Dukakis
as her mom – it's Jennifer Aniston perfect.

The heart may not be evident in the beginning, especially with Jennifer's
central character, but hang in there, heart becomes more and more ever
present as you follow the story closely. My appreciation for the nuances of
this movie did not come deeper until I sat through it again on cable over
the weekend. I remember I liked the movie in general and that Jay Mohr gave
a very good performance – he's just as becoming as Jennifer is. They do seem
like a perfect pair.

This could be a date movie: especially for a single young woman with career
ambitions (here it is in advertising), who thinks she can be self-sufficient
without any ties or warmth from others, including mom. It is very much a
city woman movie. It is maybe for the 20 to 30 something's, yet there are
lessons in loving that anyone can take away with. Essentially, it is about
how we can take for granted the people around us and not realize the little
things in life that are free and in abundance for us to receive and enjoy –
if we would only open our eyes, pause – truly listen, and let the heart do
the rest.

Trivia: There was a play on the movie title as it first appears and appears
again. Ha! Have fun and enjoy.