IMDb RATING
6.6/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
New York journalist visits her distant cousin for the first time to write an article about her hard life in the bayous of Louisiana. Journalist's wild drug addicted daughter just adds to ten... Read allNew York journalist visits her distant cousin for the first time to write an article about her hard life in the bayous of Louisiana. Journalist's wild drug addicted daughter just adds to tensions between two families' cultures.New York journalist visits her distant cousin for the first time to write an article about her hard life in the bayous of Louisiana. Journalist's wild drug addicted daughter just adds to tensions between two families' cultures.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 2 nominations total
Featured reviews
This is one of my favorite movies. Barbara Hershey is awesome. The portrayal of the bayou is very realistic, claustrophobic, eerie, and downright real. It's kind of a feminine Deliverance. I'm glad I saw this when it came out as it is hard to find now--not on DVD. Definitely worth it. Should have been up for a few Oscars. Why can't it be out on DVD? This is an important film also in that it shows there is more drama to the swamp as landscape that one would think with all the swamp creature movies out there. Yes, there really are creatures in the swamp, but there are also people, just like us. The brothers are also great and the cinematography is stupendous.
This movie is for all the people who were enthralled by Runaway Train and wondered what happened to its director. Well, he eventually made Tango and Cash; which has its time and place, but he also made this bonafide work of greatness. It isn't a kinetically fierce work of cinema like Runaway Train, but there is so much else here for the viewer to mull over. A character driven story where none of the characters are wholly endearing, but all of them are vulnerable and forgiveable. While the movie grips you with its stark examination of colliding cultures, it never for a moment lets you forget that everyone involved is a real person.
I agree with the previous poster that Shy People has definitely fallen through the cracks. It is haunting, and sometimes even a bit hard to watch. However the performances by Jill Clayburgh, Barbara Hershey and the supporting cast are awesome. Ever been to the bayou? I spent two years in Lousiana and explored the landscape every chance I got. I have to say that this film probably captures that life better than any I've ever seen. The clash between that isolated world, seemingly cut off from the rest of society, and that of Jill Clayburgh's classy New York existence is fascinating. On the surface, these two families have absolutely nothing in common, and yet, they somehow have a profound affect on one another. Since this film isn't on DVD, it can be hard to find. However if you do, don't miss it. It's one that tends to stay with you for a while afterward which seems to rarely happen these days.
Barbara Hershey was incredible as usual. This film will stay with you well after its over.
10Urshnabi
This film seems at first pretentious and then very thoughtful.
It begins as a shallow magazine photographer and her daughter travel deep into the Bayou to research their family history. As they meet and establish relationships with their cousins, the story evolves into a truly haunting display of modern life vs. isolation, and the ways in which people relate to each other. Barbara Hershey is especially excellent as a tough but deeply loving widow.
It begins as a shallow magazine photographer and her daughter travel deep into the Bayou to research their family history. As they meet and establish relationships with their cousins, the story evolves into a truly haunting display of modern life vs. isolation, and the ways in which people relate to each other. Barbara Hershey is especially excellent as a tough but deeply loving widow.
Did you know
- TriviaWas #4 on Roger Ebert's list of the Best Films of 1988.
- SoundtracksShy People
Written and Arranged by Tangerine Dream
Lyrics by Ron Boustead
Vocal Performance Arranged by Michael Bishop
Produced and Mixed by Michael Bishop and Barry Rudolph
- How long is Shy People?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $769,119
- Runtime1 hour 58 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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