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When a Man Loves a Woman | 
 enlarge | Director: Luis Mandoki
Actors: Andy Garcia, Meg Ryan, Ellen Burstyn, Tina Majorino, Mae Whitman
Studio: Walt Disney Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $9.99
Buy New: $4.55
You Save: $5.44 (54%)
New (44) Used (35) Collectible (3) from $3.95
Rating:  66 reviews
Sales Rank: 5523
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Letterboxed, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
DVD Layers: 1
DVD Sides: 1
Picture Format: Letterbox
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 126 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: 717951005465
ISBN: 0788818945
UPC: 717951005465
EAN: 9786305692577
ASIN: 6305692572
Theatrical Release Date: May 13, 1994
Release Date: February 15, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW, Factory Sealed items direct from the Studios. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. Quick International Airmail!
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Amazon.com essential video
When a Man Loves a Woman is a dumb title (not another classic pop song, please) for a very smart movie. A kind of gender-switch take on The Lost Weekend, it's about a woman (Meg Ryan) whose alcoholism almost destroys her family. That may sound like just another TV movie, but When a Man Loves a Woman is so authentic in detail and emotion, that everything about it seems fresh, urgent, and engrossing. That's because the film is grounded in the actual experience of co-writer Al Franken (assisted by Rain Man scripter Ronald Bass). Franken is best known for his affiliation with Saturday Night Live and Politically Incorrect, and as the author of Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot, and Other Observations. You may recall that Franken is the creator of Stuart Smalley, 12-step programmer extraordinaire. Well, if you want to know how Stuart was born, you can start here. This is no comedy, however. In fact, one of the most painful realizations comes when attractive, "good-time girl" Alice Green (Ryan) and her husband (Andy Garcia) begin to realize how much of a role alcohol played in their marriage and in bringing them together in the first place. The issues and experiences confronted in this movie go far beyond the stuff you see on Oprah. --Jim Emerson
Product Description
A woman's drinking problem puts her marriage and family life in danger.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: R
Release Date: 6-MAY-2003
Media Type: DVD
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| Customer Reviews: Read 61 more reviews...
 Everybody Hurts Sometimes..... August 24, 2008
Bobby Underwood (Bakersfield, California United States)
This subdued but tender and gut-wrenching look at two people who desperately love each other but find their marriage unravelling because of the bottle has two genuinely moving performances from Andy Garcia and Meg Ryan. At first quietly touching, and as it progresses, ultimately heartbreaking, it is like watching a terrible car crash in slow motion. You can't take your eyes away from the screen because you must know the fate of the family inside.
Written by Ronald Bass and Al Franken, the beautiful photography of Lajos Koltai is in contrast to the sad music score of Zbigniew Preisner, highlighting the difference between appearances and the real picture just beneath the surface. Director Luis Mandoki begins the film in romantic fashion but soon peels back the layers to expose a marriage in deep trouble.
Andy Garcia is amazingly good in an understated performance as a husband very much in love with a wife who has become a liitle too drunk a little too often. A pilot for a major airline, he has all the trappings of happiness. Two adorable little girls and a nice home, however, can offer no magic answers when he sees the woman he loves sliding and is at a loss what to do to stop it. Like any husband, Michael Green wants to fix things but can't admit he doesn't know how.
Meg Ryan is flawlessly genuine as his wife, Alice Green. A trip to Mexico to ease the supposed pressure prompting her to drink too much only puts a spotlight on how far she has fallen when a tragedy nearly occurs. But it is a moment alone with her oldest daughter which will finally force her into a treatment center. Rather than cliches, this film shows there are no easy answers. Michael is disquieted then shocked at just how much the children saw and knew about their mother's problem. Things of which he himself was unaware.
The underlying problems still remain when she returns and tries to readjust and you can truly feel the frustration of the coulple. Finally separating, Garcia is truly magnificent in scenes with the two young girls from Ryan's previous marriage he considers his own. Meg's finest moment in the film comes near the end and should have put her into Oscar contention. Tina Majorino as their older daughter and Lauren Tom as their babysitter deserve mention as well. Quietly played performances with the thoughtful intelligence you see more often in foreign films seemed to work against the picture's stars in this regard.
This film is ultimately about love and is quite romantic. It is a mature romance, however, devoid of pretense and not seen through rose colored glasses. A beautifully conceived drama which leaves a lasting impression on the heart and a film everyone should see.
Alcholism and Love July 28, 2008
Dr Heart (North Carolina)
I use this movie as a homework project for my college Abnormal Psychology students to help them learn how to diagnose alcholism (by documenting the symptoms protrayed) and see its devastating effects on people which it demonstrates with remarkable clarity and sobering impact. It also gives a decent glimpse into where the disorder comes from (eiology) and its treatment, but not near as clearly.
Of course, I love Meg Ryan in any movie, but here she plays her part well, as does Andy Garcia who shows both the healthy side of love and its unhealthy side when it rears its head as codependent enabling. Yes, such spouses are to be commended for "hanging in there" no matter what, but love alone is simply not enough. For you also have to deal with conflict to have a successful marriage. So the only area that I would have changed would be to show how Alice's (Meg's) new assertiveness can come together with their love to resolve their issues, and for Michael (Andy) to be able to love her while accepting her new strength without needing to always rescue and do things for her.
But in contrast to so many other movies who show everything magically coming together within one therapy session or "aha" insight, "When A Man" avoids the usual Hollywood fantasy to show a more realistic picture. For real change does take time and working through so very much. So all in all, this is an excellent, superb movie even if you don't have to write a case report on a mental disorder.
A Classic! June 28, 2008
BJ (East Peoria, IL United States)
Bought this for a girl! I've never actually watched this movie!
Only reviewing because Amazon asked to me review my purchases!
Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia, it must be good!
When a Man Loves a Woman April 6, 2008
Elizabeth Brown (Staples, MN USA)
I loved this movie! Andy Garcia and Meg Ryan were very good in this movie. Meg plays an alcoholic mother and Andy is her husband attempting to keep the family together during her rehab process. I thought the acting was very good, and the story line was captivating. Very enjoyable, but also will pull on your heartstrings.
 When a Man Loves a Woman March 26, 2008
Kelly (Littleton, Colorado)
36 out of 36 found this review helpful
I thought this was going to be a romantic comedy, but was disappointed to find this a dark and depressing drama. It is a story about how being an alcoholic can affect a family and the journey they have to take to stay together. Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia play a married couple, and Meg is the one with the alcohol addiction. The saying about hitting rock bottom would definitely apply to this film. The audience sees Meg slowly spiral completely out of control, and how low she has to go until she finally is ready to reach out for help. Her family has to come to terms with the fact that she will not be the same person she was as a drunk. When Meg emerges from rehab, everyone is on edge with her - not only her family, but friends and acquaintances too. Everyone has adjustments to make.
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