Singles (1992)
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Disconnected single people in Seattle form their own unspoken family while navigating the precarious romantic lives of the grunge era.
The story
Set in Seattle, Washington, at the start of the 1990s grunge phenomenon, the film follows the precarious romantic lives of a group of twentysomethings. Most of the characters dwell in an apartment block with a sign advertising "Singles" studio apartments for rent. The story is divided into chapters, focusing on the rocky romances of two specific couples, as well as the love lives of their friends and associates. Central to the narrative is Janet Livermore, a coffee-bar waitress who fawns over Cliff Poncier, an aspiring grunge rock musician, alongside the lives of Linda Powell, Steve Dunne, and Debbie Hunt.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Set in Seattle during the early 1990s grunge movement, the film explores the lives of various single people living in an apartment block. The narrative is structured in chapters, highlighting the romantic struggles of several individuals. Janet Livermore, a waitress, is infatuated with Cliff Poncier, a musician in the band Citizen Dick. Meanwhile, Linda Powell and Steve Dunne are a couple struggling with their commitment to one another, and Debbie Hunt is searching for a suitable partner. The film captures the atmosphere of the city, featuring real-life musicians from the grunge scene. The story emphasizes the theme of single people instinctively needing to be together to create a sense of family. The film includes various vignettes of these characters' lives, including scenes at local coffee shops and concert venues, ultimately portraying the interconnectedness of these individuals in a specific cultural moment.
- First release year
- 1992
- Runtime (minutes)
- 99
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Cameron Crowe
- Writers
- Cameron Crowe · writer
- Cast and characters
- Bridget Fonda · Janet Livermore; Campbell Scott · Steve Dunne; Kyra Sedgwick · Linda Powell; Sheila Kelley · Debbie Hunt; Jim True-Frost · David Bailey; Matt Dillon · Cliff Poncier; Bill Pullman · Dr. Jeffrey Jamison; James LeGros · Andy
- Genres
- romantic comedy
- Themes
- community; loneliness; family; romance
- Tone and mood
- naturalistic; scruffy; whimsical
- Premise and plot tags
- ensemble; grunge; romantic comedy
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics and had moderate box office success, grossing over $18 million. It was praised for its naturalistic style and as a time capsule of the grunge era, though some critics found its structure disorganized.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 79% · review count: 53; Metacritic · score: 71 · scale: 100 · review count: 24
- Awards and nominations
- AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions · Nominated · 2002 · Nominated
- Production trivia
- Cameron Crowe claimed that Singles inspired the television series Friends.; Most of Matt Dillon's wardrobe in the film actually belonged to Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament.; The film's central coffee shop was the now-closed OK Hotel.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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