L.A. Story (1991)
85%RT Audience Score: 75%
Awards & Nominations: 3 nominations
A romantic comedy that doubles as a love letter to the titular city, L.A. Story is Steve Martin at his silly, sweetly soulful best
L.A. Story is a movie that’s as quirky as it is heartwarming. Steve Martin’s comedic genius shines through in this romantic comedy that’s a love letter to Los Angeles. Sure, it may not be thematically consistent enough to be a classic, but it’s consistently entertaining and infused with off-kilter elements that make it a giddy fun ride. Plus, who doesn’t love a movie where the city itself is a character? If you’re looking for a movie that’s both hilarious and heartfelt, L.A. Story is definitely worth a watch.
Production Company(ies)
Ealing Studios, Michael Balcon Productions,
Distributor
TriStar Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Ambassador Hotel – 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
PG-13
Year of Release
1991
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Stereo
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 35m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Feb 8, 1991 Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 19, 1998
Genre(s)
Comedy/Romance
Keyword(s)
starring Steve Martin, Marilu Henner, Victoria Tennant, Sarah Jessica Parker, Richard E Grant, Susan Forristal, directed by Mick Jackson, written by Steve Martin, produced by Daniel Melnick, Michael I Rachmil, comedy, romance, PG-13, box office, budget, reviewed by Harper Barnes, Hank Gallo, Jay Boyar, Peter Rainer, David Ansen, Jeffrey M Anderson, Michael Sragow, John Ferguson, David Nusair, Cole Smithey, Urban Cinefile Critics, Alec B, Tim S, Thomas B, Martin D, Los Angeles, weatherman, electronic freeway sign, British journalist, vapid young model, California, love letter, silly, sweetly soulful, predictable weather, Tristar Pictures, Surround sound mix
Worldwide gross: $28,862,081
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $63,709,901
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,227
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 6,947,645
US/Canada gross: $28,862,081
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $63,709,901
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 964
US/Canada opening weekend: $6,616,915
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $14,606,119
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 804
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Victoria Tennant – Sara McDowel
Richard E. Grant – Roland Mackey
Marilu Henner – Trudi
Sarah Jessica Parker – SanDeE*
Susan Forristal – Ariel
Director(s)
Mick Jackson
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Daniel Melnick, Michael I. Rachmil
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (43) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (40) | Rotten (3)
This is a wonderful movie.
April 20, 2021
Harper Barnes
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
Granted, there are some memorable, big laughs here but the movie that surrounds them is largely forgettable.
April 20, 2021 | Rating: 2/4
Hank Gallo
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
If L.A. Story isn’t thematically consistent enough to qualify as a classic, it’s still consistently entertaining.
April 20, 2021
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
Despite the film’s antic, hallucinatory shimmer, there’s something heartfelt and substantial at its core.
April 20, 2021
Peter Rainer
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Martin’s customary wackiness seems strangely curbed and L.A. Story, while certainly not without its moments never quite adds up to the sum of its parts.
April 20, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Jo Berry
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
More to the point, L.A. Story is giddy fun.
February 6, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
As one of Martin’s original screenplays, it’s a clear representation of his loves and his particular comic genius.
November 13, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
A romantic Hellzapoppin’ in a cushy milieu, this movie rivals prime Preston Sturges: “L.A. Story” is Martin’s “Palm Beach Story.”
April 20, 2021
Michael Sragow
San Francisco Examiner
Steve Martin’s romantic comedy is a warm-hearted salute to Los Angeles pretensions. It boasts just enough quirkiness to satisfy any of his fans who were worried that he might be selling out and abandoning his “wild and crazy” persona.
April 20, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
John Ferguson
Radio Times
…infused with a whole host of appealingly off-kilter elements…
December 23, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
March 8, 2008 | Rating: 3/5
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com
It’s witty, irreverent and entertaining, this love story penned by Steve Martin, in which LA is a tangible character.
May 5, 2007
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile…
Plot
Harris K. Telemacher is a “wacky weekend weatherman” for a local Los Angeles television station, who is searching for meaning in his otherwise cliché ridden Los Angeles life. With the help of an insightful and talkative Freeway sign, Harris embarks on a journey through Los Angeles in pursuit of Sarah, an English reporter who has been sent to the City of Angels to research an article for the London Times.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny comment about the film L.A. Story on Fresh Kernels.
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