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A Life Less Ordinary
A Life Less Ordinary
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A Life Less Ordinary
Theatrical release poster
Directed byDanny Boyle
Written byJohn Hodge
Produced byAndrew Macdonald
Starring
CinematographyBrian Tufano
Edited byMasahiro Hirakubo
Music byDavid Arnold
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release date
  • 24 October 1997 (1997-10-24)
Running time
103 minutes[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom[2]
LanguageEnglish
Budget$12 million[3]
Box office$14.6 million[4]

A Life Less Ordinary is a 1997 British romantic black comedy fantasy film directed by Danny Boyle, written by John Hodge, and starring Ewan McGregor, Cameron Diaz, Holly Hunter, Delroy Lindo, Ian Holm and Dan Hedaya. The plot follows two angels (Hunter and Lindo) who are sent to Earth to help make a disgruntled kidnapper (McGregor) and his hostage (Diaz) fall in love.

The film received mixed reviews and was unsuccessful at the box office, only grossing $14.6 million worldwide against its $12 million budget.

Plot

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In Heaven, angels are tasked with ensuring that mortals on Earth find love. The "Captain", Gabriel, is upset at reviewing the file of angel partners O'Reilly and Jackson, all of whose recent cases have ended in divorce or misery. He introduces a radical new incentive: if their next pair does not fall, and stay, in love (which Gabriel admits is a tough case), O'Reilly and Jackson must stay on earth forever.

Celine Naville is the spoiled twenty-something daughter of a wealthy businessman, and Robert Lewis is a janitor employed in her father's company. After being fired and replaced by a robot, Robert drowns his sorrows at a local bar. His girlfriend Lily later tells him she is leaving him for her aerobics instructor.

Believing that shared peril will bring them together, O'Reilly and Jackson pose as collection agents to repossess Robert's things and evict him from his apartment. Robert storms into Mr. Naville's office and, after wrestling a gun from a security guard, he decides to kidnap Celine. He drives her to a remote cabin in the California woods but, even though she easily slips her restraints, she decides to stick around for the adventure and for revenge against her father, suggesting that they extort a huge ransom.

The angels pose as bounty hunters and contract with Mr Naville to retrieve Celine and kill Robert. Robert's first attempt to collect the ransom fails, but Celine encourages him. They go out to a bar, get drunk and sleep together. Afterwards, Robert reveals to Celine his recurring dream where they are both on a game show and she must shoot him through the heart with an arrow.

Robert makes a second demand for the ransom, with a letter written in Celine's blood. Mr Naville gives the angels the money, and they go to meet Robert in the forest. To their disappointment, he appears willing to let Celine go in exchange for the money before O'Reilly stops his getaway.

While O'Reilly and Celine wait by their car, Jackson takes Robert into the woods to execute him. Before he can, Celine decks O'Reilly, runs into the woods, and knocks Jackson out with a shovel. As Robert and Celine drive away, O'Reilly attacks them. To escape, Robert and Celine jump from the car, which careens off a cliff, with the money still inside.

Since they are short of money, Celine decides to rob a bank. The robbery goes smoothly until a security guard shoots at her. Robert pushes her out of the way, taking a bullet in the thigh. Celine hurriedly drives him back to the city to be operated on by Elliott, a dentist who had previously proposed marriage to her. A little later, when Robert regains consciousness, he is appalled to see Celine playing a sexual role-playing game with Elliott. A fight breaks out, and Robert knocks Elliot unconscious. As they drive away, Celine explains that she agreed to Elliot's request only so that he would help Robert. Hurt, Robert gets out of the car and walks away.

To get them back together, Jackson writes a love poem in Robert's handwriting and sends it to Celine. Overcome, she runs back to Robert and says he has won her heart. The angels' plan seems to work until Robert says he did not write it. Humiliated, Celine runs out again. Robert runs after her, but is too late: the angels, believing they failed, decide to make their Earth-bound lives bearable by kidnapping Celine for ransom.

Robert tracks Celine to their hideout. He knocks O'Reilly down and, struggling with Jackson, tells Celine he loves her. The door is kicked down by Naville's butler, Mayhew, who shoots the two angels in the head. Leaving Celine locked in the trunk, Naville and Mayhew drive Robert and the two angels' bodies to the cabin, planning to fake a murder-suicide.

In Heaven, Gabriel's secretary begs him to intervene. Gabriel eventually complies and phones God. A neighbor releases Celine from the trunk and, taking his gun, she runs to the cabin and confronts her father, while Mayhew holds Robert at gunpoint. Celine shoots Mayhew in the shoulder, the bullet somehow passing through Robert's heart en route but leaving him unharmed, just as he had dreamed.

O'Reilly and Jackson later come back to life. After Gabriel congratulates them on a successful case, the two angels hold hands as they prepare to return home, suggesting they have also found love together. Robert and Celine retrieve the suitcase full of money, and with it, they settle in a castle in Scotland, shown in the animated end credits.

Cast

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Production

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Most of the film was shot in Utah, which was chosen for its diverse locations. The scenes at the Naville mansion were filmed in Malibu, California.[5]

Reception

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Critical response

[edit]

A Life Less Ordinary has received mixed reviews from film critics. Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 41% based on 37 reviews, with an average score of 5.7/10. The site's critical consensus states "A Life Less Ordinary has an intriguing cast and stylish work from director Danny Boyle, but they're not enough to overcome the story's fatally misjudged tonal mishmash."[6] Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score in the 0–100 range based on reviews from mainstream critics, calculated an average score of 37% for the film, based on reviews from 22 critics.[7] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "C+" on an A+ to F scale.[8]

Andrew Johnson wrote in Time Out New York, "The outsiders' take on America that Boyle and screenwriter John Hodge bring to the film adds to its humour, as do subtle homages to other movies (including The Road Warrior, Reservoir Dogs and Raiders of the Lost Ark). Parts of Life lean toward the saccharine, and the ending could be stronger, but none of that prevents it from being one of the years' most charming date movies."[9]

Roger Ebert gave A Life Less Ordinary 2 out of 4 stars. He described the film as a "movie that never convinces us that it needed to be made." He goes on to call the plot a mess and states that it "expends enormous energy to tell a story that is tedious and contrived."[10]

Box-office performance

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The film opened up in theatres on 24 October 1997. During its opening weekend, the film ranked 9th overall by pulling in only $2,007,279. By the end of its run, the film grossed a total of $4,366,722 in the United States.[11] Internationally, the film made $10,345,675 for a worldwide total of $14,633,270.[4]

Adaptations

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The film was serialised as a full-length comic strip within leading British comic magazine 2000 AD, adapted by then-editor David Bishop and drawn by Steve Yeowell. Screenwriter John Hodge also wrote a novelisation of the film that was published by Penguin Books (ISBN 0-14-027215-1).

Scenes from the film were used in the music video for Beck's song "Deadweight", directed by Michel Gondry; the music video for Ash's song "A Life Less Ordinary", directed by Hammer & Tongs;[12] and the song "Don't Leave" by Faithless.

Soundtrack

[edit]
A Life Less Ordinary (Original Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
various artists
ReleasedOctober 14, 1997
GenreSoundtrack
Length66:39
LabelLondon Records
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStar[13]
UncutStarStarStarStar[14]

"Deadweight", a single by Beck,[15] was nominated for Best Song from a Movie at the 1998 MTV Movie Awards.[16]

See also

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
A Life Less Ordinary is a 1997 British-American romantic directed by and written by John Hodge. The story centers on Robert Lewis (), a down-on-his-luck janitor who, after being fired, kidnaps Celine Naville (), the spoiled heiress daughter of his former boss, only for their forced proximity to spark an unlikely romance; the narrative is framed and influenced by two irreverent angels, O'Reilly () and Jackson (), dispatched from heaven to ensure the couple falls in love as part of a divine quota. Produced by Andrew Macdonald under Figment Films and Channel Four Films, the movie was released theatrically on October 24, 1997, by 20th Century Fox, running for 103 minutes. With an estimated of $12 million, it earned $4.3 million at the domestic and $10.3 million internationally, for a worldwide total of approximately $14.6 million. The film marked Boyle's first Hollywood project and the third collaboration between him, Hodge, and Macdonald, following their successes with Shallow Grave (1994) and Trainspotting (1996). Upon release, A Life Less Ordinary garnered mixed critical reception, holding a 41% Tomatometer score from 37 reviews on , where the Critics Consensus notes its "intriguing cast and stylish work from director " but faults the "fatally misjudged tonal mishmash." It also earned a 6.3/10 average rating from over 38,000 user votes on . Roger awarded it 2 out of 4 stars, praising the performances of McGregor and Diaz while critiquing the contrived plot and excessive contrivances. The film's soundtrack, featuring eclectic tracks from artists such as ("Deadweight"), (the title song), and (""), was released by and contributed to its distinctive alternative vibe.

Synopsis

Plot

Robert Lewis, a disgruntled janitor and aspiring working in the basement of a wealthy businessman's , is abruptly fired and replaced by an automated cleaning . After being dumped by his girlfriend and evicted from his apartment, a desperate Robert storms into the office of his former boss, Naville, grabs a security guard's , accidentally shoots Naville in the leg, and impulsively kidnaps Naville's spoiled daughter, Celine, as a to demand ransom. Celine, who harbors resentment toward her overbearing father, finds the situation thrilling and decides to cooperate with Robert, taking an active role in managing the kidnapping and plotting their escape. Meanwhile, in a heavenly precinct depicted as a bureaucratic , angels O'Reilly and Jackson are reprimanded by their superior, Chief , for their poor track record in fostering successful human romances on , which contributes to high rates. Assigned to intervene in Robert and Celine's fates as part of a divine wager on versus chance, the angels descend to , posing as private investigators whom they convince Naville to hire for the rescue. As Robert and Celine flee across on a haphazard —hitchhiking through Utah's dramatic landscapes and hiding in motels—their relationship evolves from antagonism to affection through shared mishaps, including a botched prompted by Naville canceling Celine's credit cards. The angels shadow the pair, manipulating events to spark romance while grappling with earthly limitations, such as being fatally struck by a during a pursuit but later revived through divine means. Key moments highlight themes of fate versus , including a surreal fantasy sequence where and Celine perform a musical number in a dreamlike setting, and a playful "" game they invent to resolve decisions whimsically. Their journey culminates in an idyllic interlude in a remote mountain cabin, evoking a , interrupted by Naville and his henchmen crashing the ransom exchange. In the resolution, and Celine embrace true love and redemption, with the angels' intervention affirming divine orchestration amid human choice, culminating in a miraculous and union that settles the heavenly wager.

Cast

The principal cast of A Life Less Ordinary features a mix of rising stars and established performers whose versatile portrayals blend romantic tension with fantastical elements, contributing to the film's quirky tone. Ewan McGregor stars as Robert Lewis, a hapless janitor whose impulsive actions drive the central dynamic, bringing a mix of vulnerability and charm to the role. plays Celine Naville, the spirited daughter of a wealthy executive, infusing the character with feisty independence that complements the story's whimsical edge. portrays O'Reilly, one of the film's celestial interveners, delivering a sharp, no-nonsense intensity that grounds the supernatural aspects. embodies Jackson, O'Reilly's partner in the divine mission, with a commanding presence that adds depth to the otherworldly duo. appears as Naville, Celine's authoritative father, lending gravitas through his understated authority. rounds out the key ensemble as Gabriel, the overseer of the angelic operations, whose bureaucratic demeanor heightens the film's satirical take on fate. Supporting roles include as Elliot Zweikel, a hapless suitor entangled in the chaos, providing through his bewildered reactions; Ian McNeice as Mayhew, Naville's loyal assistant, who adds subtle layers of corporate absurdity; and as Al, one of the opportunistic criminals Robert encounters, contributing to the film's undercurrent of gritty humor. These performers enhance the ensemble's cohesion, allowing the black comedy-fantasy blend to thrive through their adept handling of both grounded and surreal moments. Casting emphasized on-screen chemistry to capture the film's romantic and fantastical sparks, with McGregor and Diaz paired following their breakout successes in Trainspotting and The Mask, respectively, to evoke an immediate, playful rapport between their mismatched leads. Similarly, Hunter and Lindo's dynamic as the angels was selected for its contrasting energies, amplifying the film's humorous take on interventionist fate. This assembly of versatile actors underscores the production's aim for a tone that balances irreverence with heartfelt whimsy.

Production

Development

Following the critical and commercial success of Trainspotting in 1996, director , producer Andrew Macdonald, and screenwriter John Hodge reunited for their next project, A Life Less Ordinary, marking a deliberate shift toward a lighter, more fantastical tone after the gritty realism of their previous collaboration. Boyle sought to experiment with genre blending, drawing on tropes while incorporating elements to create a zany caper infused with whimsy and romance. John Hodge penned the screenplay, adapting an original concept that subverted the kidnapping narrative by introducing divine intervention through angels tasked with fostering love between mismatched protagonists, influenced by classic screwball comedies and fantasy films like (1946). The writing process built on Hodge's established partnership with Boyle and Macdonald, evolving from initial ideas conceived shortly after Trainspotting's production wrapped in 1995, with the script completed in time for pre-production to commence in July 1996. Secured with a $12 million budget, the film's financing came from in the U.K. and Fox Searchlight Pictures (a division of 20th Century Fox) in the U.S., enabling key creative choices such as a mixed British-American cast and a tonal balance of kooky romance, quirky fantasy, and subversive humor. This setup allowed Boyle to explore themes of unlikely love under celestial pressure, setting the stage for while maintaining the team's signature stylistic flair.

Filming

Principal photography for A Life Less Ordinary commenced on September 30, 1996, and wrapped on December 5, 1996, spanning roughly ten weeks. The majority of filming occurred in to capture the film's road-trip narrative and expansive American vistas, with key sites including for urban exteriors, Layton for additional sequences, for desert landscapes, the Copper Pit Saloon, and Resort. The production team selected these diverse terrains to visually emphasize the protagonists' journey, including chase scenes amid arid expanses. Interiors for the Naville mansion were shot in , . Technical aspects incorporated practical effects to realize the fantasy elements, such as the angelic interventions; for instance, the sequence where nearly strikes in the road was filmed in reverse and edited accordingly in to achieve the desired motion. Coordinating the action-comedy stunts proved demanding in Utah's varied environments, requiring precise logistics for vehicle pursuits and outdoor setups. On-set experiences included challenges adapting to the remote locations, with later recalling his frustration during the shoot, including comments about that he regretted publicizing, which drew local media attention.

Reception

Critical Response

A Life Less Ordinary received mixed reviews upon its release, with critics praising elements of its cast chemistry and visual flair while frequently criticizing its uneven tone and contrived narrative structure. On , the film holds a 41% approval rating based on 37 reviews, with an average score of 5.7/10; the site's consensus notes that the intriguing cast and stylish direction from fail to overcome the story's "fatally misjudged tonal mishmash." Similarly, assigns it a score of 37 out of 100 from 22 critics, reflecting a predominance of mixed (50%) and negative (36%) assessments, with only 14% positive. Notable contemporary reviews highlighted both strengths and weaknesses. awarded it 2 out of 4 stars, describing the film as expending "enormous energy to tell a story that is tedious and contrived," with a plot that feels like a "mess" and scenes lacking clear purpose. In Variety, commended Boyle's "visually aware" exploitation of locations and moments of "real fun," such as Holly Hunter's comedic impersonation, but faulted the script for too many "half-realized ideas" that undermine emotional satisfaction and tonal consistency. The review echoed these sentiments, rating it 2 out of 5 stars and calling it a "shambolic" mix of whimsy and mayhem that disappoints after Boyle's earlier successes, though it praised the fantasy dance sequence and slick animated ending. Critics often discussed the film's blend of romance and fantasy, viewing it as a madcap that twists the idea of fate intervening to unite soul mates through , though the execution sometimes faltered in balancing whimsy with darker elements. The narrative's of class dynamics and pursuit of an idealized life—exemplified by the janitor's of a spoiled heiress—drew commentary on its commentary on mismatched expectations in relationships, but reviews rarely delved deeply into roles beyond noting Cameron Diaz's energetic portrayal of a bored, tenacious character. Retrospective views have occasionally reevaluated the film as an overlooked entry in Boyle's oeuvre. Some later appreciations position it as a cult favorite for its offbeat humor and memorable sequences, contrasting its initial commercial and critical underperformance. In 2025, amid announcements of Boyle and McGregor's collaboration on 28 Years Later, retrospectives such as a article praised the film's genre experimentation and potential, noting its exploration of themes like money's influence. The film garnered no major awards but received nominations and wins, including a nomination for Best Dance Sequence (shared by Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz) at the 1998 MTV Movie Awards, a win for Best British Actor for McGregor at the Empire Awards, and a nomination for the soundtrack's "Deadweight" by Beck at the MTV Movie Awards.

Box Office Performance

A Life Less Ordinary was produced on a budget of $12 million. The film earned $4,366,722 in North America and $10,345,675 internationally, resulting in a worldwide gross of $14,712,397. It premiered in the United States and on October 24, , opening in 1,208 North American theaters to a $2,007,279 weekend, ranking ninth at the . Despite high expectations following director Danny Boyle's success with Trainspotting, the film underperformed relative to its anticipated performance, particularly in the domestic market amid competition from other releases. Internationally, it found stronger appeal in , where Boyle's rising fame contributed to better results, though the overall run failed to fully recoup associated costs beyond production. The modest financial outcome marked a contrast to Trainspotting's success and influenced considerations for Boyle's subsequent projects.

Soundtrack and Adaptations

Soundtrack

The original soundtrack album for A Life Less Ordinary was released on October 14, 1997, by A&M Records, compiling 15 tracks with a total runtime of 66:39. It features contributions from prominent alternative and pop-rock artists of the era, including Beck with "Deadweight," Ash with the title track "A Life Less Ordinary," R.E.M. with "Leave," and Elvis Presley with a cover of "Always on My Mind," alongside acts like Sneaker Pimps, The Cardigans, and The Prodigy. The album's eclectic selection of upbeat and atmospheric songs was curated by director Danny Boyle to underscore the film's whimsical romantic comedy tone and fantastical elements. Several tracks from the album are prominently integrated into key scenes, enhancing the narrative's blend of humor, romance, and absurdity; for instance, Beck's "Deadweight" accompanies the end credits, while Ash's "A Life Less Ordinary" plays during a pivotal moment of character connection. The soundtrack also includes the original score composed by David Arnold, though his instrumental contributions are not featured on this vocal-heavy compilation album.
TrackTitleArtistDurationWriters/Composers
1Deadweight6:12, Michael Simpson, John King
2Love Is Here3:00
3A Life Less Ordinary4:18
4Velvet Divorce4:15, , Kelli Dayton, Ian Pickering
5Kingdom of Lies4:31, John Davis
6LeaveR.E.M.4:42, , ,
7Don't Leave3:57, Ayalah Bentovin,
8Oh5:50, Rick Smith
9War3:57,
10Always on My Mind3:39, Mark James,
11Peace in the Valley feat. Errol Thompson5:20D. Love, Love, Tonin, Errol Thompson
12Beyond the Sea2:54, Jack Lawrence
13Put a Lid on It2:40Tom Maxwell
14Deeper RiverDusted6:09, , Michael Bates
15Full Throttle5:02
The album achieved modest commercial performance upon release, reflecting the film's mixed reception but gaining appreciation for its diverse, era-defining tracks. Beck's "Deadweight," written specifically for the film, received a nomination for Best Song from a Movie at the 1998 . In the , the has experienced a resurgence through streaming platforms like , where user-generated playlists have sustained its among fans of 1990s alternative music, despite the absence of major reissues or remasters.

Adaptations

The film A Life Less Ordinary was adapted into a by John Hodge, published in 1997 by Faber & Faber. The book retells the story of the down-on-his-luck janitor Robert Lewis and the wealthy Celine Naville, incorporating elements of romance, crime, and intervention from the original . In 1997, the film was serialized as a comic strip in the British anthology 2000 AD, running for eight episodes from issue 1063 to 1070. Adapted by editor David Bishop with artwork by Steve Yeowell, the comic reimagines key plot elements, including the bungling angels O'Reilly and Jackson, within the publication's science fiction framework. The song "Deadweight" by Beck, featured on the film's soundtrack, received a promotional music video in 1997 directed by Michel Gondry. The video integrates clips from A Life Less Ordinary to align with its whimsical narrative, depicting Beck in surreal scenarios that echo the movie's themes of chance and romance. No official remakes, reboots, or stage adaptations of the film have been produced or announced as of 2025.

References

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