Sweet November (2001)
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A workaholic executive agrees to spend a month with a mysterious woman who promises to change his life.
The story
Nelson Moss is a workaholic advertising executive who meets Sara Deever, a woman very different from anyone he has met before, at the DMV. His attempt to get an answer from her on his driving test leads to her failing, as the instructor sees their interaction and believes it is she who is cheating. Sara beguiles Nelson and continually asks him to spend a month with her on the promise that she will change his life for the better. On the first night of November, after he is fired and dumped on the same day, she sleeps with him.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Nelson Moss, a workaholic advertising executive, meets Sara Deever at the DMV. After a mishap during his driving test, Sara convinces Nelson to spend a month with her, promising to change his life. They begin spending time together throughout November, falling in love while Nelson examines his past and befriends a child named Abner. Nelson eventually proposes to Sara, only to discover she has terminal non-Hodgkin lymphoma. To protect him from her impending death, Sara asks Nelson to leave. Despite his compliance, Nelson surprises her during Thanksgiving. They spend one more day together before Sara ultimately asks him to let her go so he can keep happy memories of her. She returns to her family to face her final days, leaving Nelson alone at a park entrance where they had one of their first dates.
- First release year
- 2001
- Runtime (minutes)
- 120
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Pat O'Connor
- Writers
- Paul Yurick · story; Kurt Voelker · story; Kurt Voelker · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Keanu Reeves; Charlize Theron; Jason Isaacs; Greg Germann
- Genres
- romantic drama
- Themes
- terminal illness; romance; sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- schmaltzy; doomed romance
- Premise and plot tags
- romance; drama; cancer; remake
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1968 film written by Herman Raucher
- Reception
- The film was panned by critics for being 'schmaltzy and manipulative' and for a lack of chemistry between the leads. It was also a box office disappointment, grossing $65.8 million against a $40 million budget.
- Awards and nominations
- Razzie · Worst Remake or Sequel · Nominated; Razzie · Worst Actor · Nominated; Razzie · Worst Actress · Nominated
- Production trivia
- The film reunites Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron, who previously starred in Devil's Advocate.; It is listed as one of the 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made in John Wilson's book.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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