How to Deal
Encyclopedia
How to Deal is a 2003
film
directed by Clare Kilner
and starring Mandy Moore
, Allison Janney
and Trent Ford
. It is based on two novels by Sarah Dessen
, That Summer
and Someone Like You.
) is a seventeen-year-old high school student who is disillusioned with love after seeing many dysfunctional relationships around her. Her parents are now divorced and her father, Len Martin (Peter Gallagher
), a radio talk show host, has a new young girlfriend that the entire family despises; mainly because she's the reason for the divorce. Her mother, Lydia (Allison Janney
), is now always alone while her sister, Ashley, is so overwhelmed by her upcoming wedding that she barely exists in the house anymore. On top of that, the shallowness of all the girls and guys at her school convinces Halley that finding true love is impossible.
When Halley walks in on her best friend Scarlett having sex with her boyfriend, the high school soccer champ, Michael Sherwood, Halley tries to warn her of the complications that lie ahead. Ignoring her advice, Scarlett embarks on a summer fling with Michael. In the meantime, Halley must deal with Ashley and the rest of the Martins must deal with her soon-to-be in-laws; Louis Worscher's overbearing Southern parents, who still have a maid, who just happens to be African-American. In the meantime, Halley runs into classmate Macon Forrester, a slacker who never shows up for biology and is more interested in having fun than school work. He is Michael Sherwood's best friend.
Then a few weeks later, tragedy strikes. Michael dies of a heart defect on the soccer field while Halley, Scarlett and other classmates watch helplessly. This event changes the lives of Halley and Scarlett forever. While Scarlett does her best to look beautiful for Michael at his funeral, Macon gives a moving speech about his friend. Struggling with Michael's death, Scarlett, at age sixteen, soon learns that she is pregnant with his child. With Halley at her side, Scarlett reveals the pregnancy to her mother.
Halley and Macon eventually start a relationship. It goes well until they get into a car accident on New Year's Eve. Halley gets a broken arm, but otherwise they both walk away from it unharmed, but Halley breaks up with Macon. Later things go awry when Halley finds Ashley drunk on the family's front porch. Finding a male stripper's thong around her neck, Halley witnesses the break-up of her sister's engagement. She also learns that her mother sneaks out once a week to have sex with a man she met a couple of weeks previous, Steve. After another make-up, Lewis proposes to Ashley again, this time at a crowded airport; she says yes. Halley's father, Len Martin marries his mistress, Lorna, in a beach-side ceremony, with guests from all over the world...or "within his radio frequency" as Halley puts it.
On the day of Ashley and Lewis' wedding, Macon bursts into their father, Len's radio studio, professing his apologies and love to Halley. He then heads to the wedding. On the way, he finds Scarlett, who insisted on walking to the wedding, going into labor on the side of the road. He puts her in the car and walks into the wedding, getting Halley's attention. The three rush to the hospital, leaving Scarlett's mother behind.
Scarlett gives birth to a baby girl, while Macon and Halley make up and decide to pursue their relationship, while dancing in the hallway.
and Canada
, ranking #8 at the box office, was the best debut for an Teen film that week. By the end of its run, How to Deal grossed $14,195,227 domestically and $112,905 internationally, totaling $14,308,132 worldwide.
2003 in film
The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
directed by Clare Kilner
Clare Kilner
Clare Kilner is a British film director. She is best known for directing the films How to Deal and The Wedding Date .-Credits:* Saplings * Half Day * The Secret...
and starring Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore
Amanda Leigh "Mandy" Moore is an American singer-songwriter, actress and fashion designer. Moore became famous as a teenager in the late 1990s, after the release of her teen pop albums So Real, I Wanna Be with You, and Mandy Moore. In 2007, she took an adult pop-folk direction with the release of...
, Allison Janney
Allison Janney
Allison Brooks Janney is an American actress, best known for her role as C.J. Cregg on the television series The West Wing.- Personal life :...
and Trent Ford
Trent Ford
Trent Ford is a British-American actor and model.-Biography:Ford was born in Akron, Ohio to a US Navy test pilot father and an English mother from Birmingham...
. It is based on two novels by Sarah Dessen
Sarah Dessen
Sarah Dessen is an American writer who lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.- Background :Sarah Dessen was born in Evanston, Illinois on June 6, 1970. She moved with her family to Virginia then North Carolina where she now resides with her husband, Jay, daughter Sasha Clementine, and dogs...
, That Summer
That Summer
That Summer is Sarah Dessen's first novel, published in 1996. The movie How to Deal is based on this novel as well as another one of Dessen's novels, Someone Like You....
and Someone Like You.
Plot
Halley Marie Martin (Mandy MooreMandy Moore
Amanda Leigh "Mandy" Moore is an American singer-songwriter, actress and fashion designer. Moore became famous as a teenager in the late 1990s, after the release of her teen pop albums So Real, I Wanna Be with You, and Mandy Moore. In 2007, she took an adult pop-folk direction with the release of...
) is a seventeen-year-old high school student who is disillusioned with love after seeing many dysfunctional relationships around her. Her parents are now divorced and her father, Len Martin (Peter Gallagher
Peter Gallagher
Peter Killian Gallagher is an American actor, musician and writer. Since 1980, Gallagher has played many roles in numerous Hollywood films. He starred as Sandy Cohen in the television drama series The O.C. from 2003 to 2007...
), a radio talk show host, has a new young girlfriend that the entire family despises; mainly because she's the reason for the divorce. Her mother, Lydia (Allison Janney
Allison Janney
Allison Brooks Janney is an American actress, best known for her role as C.J. Cregg on the television series The West Wing.- Personal life :...
), is now always alone while her sister, Ashley, is so overwhelmed by her upcoming wedding that she barely exists in the house anymore. On top of that, the shallowness of all the girls and guys at her school convinces Halley that finding true love is impossible.
When Halley walks in on her best friend Scarlett having sex with her boyfriend, the high school soccer champ, Michael Sherwood, Halley tries to warn her of the complications that lie ahead. Ignoring her advice, Scarlett embarks on a summer fling with Michael. In the meantime, Halley must deal with Ashley and the rest of the Martins must deal with her soon-to-be in-laws; Louis Worscher's overbearing Southern parents, who still have a maid, who just happens to be African-American. In the meantime, Halley runs into classmate Macon Forrester, a slacker who never shows up for biology and is more interested in having fun than school work. He is Michael Sherwood's best friend.
Then a few weeks later, tragedy strikes. Michael dies of a heart defect on the soccer field while Halley, Scarlett and other classmates watch helplessly. This event changes the lives of Halley and Scarlett forever. While Scarlett does her best to look beautiful for Michael at his funeral, Macon gives a moving speech about his friend. Struggling with Michael's death, Scarlett, at age sixteen, soon learns that she is pregnant with his child. With Halley at her side, Scarlett reveals the pregnancy to her mother.
Halley and Macon eventually start a relationship. It goes well until they get into a car accident on New Year's Eve. Halley gets a broken arm, but otherwise they both walk away from it unharmed, but Halley breaks up with Macon. Later things go awry when Halley finds Ashley drunk on the family's front porch. Finding a male stripper's thong around her neck, Halley witnesses the break-up of her sister's engagement. She also learns that her mother sneaks out once a week to have sex with a man she met a couple of weeks previous, Steve. After another make-up, Lewis proposes to Ashley again, this time at a crowded airport; she says yes. Halley's father, Len Martin marries his mistress, Lorna, in a beach-side ceremony, with guests from all over the world...or "within his radio frequency" as Halley puts it.
On the day of Ashley and Lewis' wedding, Macon bursts into their father, Len's radio studio, professing his apologies and love to Halley. He then heads to the wedding. On the way, he finds Scarlett, who insisted on walking to the wedding, going into labor on the side of the road. He puts her in the car and walks into the wedding, getting Halley's attention. The three rush to the hospital, leaving Scarlett's mother behind.
Scarlett gives birth to a baby girl, while Macon and Halley make up and decide to pursue their relationship, while dancing in the hallway.
Main cast
- Mandy MooreMandy MooreAmanda Leigh "Mandy" Moore is an American singer-songwriter, actress and fashion designer. Moore became famous as a teenager in the late 1990s, after the release of her teen pop albums So Real, I Wanna Be with You, and Mandy Moore. In 2007, she took an adult pop-folk direction with the release of...
- Halley Marie Martin - Allison JanneyAllison JanneyAllison Brooks Janney is an American actress, best known for her role as C.J. Cregg on the television series The West Wing.- Personal life :...
- Lydia Williams Martin - Trent FordTrent FordTrent Ford is a British-American actor and model.-Biography:Ford was born in Akron, Ohio to a US Navy test pilot father and an English mother from Birmingham...
- Macon Forrester - Alexandra HoldenAlexandra Holden-Life and career:Holden was born in Northfield, Minnesota, the daughter of Kristi and Barry Holden. She played film roles in Drop Dead Gorgeous as Mary Johanson and in Sugar & Spice as Fern Rogers. She also starred in the low budget slasher film Wishcraft.Holden has also had roles in TV and music...
- Scarlett Smith - Dylan BakerDylan BakerDylan Baker is an American actor, known for playing supporting roles in both major studio and independent films.-Early life:...
- Steve Beckwith - Nina FochNina FochNina Foch was a Dutch-born American actress and leading lady in many 1940s and 1950s films.- Personal life :...
- Grandma Williams - Mackenzie AstinMackenzie Astin-Biography:Astin was born on May 12, 1973, in Los Angeles, California, the son of actress Patty Duke and actor John Astin. His older half-brother is actor Sean Astin. He attended Ralph Waldo Emerson Middle School and University High School in Los Angeles, California...
- Lewis Gibson Warsher II - Connie RayConnie RayConstance "Connie" Ray is an American film and television actress and playwright. Among her highest profile appearances are Thank You for Smoking and Stuart Little , and the television drama ER...
- Marion Smith - Mary Garrison - Ashley Renee Martin
- Sonja SmitsSonja SmitsSonja Smits is a television actress who has played roles in many television series, including Falcon Crest, Airwolf, Odyssey 5, The Outer Limits, Street Legal, Traders and The Eleventh Hour.She also played Bianca O'Blivion in the David Cronenberg horror movie, Videodrome.Sonja went to Bell High...
- Carol Warsher - Laura Catalano - Lorna Queen
- Ray Kahnert - Donald Sherwood
- Andrew Gillies - Buck Warsher
- John WhiteJohn White (actor)John Michael White is a Canadian film, television and commercial actor. He began acting during the mid-1990s, appearing on the television series' Goosebumps where he acted on the second goosebumps episode The haunted mask 2 He potrayed the character, Steve. and The Adventures of Shirley Holmes,...
- Michael Sherwood - Alison MacLeod - Sharon Sherwood
- Bill LakeBill LakeBill Lake is a Canadian actor whose career began in Vancouver and who has appeared in many movies, television movies and series, stage plays and commercials....
- Ed - Charlotte SullivanCharlotte SullivanCharlotte Sullivan is a Canadian actress. Her first on-screen role was an extra in a Liza Minelli music video. She has had a starring role in The New Ghostwriter Mysteries and Harriet the Spy as well as smaller parts in How to Deal and Fever Pitch...
- Elizabeth Gunderson - Philip AkinPhilip AkinPhilip Akin is a Canadian actor who has been active for over thirty years in stage, film, and television. He has had featured roles in major American films such as The Sum of All Fears, S.W.A.T., and Get Rich or Die Tryin’...
- Mr. Bowden - Claire Crawford - Seamstress
- Ennis Esmer - Ronnie
- Thomas Hauff - Minister
- Peter GallagherPeter GallagherPeter Killian Gallagher is an American actor, musician and writer. Since 1980, Gallagher has played many roles in numerous Hollywood films. He starred as Sandy Cohen in the television drama series The O.C. from 2003 to 2007...
- Len Martin (uncredited)
Tracklisting
- Billy S.Billy S."Billy S." is a song recorded by Canadian musician Skye Sweetnam. The song was written by Cafaro, Konicek, Valentine, and Sweetnam, while it was produced by LCV and Sweetnam. It was released as her debut major label single in 2003, and is the first single from her album, Noise From the Basement...
- Skye SweetnamSkye SweetnamSkye Alexandra Sweetnam is a Canadian singer-songwriter, actress, and music video director. Skye first entered the mainstream in 2003 with the release of her debut single "Billy S." Over a year later, her debut album, Noise from the Basement, was released including the singles "Tangled Up in Me"... - Do You Realize??Do You Realize??"Do You Realize??" is a song by The Flaming Lips, released as the first single from their 2002 album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. It is widely considered to be one of the group's most accessible and popular songs...
- The Flaming LipsThe Flaming LipsThe Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What... - It's On The Rocks - The DonnasThe DonnasThe Donnas are an American all-female rock band from Palo Alto, California. They draw inspiration from The Ramones, The Runaways, AC/DC, Bachman–Turner Overdrive and Kiss. Rolling Stone has stated that "the Donnas offer a guileless take on adolescent alienation; they traffic in kicks, not...
- Why Can't I?Why Can't I?"Why Can't I?" is the first single off Liz Phair's 2003 self-titled album, Liz Phair. It reached number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100, Phair's highest-charting single to date.The B-sides are "Jeremy Engle" and "Fine Again"....
- Liz PhairLiz PhairPhair's entry into the music industry began when she met guitarist Chris Brokaw, a member of the band Come. Brokaw and Phair moved to San Francisco together, and Phair tried to become an artist there... - Wild WorldWild World"Wild World" is a song written and recorded by English singer-songwriter Cat Stevens. It first appeared on his fourth album, Tea for the Tillerman, recorded and released in 1970 and, continuing the change in Stevens' sound, after leaving Deram Records and signing with Island Records...
- Beth OrtonBeth OrtonBeth Orton is a BRIT Award–winning English singer-songwriter, known for her 'folktronica' sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica. She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit and the Chemical Brothers in the mid 1990s. However, these were not Orton's first... - Not Myself - John MayerJohn Mayer (musician)John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
- That's When I Love You - AslynAslynAslyn is a pop singer and songwriter from Atlanta, Georgia. She has released two full-length albums, Lemon Love and The Dandelion Sessions, as well as a 4-disc EP. She is also the sister of three members of the band Georgia.- Early years :...
- Thinking About Tomorrow - Beth OrtonBeth OrtonBeth Orton is a BRIT Award–winning English singer-songwriter, known for her 'folktronica' sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica. She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit and the Chemical Brothers in the mid 1990s. However, these were not Orton's first...
- Promise Ring - TremoloTremoloTremolo, or tremolando, is a musical term that describes various trembling effects, falling roughly into two types. The first is a rapid reiteration...
- Take The Long Road And Walk It - The Music
- Waves - Marjorie FairMarjorie FairMarjorie Fair is an indie rock/shoegaze American band formed in New Jersey by musician Evan Slamka, and based in Los Angeles, California. Their sound is somewhat reminiscent of The Doves or The Beatles, however, with a more psychedelic rock sound...
- Surrender - Echo
- Wild WorldWild World"Wild World" is a song written and recorded by English singer-songwriter Cat Stevens. It first appeared on his fourth album, Tea for the Tillerman, recorded and released in 1970 and, continuing the change in Stevens' sound, after leaving Deram Records and signing with Island Records...
- Cat StevensCat StevensYusuf Islam , commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam....
Trivia
- The scenes were filmed at St. Timothy's Anglican Church in North Toronto, Ont., Canada.
- Scenes were also shot in the Westdale Village, Westdale, OntarioWestdale, OntarioWestdale is a residential neighbourhood in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It is centred on the Westdale Village shopping district and located near McMaster University. Westdale has been the heart of the Jewish community of Hamilton for many years...
in Hamilton, Ont., Canada. - Mandy Moore's house in the movie is shot on William Street, Oakville, OntarioOakville, OntarioOakville is a town in Halton Region, on Lake Ontario in Southern Ontario, Canada, and is part of the Greater Toronto Area. As of the 2006 census the population was 165,613.-History:In 1793, Dundas Street was surveyed for a military road...
. - Mandy Moore cut her hair short because she felt it suited the role; the movie producers were not happy about it. In the end they compromised and had her wear hair extensions for some of the movie and later had her hair being cut on screen written into the script.
- Someone like You and That Summer were put together into this movie.
- The school scenes were filmed at Birchmount Park Collegiate InstituteBirchmount Park Collegiate InstituteBirchmount Park Collegiate Institute is a high school located in Scarborough, a part of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It operates under the Toronto District School Board...
in Scarborough, Ontario.
Box office
In its opening weekend, the film grossed $5,809,960 million in 2,319theaters in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, ranking #8 at the box office, was the best debut for an Teen film that week. By the end of its run, How to Deal grossed $14,195,227 domestically and $112,905 internationally, totaling $14,308,132 worldwide.