Molly Gunn, the freewheeling daughter of a deceased rock legend, is forced to get a job when her manager steals her money. As nanny for precocious Ray, the oft ignored daughter of a music executive she learns what it means to be an adult while teaching Ray how to be a child.
Credits: TheMovieDb.
Film Cast:
- Molly Gunn: Brittany Murphy
- Ray Schleine: Dakota Fanning
- Ingrid: Marley Shelton
- Huey: Donald Faison
- Neal: Jesse Spencer
- Mr. McConkey: Austin Pendleton
- Roma Schleine: Heather Locklear
- Briefs Model: Will Toale
- Nurse: Marceline Hugot
- Julie: Pell James
- Party Guy: Quddus
- Party Guy: Russell Steinberg
- Fisher Stevens: Fisher Stevens
- Ballet Teacher: Susanna Frazer
- Holly: Wynter Kullman
- Kelli: Amy Korb
- Woman: Geraldine Bartlett
- Rock Star: Mark McGrath
- Rock Star: Dave Navarro
- Auction Hippie: Peter James Kelsch
- Auctioneer: Edmund Genest
- Burly Man: Greg Baglia
- Cashier: Angelina Hong
- Hot Dog Vendor: Rocco Musacchia
- Christie’s Rep: Edward Hibbert
- Celebrity Date: David Wells
- Limo Driver: Ramsey Faragallah
- Elke: Tania Deighton
- Executive: Tom Reilly
- Executive: Reed Birney
- Executive: Polly Adams
- Admissions Counselor: Laurine Towler
- Mr. Feldman: Martin Shakar
- Housemaid: Valentina McKenzie
- Moving Man: Wayne Gurman
- Old Lady: Susan Willis
- Phone Rep: A.D. Miles
- Store Manager: Maria Finglas
- Street Sweeper: Philip Levy
- Tony (Doorman): Anthony J. Ribustello
- Celebrity: Brian Friedman
- Celebrity: Nas
- Celebrity: Carmen Electra
- Celebrity: Duncan Sheik
- Screaming Teen: Dana Klein
- Screaming Teen: Samantha Toohey
- $2500 Man: Jeremy Petardi
Film Crew:
- Executive Producer: Boaz Yakin
- Screenplay: Julia Dahl
- Director of Photography: Michael Ballhaus
- Producer: Allison Jacobs
- Screenplay: Mo Ogrodnik
- Screenplay: Lisa Davidowitz
- Original Music Composer: Joel McNeely
- Editor: David Ray
- Executive Producer: Joseph M. Caracciolo Jr.
- Producer: John Penotti
- Producer: Fisher Stevens
- Executive Producer: Tim Williams
- Casting: Ali Farrell
- Casting: Laura Rosenthal
- Production Design: Kalina Ivanov
- Art Direction: Frank White III
- Set Decoration: Pamela Roy-Stasney
- Costume Design: Sarah Edwards
- Makeup Artist: Tricia Sawyer
- Assistant Art Director: Toni Barton
- Sound Recordist: Robert Carr
- Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Chris David
- Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Marshall Garlington
- Supervising Sound Editor: Robert Hein
- Sound Recordist: Kim Maitland
- Sound Effects Editor: Glenfield Payne
- Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Ken Teaney
- Sound Editor: David Wahnon
- Co-Executive Producer: Vicki Cherkas
Movie Reviews:
- Wuchak: Way more than a shallow “chick flick” romcom.
- RELEASED IN 2003 and directed by Boaz Yakin, “Uptown Girls” is a dramedy with a little romance about Molly (Brittany Murphy), a fun-loving 22 year-old who suddenly loses her inherited riches and is forced to become a nanny to a stoical neat-freak girl, Ray (Dakota Fanning). Heather Locklear plays Ray’s distant mother who’s an exec in the music biz while Jesse Spencer plays a hunky musician who gets signed. Marley Shelton and Donald Faison are on hand as friends of Molly.
- The first act didn’t do much for me, but at the halfway point something made me bust out laughing and I busted out four more times before it was over. More importantly, the movie is rich with quality mind/spirit food. Both Molly and Ray are broken people who handle their grief in opposite ways. And each has what the other needs to heal and escape their disorder.
- “Uptown Girls” boldly reveals that “meds” (drugs) cannot heal or deliver a person; the best they can do is help a person cope. In fact, they usually have negative side-effects, mentally and physically. Sadly, six years after the release of the film Murphy ironically died of cardiac arrest due to inadvertent overdoses of a mixture of over-the-counter & prescription drugs taken (they presume) for a respiratory infection. She was only 32.
- The flick encourages growing up and achieving true success through (1.) recognizing “golden connections” and taking advantage of them (after all, no one makes it alone, no one; they had help); and (2.) discerning and cultivating one’s special talent(s). I’d say more, but it’s better to see the movie, enjoy it, and quarry the gems for oneself.
- THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour 32 minutes and was shot in New York City (Manhattan & Brooklyn with studio work done in Queens). WRITERS: Julia Dahl, Mo Ogrodnik & Lisa Davidowitz wrote the script based on Allison Jacobs’ story.
- GRADE: B+