The Next Best Thing
The Next Best Thing is a 2000 American comedy drama film directed by John Schlesinger and starring Madonna, Rupert Everett and Benjamin Bratt. It follows a woman who has a one-night stand with her gay best friend, which results in her giving birth to a son that the two attempt to co-parent over the ensuing years amidst a custody battle. It features supporting performances from Michael Vartan, Josef Sommer, Lynn Redgrave, Neil Patrick Harris, and Illeana Douglas. It was Schlesinger's final feature film before his death in 2003.
The Next Best Thing was released by Paramount Pictures on March 3, 2000. The film was a box-office bomb as it grossed $24.3 million against a $25 million budget and received overwhelmingly negative reviews from film critics. The accompanying soundtrack album was appreciated by music critics. Its lead single, "American Pie", topped the charts in various countries, including Everett's native United Kingdom, where Madonna extended her record as the female artist with most number-one songs in the country.
Plot
Two best friends—Abbie, a heterosexual woman, and Robert, a gay man—have a one-night stand, which leads to a pregnancy for Abbie. They decide to co-parent the child. Five years later, Abbie falls in love with a heterosexual man and wants to move away with him and Robert's son Sam, and a nasty custody battle ensues.Cast
Cast taken from Variety and Turner Classic Movies listing of The Next Best Thing.Production
The film began as an original screenplay titled The Red Curtain by Tom Ropelewski, which he intended to direct, with his wife Leslie Dixon to produce. It was announced to be made in 1995 with Richard Dreyfuss attached to star as Robert; he dropped out, then Helen Hunt was named as female lead to play Abbie. She was replaced by Madonna and then Rupert Everett signed on as star. Filming took place between April 23 and June 30, 1999. It later was claimed the script was rewritten extensively by Ryan Murphy and Rupert Everett.Release
distributed the film in North America while international sales were held by Lakeshore International. Buena Vista International acquired distribution rights from Lakeshore in most territories.Home media
On August 26, 2000, Billboard announced the film would debut on DVD and VHS from Paramount Home Entertainment, although spokespeople would not confirm it. The release debuted at number 20 on Billboards Top DVD Sales, and peaked at number 11 on the Top Video Rentals chart. The Philadelphia Inquirer gave two out of four stars.Reception
Critical response
Variety commented: "The Next Best Thing to a good movie is a well-intentioned one, and at the end of the day, that less-than-compelling consolation prize is about the best thing one can hand this resoundingly adequate Advanced Family Values comedy-drama". Roger Ebert gave the film one star out of four, stating: "The Next Best Thing is a garage sale of gay issues, harnessed to a plot as exhausted as a junkman's horse."Stephen Holden of The New York Times wrote of the film: "In its early scenes The Next Best Thing shows promise as a sophisticated screwball comedy about romantic love, parenthood and sexual orientation in contemporary Los Angeles. But about halfway through, the story takes a disastrous turn and heads away from comedy into the land of suds and sorrow. Any psychological credibility the movie has built up is quickly dissipated, as it turns into a stumbling, poor man's Kramer vs. Kramer."