Ira and Abby
Encyclopedia
Ira and Abby is a 2006
romantic comedy
film directed by Robert Cary and released in the US by Magnolia Pictures
. The poignant love story stars Chris Messina
and Jennifer Westfeldt
(who also wrote the screenplay) in the title roles, and co-stars Fred Willard
, Frances Conroy
, Jason Alexander
, Robert Klein
and Judith Light
.
Ph.D. candidate with therapist parents. Black has been in an on-and-off relationship with Leah for the past nine years and is, as he confides to his therapist, unsatisfied with their relationship on many levels. It is implied that they two have the same conversation every time Black comes to the office. His therapist then informs him that their 12 years of doctor-patient relationship must come to a close as therapy clearly isn't helping him. The therapist encourages Black to be spontaneous, finish his dissertation, and do things he wouldn't normally do.
Ira goes to his favorite cafe and struggles (as usual) to order. After flip-flopping several times, he finally orders. While he's eating his meal, he looks across the street to see a gym
and remembers that Leah found him overweight
. After his meal, he goes to the gym and makes an appointment for a tour with the irritating receptionist and waits 45 minutes before Abby arrives to show him around.
Initially irritated with the long wait, Ira is soon struck by Abby's ability to be involved in other people's lives. She seems to know everyone at the gym and be a trusted source of advice and a good listening ear. She gives Ira a terrible tour, but they somehow hit it off and spend the next six hours talking in the unused yoga
room.
Through their conversation, Ira discovers that Abby lives with her parents who are musicians. She is a great believer in people's goodness and always wants to help others. At the end of their conversation, she proposes marriage
to Ira, who is initially shocked. After a bit though, he agrees and the two consummate
their engagement
in her office.
At the end of the day, both Ira and Abby return home to tell their parents of their engagement. Ira's parents are upset that it's not Leah, and Abby's are extremely excited and begin to plan their daughter's wedding
right away. Later that night, Ira and Abby talk about their future and make an agreement to have sex
every day.
The two marry on the patio
of Abby's family's brownstone in a small ceremony and spend the evening chatting inside. When they attempt to return to Ira's apartment to enjoy their wedding night
, the car they hired breaks down. Desperate to enjoy each other, the two take the subway from a bad neighborhood. They are mugged at gunpoint on the way, and Abby steps up to face the mugger and offer him the money he needs. Ira is scared at first, and then proud of his new wife.
Over the next weeks, Ira and Abby adjust to being married and enjoy shopping for their apartment. They attend the movies and awkwardly run into Leah, which brings Ira's worries about Abby to the front of his mind. The two begin marriage counseling. At the same time, Ira's mother and Abby's father begin to have an affair after Ira's mother begins a voice-over
career. When the families take a holiday picture (Abby's family's tradition), Ira learns that Abby was married twice before. Angry that she didn't tell him, Ira asks for and gets an annulment. After returning to Dr. Friedman (his old therapist) and realizing how much he loves Abby, Ira proposes again, and the two remarry.
After the second wedding, with the two ex-husbands in attendance, things seem to get better. One day, Abby meets Leah at the gym, and Leah confides in her that she misses her ex. Not realizing that she is talking about Ira, Abby offers her advice — that she should get in contact with him for closure. Not long after that, Abby goes to dinner with one of her ex-husbands. Ira is extremely worried, so he takes Leah up on her offer for drinks. The two go to her apartment and kiss. Guilt-racked Ira returns home to find Abby sobbing on their couch, afraid that he was cheating and emotionally rattled from her dinner. The next day, Leah and Abby meet for lunch and discuss their evenings. When Ira walks in to meet Abby, the two women realize that he is the man they are both talking about.
Following this latest escapade, Abby pulls all of the therapists that she, her parents, Ira, and Ira's parents have ever used into one room for a giant session. After a while, Ira and Abby realize that they can put their differences aside and love each other. The film ends with the two of them divorcing and vowing to love each other.
2006 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006...
romantic comedy
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
film directed by Robert Cary and released in the US by Magnolia Pictures
Magnolia Pictures
Magnolia Pictures is an American film distributor, and is a holding of 2929 Entertainment, owned by Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban. Magnolia was formed in 2001 by Bill Banowsky and Eamonn Bowles, and specializes in both foreign and independent films....
. The poignant love story stars Chris Messina
Chris Messina (actor)
Chris Messina is an American film and television actor.-Life and career:Messina was born in Northport, New York. He started his career as an off-Broadway actor. He has appeared in episodes of the television series Law & Order, Third Watch and Medium...
and Jennifer Westfeldt
Jennifer Westfeldt
Jennifer Westfeldt is an American actress and screenwriter known for the hit 2001 independent film Kissing Jessica Stein, which she co-wrote with Heather Juergensen and in which the two women starred.- Early life :...
(who also wrote the screenplay) in the title roles, and co-stars Fred Willard
Fred Willard
Fred Willard is an American actor, comedian, and voice over actor, best known for his improvisational comedy skills. He is known for his roles in the Christopher Guest mockumentary films This is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration as well as...
, Frances Conroy
Frances Conroy
Frances Conroy is an American actress. She is best known for playing Ruth, the matriarch of the Fisher family, on Six Feet Under, which earned her a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award.-Early life:...
, Jason Alexander
Jason Alexander
Jay Scott Greenspan , better known by his professional name of Jason Alexander, is an American actor, writer, comedian, television director, producer, and singer. He is best known for his role as George Costanza on the television series Seinfeld, appearing in the sitcom from 1989 to 1998...
, Robert Klein
Robert Klein
Robert Klein is an American stand-up comedian, singer and actor.-Early life:Klein was born in the Bronx, the son of Frieda and Benjamin Klein, and was raised in a "prototypical 1950s Bronx Jewish" environment. After graduating from DeWitt Clinton High School, Klein planned to study medicine...
and Judith Light
Judith Light
Judith Ellen Light is an American actress. Her television roles include Karen Wolek on the soap opera One Life to Live, Angela Bower on the sitcom Who's the Boss?, Claire Meade on ABC's TV series Ugly Betty and Judge Elizabeth "Liz" Donnelly on Law & Order Special Victims Unit.-Early life:Light...
.
Summary
The movie follows the story of Ira Black, a 33-year-old psychologyPsychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
Ph.D. candidate with therapist parents. Black has been in an on-and-off relationship with Leah for the past nine years and is, as he confides to his therapist, unsatisfied with their relationship on many levels. It is implied that they two have the same conversation every time Black comes to the office. His therapist then informs him that their 12 years of doctor-patient relationship must come to a close as therapy clearly isn't helping him. The therapist encourages Black to be spontaneous, finish his dissertation, and do things he wouldn't normally do.
Ira goes to his favorite cafe and struggles (as usual) to order. After flip-flopping several times, he finally orders. While he's eating his meal, he looks across the street to see a gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
and remembers that Leah found him overweight
Overweight
Overweight is generally defined as having more body fat than is optimally healthy. Being overweight is a common condition, especially where food supplies are plentiful and lifestyles are sedentary...
. After his meal, he goes to the gym and makes an appointment for a tour with the irritating receptionist and waits 45 minutes before Abby arrives to show him around.
Initially irritated with the long wait, Ira is soon struck by Abby's ability to be involved in other people's lives. She seems to know everyone at the gym and be a trusted source of advice and a good listening ear. She gives Ira a terrible tour, but they somehow hit it off and spend the next six hours talking in the unused yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
room.
Through their conversation, Ira discovers that Abby lives with her parents who are musicians. She is a great believer in people's goodness and always wants to help others. At the end of their conversation, she proposes marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
to Ira, who is initially shocked. After a bit though, he agrees and the two consummate
Consummate
Consummation or consummation of a marriage, in many traditions and statutes of civil or religious law, is the first act of sexual intercourse between two individuals, following their marriage to each other...
their engagement
Engagement
An engagement or betrothal is a promise to marry, and also the period of time between proposal and marriage which may be lengthy or trivial. During this period, a couple is said to be betrothed, affianced, engaged to be married, or simply engaged...
in her office.
At the end of the day, both Ira and Abby return home to tell their parents of their engagement. Ira's parents are upset that it's not Leah, and Abby's are extremely excited and begin to plan their daughter's wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
right away. Later that night, Ira and Abby talk about their future and make an agreement to have sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
every day.
The two marry on the patio
Patio
A patio is an outdoor space generally used for dining or recreation that adjoins a residence and is typically paved. It may refer to a roofless inner courtyard of the sort found in Spanish-style dwellings or a paved area between a residence and a garden....
of Abby's family's brownstone in a small ceremony and spend the evening chatting inside. When they attempt to return to Ira's apartment to enjoy their wedding night
Wedding Night
Wedding Night is a 2001 Canadian comedy film.-Plot:After winning a contest Florence and Nicolas set out to get married in Niagara Falls accompanied by their family and friends. No sooner do they arrive than the situation turns sour, and the couple decides to call the whole thing off...
, the car they hired breaks down. Desperate to enjoy each other, the two take the subway from a bad neighborhood. They are mugged at gunpoint on the way, and Abby steps up to face the mugger and offer him the money he needs. Ira is scared at first, and then proud of his new wife.
Over the next weeks, Ira and Abby adjust to being married and enjoy shopping for their apartment. They attend the movies and awkwardly run into Leah, which brings Ira's worries about Abby to the front of his mind. The two begin marriage counseling. At the same time, Ira's mother and Abby's father begin to have an affair after Ira's mother begins a voice-over
Voice-over
Voice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
career. When the families take a holiday picture (Abby's family's tradition), Ira learns that Abby was married twice before. Angry that she didn't tell him, Ira asks for and gets an annulment. After returning to Dr. Friedman (his old therapist) and realizing how much he loves Abby, Ira proposes again, and the two remarry.
After the second wedding, with the two ex-husbands in attendance, things seem to get better. One day, Abby meets Leah at the gym, and Leah confides in her that she misses her ex. Not realizing that she is talking about Ira, Abby offers her advice — that she should get in contact with him for closure. Not long after that, Abby goes to dinner with one of her ex-husbands. Ira is extremely worried, so he takes Leah up on her offer for drinks. The two go to her apartment and kiss. Guilt-racked Ira returns home to find Abby sobbing on their couch, afraid that he was cheating and emotionally rattled from her dinner. The next day, Leah and Abby meet for lunch and discuss their evenings. When Ira walks in to meet Abby, the two women realize that he is the man they are both talking about.
Following this latest escapade, Abby pulls all of the therapists that she, her parents, Ira, and Ira's parents have ever used into one room for a giant session. After a while, Ira and Abby realize that they can put their differences aside and love each other. The film ends with the two of them divorcing and vowing to love each other.
Reviews
- "Out of His Navel and Into a Life" - The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
- "Too-cute 'Ira & Abby' needs a little help" - The Boston GlobeThe Boston GlobeThe Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
- Cinematical
- Cinema Clock
External links
- Official site
- Trailer at AppleApple ComputerApple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad...
.com