Mystic Pizza (1988)

Director:

Donald Petrie

Writers (WGA):

Amy Holden Jones (story)
Amy Holden Jones (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

21 October 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A romantic comedy with the works.

Plot:

Three teenage girls come of age while working at a pizza parlor in Mystic Connecticut.

Plot Keywords:

Teen Angst | Affection | Summer | Public Nudity | Small Town

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Annabeth Gish	...	Kat Arujo
Julia Roberts	...	Daisy Arujo
Lili Taylor	...	Jojo
Vincent D'Onofrio	...	Bill (as Vincent Phillip D'Onofrio)
William R. Moses	...	Tim Travers
Adam Storke	...	Charles Gordon Windsor, Jr.
Conchata Ferrell	...	Leona
Joanna Merlin	...	Mrs. Arujo
Porscha Radcliffe	...	Phoebe Travers
Arthur Walsh	...	Manny
John Fiore	...	Jake
Gene Amoroso	...	Mr. Barboza
Sheila Ferrini	...	Mrs. Barboza
Janet Zarish	...	Nicole Travers
Louis Turenne	...	Hector Freshette

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | Singapore:NC-16 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Sweden:Btl | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Connecticut, USA

Company:

Night Life Inc.

Trivia:

This movie marks Matt Damon's feature film debut. Ben Affleck also auditioned for the role.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: During the bar pool scene, Charlie doesn't make the solid orange ball, but when Daisy runs the table and eventually wins the game she doesn't sink the orange ball either.

Quotes:

Katherine: [almost runs into Daisy, while holding a hot pizza] Watch it, Daisy!
Daisy: What? Think I got eyes in my butt?
Katherine: That's where your brains are!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in I Really Hate My Job (2007)

Soundtrack:

THESE ARE THE TIMES TO REMEMBER

one of the minor defining movies of my generation

This was one of THE slumber party movies when I was in high school, and fourteen years later I still enjoy it. Of course now I realize what a jerk the married man is from the first time he looks THAT WAY at Kat, and I'm a little surprised (although I married young myself) to see young marriage portrayed positively in a major motion picture. It's also refreshing to see Julia Roberts before she acquired the required Hollywood Superstar Anorexic Look.

Some of the scenes that make me laugh as much now as they did when I was 15: The Porsche full of fish, and JoJo's parents' and boyfriend's reaction when JoJo and Bill are caught in a compromising position. This film has some very tender moments as well. A warning, however: the last line will probably make you groan.

It's not terribly deep, and it's not going to win the Palme D'Or. But it's well worth putting in the VCR on a quiet evening when your husband's out or your girlfriends are over.