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Holly Hunter, sexy and unafraid of a tight close-up at age 40, as the left-behind wife who reclaims at least parts of herself after divorcing her meathead cardiologist husband (Martin Donovan).

Danny DeVito as an also-divorced sweet soul, delivering a believably vulnerable love interest.

And Queen Latifah, injecting pure spunk and (rap-free)jazz vocals.

Rare, extended scenes, with two people just sitting and talking, thanks to Richard LaGravenese's script (with help from Anton Chekov's short stories).

And finally, an even rarer ending, where every character is NOT ushered off screen into a neatly-wrapped-happy-ending sunset.

I just watched this film for the 5th time and am more impressed every time. What seems to some a disjointed story with no plot seems to me to be the reality of life. People can't really see the connectedness of the events of their lives while they experience them. This film had that reality. The characters all experienced loneliness, loneliness had no connection to status or any other social differences. They are all trying to connect and ultimately they need to connect with themselves and their dreams. On first viewing I was perplexed by the dance scene. Now I see it as the main character finding and accepting herself. It was a refreshing awakening. It was good to be reminded that to get a life one needs to continue to experience life. A film for all those who hurt or celebrate relationships and want to get a life.

Writer turned writer-director Richard LaGravenese made 1998's "Living Out Loud", which follows the intersection of the lives of two people emotionally lost in the big city. Holly Hunter plays Judith, a feisty and freshly divorced woman in her early forties with an overactive imagination. Danny DeVito plays Pat, a depressed and proud elevator attendant with emotional baggage all his own. After they share words a friendship gingerly begins to form. The creative casting of the fabulous Holly Hunter and the frequently under-appreciated dramatic talents of Danny DeVito is only the beginning of the special qualities of "Living Out Loud". This is a mature study of adult relationships, especially of those that have tried, failed, and are left emotionally crippled. It's an intimate, quiet film about regular people made with so many genuine moments and with such winning results that one can only be reminded how infrequently a film like this comes along. It might not be that clever comedy the DVD suggests, but in a way the false advertising makes it that much more of a find.

I saw this film years ago with my parents. I wasn't thrilled to be going to see a movie about a woman whose husband leaves her and she thus has to find herself.

But I was shocked when I saw the film and realized just how original it really is. There have been many films that have featured the same material as this film, however "Living Out Loud" is such an original take on a genre of film that has been overdone.

Queen Latifah made her mark in quality acting with this film. In my opinion, she deserved the Oscar nomination more for this film than she did for "Chicago". She brought life to the film, and her characters story is a movie in itself.

Even the cheesiest scene in the film is fun to watch. Holly Hunter begins to dance, while everyone dances in sequence to her behind her. However, this action fits in the film and with the character. For some reason it's beleiveable that she would actually do soemthing like this.

I really do think people should go out and rent this little seen movie. It's worth the money and time.

This film was a hard one to market--it's about a woman's journey of self-discovery after divorcing her husband. It came out in 1998 with a confused ad campaign and disappeared very quickly. It's a real shame because it was one of the best films on 1998. All the acting is excellent, there are some great songs mostly sung by Queen Latifah and there's a very exciting sequence between Hunter and a masseur (played by a very handsome, muscular actor named Eddie Cibrian). There's no real strong storyline--it's basically about how Hunter tries various ways to get on with her life after her divorce. The film jumps from fantasy to reality seamlessly, has sharp dialogue and realistic situations. It's never dull--there are countless great moments (the sequence with Cibrian; her encounter behind a door in a club; the dancing sequence at a lesbian bar; all of Queen Latifah's singing) and has an uplifting, unexpected ending. A great movie all the way around. If you haven't seen it, do so. You won't be disappointed.