Hope Springs
Encyclopedia
Hope Springs is a 2003 romantic-comedy film, based on the novel New Cardiff, by Charles Webb, about Colin (played by Colin Firth
), an English painter who comes to the United States
after a traumatic experience. It is there that he meets Mandy (Heather Graham), a nursing home worker who helps him get over the breakup between him and Vera (Minnie Driver
). It was not a success at the box office. In Britain it made just over £1 million. Criticism was also generally negative; the film receives only a 23% rating at Rotten Tomatoes
.
Oliver Platt
's role as the mayor
is anomalous: towns in New England
generally have no mayor and are governed instead by a town meeting.
While riding a double decker water ferry in one of the scenes, Colin and Mandy hold each other similar to the flying scene in the 1997 blockbuster movie, Titanic
.
, a patriotic town in Northeastern United States
in the fall time, he checks into a hotel showing clear signs of emotional distress. The hotel manager, Joanie (Mary Steenburgen
) sees the state he is in and calls over her friend Mandy to soothe him and take his mind off his troubles.
Colin and Mandy eventually fall in love with each other, Colin seeming to finally get over the loss of his fiancée Vera. Suddenly, Vera shows up in Hope and tries to get Colin back. Colin is no longer interested but Vera does not give up.
Later Colin visits Vera in her hotel room where she changes into her underwear but the fire alarm is set off. Mandy then sees the two together and assumes Colin took her back. Colin promises never to talk to Mandy if she gets a passport.
Vera finally accepts that she and Colin are over and becomes Queen of Hope at the town festival.
After Colin leaves Hope, Joanie tells Mandy that Colin's cousin was supposed to meet him but forgot to cancel the meeting and that she should pick him up at Hope Springs. When Mandy gets there she finds it is Colin and he proposes, giving her a gold engagement ring with their names on it.
Colin starts carrying her back to the hotel, where they pass and wave to Vera, Mr and Mrs Peterson and the residents of Shiny Shores where Mandy lives and works. During this time Mandy tells him that she is too heavy and warns him of hurting his back. When they finally get to the hotel and undress, Colin hurts his back despite Mandy's warnings.
Colin Firth
SirColin Andrew Firth, CBE is a British film, television, and theatre actor. Firth gained wide public attention in the 1990s for his portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the 1995 television adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice...
), an English painter who comes to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after a traumatic experience. It is there that he meets Mandy (Heather Graham), a nursing home worker who helps him get over the breakup between him and Vera (Minnie Driver
Minnie Driver
Minnie Driver is an English actress and singer-songwriter. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the 1997 film Good Will Hunting, as well as for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for her work in the television series The Riches.- Early life...
). It was not a success at the box office. In Britain it made just over £1 million. Criticism was also generally negative; the film receives only a 23% rating at Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.
Oliver Platt
Oliver Platt
Oliver James Platt is a Canadian-American actor. He is currently starring in the Showtime original series, The Big C with Laura Linney.-Early life:...
's role as the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
is anomalous: towns in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
generally have no mayor and are governed instead by a town meeting.
While riding a double decker water ferry in one of the scenes, Colin and Mandy hold each other similar to the flying scene in the 1997 blockbuster movie, Titanic
Titanic (1997 film)
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater and Billy Zane as Rose's fiancé, Cal...
.
Characters
- Colin Ware (Colin FirthColin FirthSirColin Andrew Firth, CBE is a British film, television, and theatre actor. Firth gained wide public attention in the 1990s for his portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the 1995 television adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice...
): Main character. British painter who is emotionally upset after receiving the news that his long time girlfriend Vera is getting married. - Vera Edwards (Minnie DriverMinnie DriverMinnie Driver is an English actress and singer-songwriter. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the 1997 film Good Will Hunting, as well as for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for her work in the television series The Riches.- Early life...
): British scheming girlfriend of Colin who travels to America to get Colin back. - Mandy (Heather GrahamHeather GrahamHeather Joan Graham is an American actress. She has appeared in such films as Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Lost in Space, Bowfinger, From Hell, Anger Management, and The Hangover...
): Free-spirited American nursing home attendant who tries to help out Colin and eventually becomes his love interest. - Joanie Fisher (Mary SteenburgenMary SteenburgenMary Nell Steenburgen is an American actress. She is best known for playing the role of Lynda Dummar in Jonathan Demme's Melvin and Howard, which earned her an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.-Early life:...
): Hotel owner and Mandy's best friend. - Fisher (Frank CollisonFrank CollisonFrank Collison is an American actor known to television audiences as the hapless telegrapher Horace Bing in the series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.-Early life:...
): Husband of Joanie, gives advice to Colin.
Plot
When Colin arrives in Hope, VermontVermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, a patriotic town in Northeastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the fall time, he checks into a hotel showing clear signs of emotional distress. The hotel manager, Joanie (Mary Steenburgen
Mary Steenburgen
Mary Nell Steenburgen is an American actress. She is best known for playing the role of Lynda Dummar in Jonathan Demme's Melvin and Howard, which earned her an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.-Early life:...
) sees the state he is in and calls over her friend Mandy to soothe him and take his mind off his troubles.
Colin and Mandy eventually fall in love with each other, Colin seeming to finally get over the loss of his fiancée Vera. Suddenly, Vera shows up in Hope and tries to get Colin back. Colin is no longer interested but Vera does not give up.
Later Colin visits Vera in her hotel room where she changes into her underwear but the fire alarm is set off. Mandy then sees the two together and assumes Colin took her back. Colin promises never to talk to Mandy if she gets a passport.
Vera finally accepts that she and Colin are over and becomes Queen of Hope at the town festival.
After Colin leaves Hope, Joanie tells Mandy that Colin's cousin was supposed to meet him but forgot to cancel the meeting and that she should pick him up at Hope Springs. When Mandy gets there she finds it is Colin and he proposes, giving her a gold engagement ring with their names on it.
Colin starts carrying her back to the hotel, where they pass and wave to Vera, Mr and Mrs Peterson and the residents of Shiny Shores where Mandy lives and works. During this time Mandy tells him that she is too heavy and warns him of hurting his back. When they finally get to the hotel and undress, Colin hurts his back despite Mandy's warnings.