North (1994, Elijah Wood, Jason Alexander)

Rob Reiner, whose credits include Misery, Spinal Tap and Stand By Me, directs this unique comedy starring ELIJAH WOOD star as North, an eleven-year-old who, feeling his parents don’t appreciate him enough, sets a legal precedent by divorcing them. However, judge ALAN ARKIN sets a caveat on his historic ruling – North has three months to find new parents or he must return to his old family or, even worse, go into an orphanage.

So begins North’s global quest for the ideal parents, from Texas, where he meets oil billionaire DAN AYKROYD via Alaska, Africa, France and New York, always shadowed by a mysterious figure in many disguises who may be his guardian angel or his nemisis (played by BRUCE WILLIS who is also the narrator).

But when his parents convince him they really do love him and really do want him back, North’s decision to return home puts his life in danger – because his friend Winchell (MATTHEW McCURLEY) and lawyer Arthur Belt (JON LOVITZ) are set to make a killing from taking on the cases of thousands of other kids who want to leave their parents and North’s returning home will be bad for business. And there’s only one way to stop him getting home.

Reiner’s film opened to mixed reviews – there was praise for the way North’s quest subtly shows the little truths that lead him back home and Reiner’s directorial flair carries some of the more bizarre plot turns that a lesser director would havve fluffed but North is best viewed as a curiousity in a brilliant director’s career rather than one of his benchmark films and, let’s be honest, even the greats like Spielberg, Huston, Hitchcock and Welles, to name just four, have made films that were flawed.

production details
USA | 87 minutes | 1994

Director: Rob Reiner
Script: Alan Zweibel Andrew Scheinman

cast
Elijah Wood as North
Jason Alexander as North’s Dad
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as North’s Mom
Jon Lovitz as Arthur Belt
Bruce Willis as Narrator
Alan Arkin as Judge Buckle
Dan Aykroyd as Pa Tex
Reba McEntire as Ma Tex
Graham Greene as Alaskan Dad
Kathy Bates as Alaskan Mom
Alan Rachins as Defense Attorney
Abe Vigoda as Alaskan Grandpa
Alexander Godunov as Amish Dad
Kelly McGillis as Amish Mom
Faith Ford as Donna Nelson
John Ritter as Ward Nelson
Scarlett Johansson as Laura Nelson
Keone Young as Governor Ho
Lauren Tom as Mrs. Ho
Richard Belzer as Barker
Rosalind Chao as Chinese Mom
George Cheung as Chinese Barber
Ayo Adejugbe as African Dad
Darwyn Carson as African Mom
Jesse Zeigler as Bud Nelson
Matthew McCurley as Winchell
Tyler Gurciullo as Stewart
Robert Costanzo as Al
Ben Stein as Curator
Maud Winchester as Stewart’s Mom
Fritz Sperberg as Stewart’s Dad
Jussie Smollett as Adam
Glenn Walker Harris Jr. as Jeffrey Smith
Ryan O’Neill as Andy Wilson
Tony T. Johnson as Steve Johnson
Audrey Klebahn as Secretary
Philip Levy as Panhandler
Dan Grimaldi as Hot-Dog Vendor
Marvin Braverman as Waiter
Wendle Josepher as Ticket Agent
Carmela Rappazzo as Receptionist
Jordan Jacobson as Vice President
James F. Dean as Dad Smith
Nancy Nichols as Mom Jones
Kim Delgado as Dad Johnson
Mitchell Group as Dad Wilson
Chuck Cooper as Umpire
Peg Shirley as Teacher
Alana Austin as Sarah
Taylor Fry as Zoe
Alan Zweibel as Coach
Donavon Dietz as Assistant Coach
Lucy Lin as Female Newscaster
Marla Frees as D.C. Reporter
Robert Rigamonti as D.C. Reporter
Brian Levinson as Kid At Airport