Personal Velocity

Theatrical Release Date: 2002 11 22 (USA - Limited)

UPC: 027616883599

Studio: MGM

MPAA Rating: R   Contains:[Violence, Adult Situations, Strong Sexual Content, Profanity]

Summary: Three women whose lives have followed very different paths ponder their pasts and their futures in this omnibus film from second-time director Rebecca Miller, adapted from her acclaimed short story collection of the same name. Delia (Kyra Sedgwick) grew up in a fractured household; her mother abandoned the family when Delia was a child, and her father (Brian Tarantina) was a drug-addled loser who could barely be prodded off the couch. When she entered adolescence, Delia realized that she could use her body to get men to do as she pleased. While this gained her a feeling of power and self-sufficiency, it also earned her a reputation as the "class slut," and the end product was her marriage to Kurt (David Warshofsky). Greta (Parker Posey) is the daughter of a successful lawyer (Ron Leibman) who left her mother when she was young and offered Greta criticism rather than affection. Plagued with self-doubt, Greta is squandering her literary talents editing cookbooks and is married to Lee (Tim Guinee. When Thavi (Joel de la Fuente), a respected and successful young novelist, asks Greta to edit his next novel, it forces her to reassess herself on a number of levels. Finally, Paula (Fairuza Balk), yet another product of a fractured family, ran away from her mother and was homeless until she met Vincent (Seth Gilliam), who took her in and became her boyfriend. A year later, Paula is uncertain in her feelings about Vincent, unsettled to learn that she's pregnant, and startled after witnessing a murder while out clubbing with a friend; she hits the road again, and soon picks up a fellow alienated teen, Kevin (Lou Taylor Pucci), who bears the scars of a recent -- and very brutal -- beating. Personal Velocity: Three Portraits was honored with the Grand Jury Prize at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Category: Drama

Awards: Dramatic Grand Jury Prize – Sundance Film Festival Excellence in Cinematography Award - Drama – Sundance Film Festival Special Mention for Excellence in Filmmaking – National Board of Review Best Actress – Independent Spirit Awards Best Cinematography – Independent Spirit Awards John Cassavetes Award – Independent Spirit Awards

Features: ccAudio commentary with director Rebecca Miller
Audio commentary with cinematographer Ellen Kuras & gaffer John Nadeau
"In Conversation: Rebecca Miller and Cast" featurette
Behind-the-scenes featurette
Original theatrical trailer
English 5.1 Surround
English, French, Spanish, & Portuguese language subtitles

Personal Velocity

Format: Digital Video Disc (DVD)

Release Date: 03/18/2003

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen, 1.33:1 Pre-1954 Standard

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1

Runtime: 85 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English

Subtitles: English,French,Spanish,Portuguese

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Side #1 --
1. Main Title [3:02]
2. "Delia Was Tough" [1:52]
3. A Shunt Family History [4:19]
4. Her Babies' Screaming [6:11]
5. A Friend in Fay [5:33]
6. A Good Waitress [5:06]
7. Dating the Greasy Guy [3:44]
8. Greta's Kind, Quiet Life [2:05]
9. The Great Fat Trimmer [6:38]
10. Avram's Benevolent Mission [3:44]
11. A Problem With Fidelity [5:43]
12. Groping and Grappling... [2:44]
13. ...With Success and Ambition [5:34]
14. Paula's First Hitchhiker [3:50]
15. A Strange(r's) Accident [4:58]
16. Waiting... for Vincent [3:59]
17. Hurt All Over [5:51]
18. "It's Gotta Mean Something" [3:48]
19. A Thieving Little Sign [3:45]
20. End Credits [3:40]

Adam Bregman

This assured and cleverly written second film from director/writer Rebecca Miller comes in three parts, all well acted and engaging. The narration by John Ventimiglia is particularly lively. The three characters that the film focuses on -- Delia (Kyra Sedgwick), Greta (Parker Posey), and Paula (Fairuza Balk) -- are all forced to make tough decisions. Delia is fleeing an abusive husband and must begin to create a new life for herself and three kids. She's one tough cookie, striking out at everyone who's trying to help her along the way. The dramatic and emotional scenes in this story will resonate with women trapped in abusive relationships, and Kyra Sedgwick is fantastic. Then there's the more upper-class story of Greta, who's on the move in the publishing business and slowly coming to the revelation that she must leave her nice-guy husband behind. This bit is more humorous and entertaining than the other two parts. The last story is about the semi-homeless Paula, who is also running away from a relationship and, in her case, pretty much everyone. This story is the least deeply felt of the three, and Paula seems a little bit like a sketch of many other runaway characters from various movies. A huge hit at Sundance, Personal Velocity epitomizes quality independent filmmaking and deserves a large audience. ~ Adam Bregman, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Nick Cubbler  Actor 
Tony Osso  Actor 
Corinne Brownsell  Actor 
Bill Burns  Actor 
Peter Galman  Actor 
Angela Trento  Actor 
Lynne Anne Hart  Actor 
Tim Hopper  Actor 
Sarah Morf  Actor 
Quentin Mare  Actor 
Stephi Licciardi  Actor 
Brian Bell  Actor 
Dean Strange  Actor 
Francis Akins  Actor 
Marceline Hugot  Actor 
Laura Finelli  Actor 
Kaluska Poventud  Actor 
Samantha Steinel  Actor 
Christopher Fitzgerald  Actor 
Danielle Tagger  Actor 
Eileen Stancage  Actor 
Nicole Murphy  Actor 
Monica Paskiewicz  Actor 
Eleanor Niel  Actor 
Susan Blommaert  Actor 
Ron Leibman  Actor 
Michi Barall  Actor 
Maria Elena Ramirez  Actor 
Jennifer Lent  Actor 
Rebecca Miller  Director 
Rebecca Miller  Screenwriter 
John Sloss  Executive Producer 
Gary Winick  Producer 
Michael Rohatyn  Composer (Music Score) 
Lemore Syvan  Producer 
Caroline Kaplan  Executive Producer 
Jonathan Sehring  Executive Producer 
Alexis Alexanian  Producer 
John Ventimiglia  Actor 
Kyra Sedgwick  Actor 
David Warshofsky  Actor 
Brian Tarantina  Actor 
Mara Hobel  Actor 
Leo Fitzpatrick  Actor 
Parker Posey  Actor 
Tim Guinee  Actor 
Wallace Shawn  Actor 
Joel de la Fuente  Actor 
Ron Liebman  Actor 
Josh Phillip Weinstein  Actor 
Ben Shenkman  Actor 
Fairuza Balk  Actor 
Lou Taylor Pucci  Actor 
Seth Gilliam  Actor 
David Patrick Kelly  Actor 
Patti D'Arbanville  Actor 

Country: USA