Nicole Holofcener, writer/director of the critically acclaimed Walking and Talking, shifts her focus from New York to Los Angeles for her second feature, Lovely & Amazing. Jane Marks (Brenda Blethyn of Secrets and Lies) is a middle-aged woman who's about to undergo liposuction. She has three daughters. Michelle (Catherine Keener) is a cynical, self-involved, would-be artist in an unhappy marriage. Elizabeth is a struggling actress who constantly takes in stray dogs. Her insecurities about her attractiveness come to the fore when she blows a screen test with a big movie star, Kevin (Dermot Mulroney). The youngest of the Marks sisters, Annie (Raven Goodwin), is an overweight eight-year-old African-American girl whose birth mother was an addict. Jane has adopted Annie, and is determined to provide her with a better life. Jane has a crush on her suave surgeon (Michael Nouri of Flashdance), but her family is thrown into chaos when complications arise during her outpatient procedure, and she's forced to stay in the hospital. Michelle, pressured by her husband (Clark Gregg) to take some financial responsibility for raising their young daughter, eventually gets a part-time job working in a one-hour photo booth, where she meets Jordan (Jake Gyllenhaal), a misfit teen who awkwardly flirts with her. Elizabeth's boyfriend, Paul (James LeGros), who seems to disapprove of the entertainment industry, leaves her. Annie eats compulsively and misbehaves. When the family is faced with a series of crises, relationship patterns that had solidified over the years subtly begin to change. A festival favorite, Lovely & Amazing has been shown at the 2001 Telluride Film Festival, the 2001 Toronto International Film Festival, and the 2002 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

Catherine Keener - Michelle Marks
Brenda Blethyn - Jane Marks
Emily Mortimer - Elizabeth Marks
Raven Goodwin - Annie Marks
Jake Gyllenhaal - Jordan

2002	Best Actress (nominee)	Independent Spirit Awards	Catherine Keener
2002	Best Debut Performance (nominee)	Independent Spirit Awards	Raven Goodwin
2002	Best Director (nominee)	Independent Spirit Awards	Nicole Holofcener
2002	Best Screenplay (nominee)	Independent Spirit Awards	Nicole Holofcener
2002	Best Supporting Actress (winner)	Independent Spirit Awards	Emily Mortimer

Nicole Holofcener's witty personal \drama Lovely & Amazing comes to DVD in a standard-issue release from Vidmark. The film is justly presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. It also comes with an audio commentary from writer/director Holofcener, Spanish subtitles, and English closed captions. Interviews with Catherine Keener, Holofcener, and other cast and crew members reveal production details. The only other bonus features are storyboards and the original theatrical trailer in anamorphic widescreen. Though light on the extras, this disc offers a solid presentation of a underrated film that only received a limited theatrical release. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

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