I Could Never Be Your Woman

For songs prominently featuring the lyric "I could never be your woman", see Your Woman and Never Be Your Woman.

I Could Never Be Your Woman
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Amy Heckerling
Written by	Amy Heckerling
Produced by	Cerise Hallam Larkin Philippe Martinez Alan Latham
Starring	Michelle Pfeiffer Paul Rudd Sarah Alexander Stacey L. Dash Jon Lovitz Fred Willard Saoirse Ronan Tracey Ullman
Cinematography	Brian Tufano
Edited by	Kate Coggins
Music by	Mike Hedges
Production companies	Templar Films Bauer Martinez Entertainment Formula Films Lucky 7 Productions
Distributed by	The Weinstein Company
Release dates	May 11, 2007 (2007-05-11) (Spain) February 12, 2008 (2008-02-12) (United States)
Running time	97 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$24 million
Box office	$9.6 million

I Could Never Be Your Woman is a 2007 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Amy Heckerling. The film stars Michelle Pfeiffer, Paul Rudd, and Saoirse Ronan, with supporting performances by Sarah Alexander, Stacey L. Dash, Jon Lovitz, Fred Willard, and Tracey Ullman. Its title is taken from the 1997 song "Your Woman" by British artist White Town.

The film was released theatrically in several international markets beginning on May 11, 2007, in Spain, while in the United States it was released direct-to-DVD on February 12, 2008. I Could Never Be Your Woman received mixed to positive reviews from critics and grossed approximately $9.7 million worldwide against a production budget of $25 million.

Plot

Rosie, a forty-five-year-old divorced mother, works as a writer and producer for the television sitcom You Go Girl. Insecure about her age, she relies on cosmetics to maintain her appearance. She maintains a close relationship with her thirteen-year-old daughter, Izzie, who confides in her about her crush on a boy named Dylan.

Rosie's boss, Marty, informs the writers that they must avoid controversial subjects due to the show's declining ratings. Seeking to revitalize the show, Rosie decides to introduce a new character. She casts Adam, a charismatic young man, as a nerdy character to serve as a love interest for the show's lead actress, Brianna. Adam's character tests well with audiences, and Rosie successfully convinces Marty to retain him.

Rosie and Adam begin spending time together outside of work. During a night out, Rosie claims to be thirty-seven years old, while Adam claims to be thirty-two. After dancing together, Rosie admits she is forty, and Adam confesses he is twenty-nine. Despite Rosie's concerns about their age difference, Adam reassures her, and they begin a relationship. However, Rosie's insecurities persist, exacerbated by her internal conversations with an imagined Mother Nature figure.

Rosie's secretary, Jeannie, becomes jealous of Rosie's relationship with Adam. She sabotages the relationship by stealing gifts Adam intended for Rosie and planting a photograph of Brianna in Adam's phone. Rosie later overhears a recording of Adam flirting with Brianna, unaware that it was done at the producers' request. Meanwhile, Izzie's unsuccessful attempt to impress Dylan leads to further strain at home.

Adam's debut on You Go Girl proves successful, but the show's sudden cancellation and Adam's rising fame intensify Rosie's fears about their future. After receiving a speeding ticket photo showing Adam with Brianna, Rosie accuses him of infidelity and ends their relationship. Adam attempts to reconcile, including offering to leverage his new sitcom role to secure Rosie a producing job. Marty offers Rosie a position as supervising producer, which she initially declines.

While reviewing a blooper reel from You Go Girl, Rosie realizes that Adam was filming at the time the speeding ticket photo was taken and deduces that Jeannie was responsible for the sabotage. She accepts the producing position on Adam's new show on the condition that Marty fire Jeannie. Rosie reconciles with Adam.

At a school talent show, Rosie sees Izzie successfully connect with Dylan. Mother Nature reminds Rosie that aging makes way for the next generation.

Cast

• Michelle Pfeiffer as Rosie Hanson
• Paul Rudd as Adam Pearl
• Sarah Alexander as Jeannie
• Stacey L. Dash as Brianna Minx
• Jon Lovitz as Nathan Mensforth
• Fred Willard as Marty Watkin
• Saoirse Ronan as Izzie Mensforth
• Tracey Ullman as Mother Nature
• Yasmin Paige as Melanie
• Rory Copus as Dylan
• O-T Fagbenle as Sean
• Twink Caplan as Sissy
• Henry Winkler as himself (uncredited)

Several British comedy actors have roles in the film, including Phil Cornwell, Olivia Colman, David Mitchell, Steve Pemberton, and Mackenzie Crook, as well as Irish comedy actors Graham Norton and Ed Byrne.

Production

Amy Heckerling's inspiration for I Could Never Be Your Woman came from her experiences as a single mother raising a young daughter while working on the Clueless television series. In an article for Entertainment Weekly, Missy Schwartz noted that Heckerling became increasingly ambivalent about working in an industry that promoted unrealistic standards of beauty for young girls and marginalized women over the age of forty.

Heckerling initially sent the script to Paramount Pictures, but the studio declined to produce the film, citing concerns about featuring an older female protagonist. The script was later picked up by independent producer Philippe Martinez of Bauer Martinez Entertainment, who financed the project with a $25 million budget.

Principal photography began in August 2005 and concluded later that year. While much of the film was shot in California, several scenes were filmed in London to take advantage of available tax incentives. To reduce production costs, Martinez negotiated with Michelle Pfeiffer to accept a reduced salary of $1 million plus 15 percent of the film’s gross.

Release

Philippe Martinez signed a distribution agreement with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) for the film’s theatrical release and with The Weinstein Company for DVD and non-pay television rights. MGM later withdrew from the project after learning about Michelle Pfeiffer's share of the film's gross revenue. Unable to secure a new theatrical distributor in North America, Martinez released the film direct-to-DVD on February 12, 2008.

Internationally, I Could Never Be Your Woman received a theatrical release beginning in Spain on May 11, 2007, followed by releases in several countries across Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa.

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, I Could Never Be Your Woman holds an approval rating of 67% based on 12 reviews, with an average rating of 6/10.

James Berardinelli of ReelViews gave the film three out of four stars, calling it "an enjoyable romantic comedy that has enough going for it to make it worth a recommendation" and adding that "Michelle Pfeiffer and Paul Rudd have adequate chemistry to pull off the romance." Joe Leydon of Variety described the film as "a desperately unfunny mix of tepid showbiz satire and formulaic romantic comedy," criticizing its uneven tone and weak humor.

Entertainment Weekly's Missy Schwartz noted that the film had "a charming premise" but was hampered by "sitcom-grade gags and a lack of narrative cohesion," ultimately calling it "a missed opportunity for a sharp Hollywood satire." Writing for TV Guide, Maitland McDonagh felt the film was "an earnest, occasionally funny romantic comedy," but observed that the material often "undercuts its own sweetness with cynicism."

A review from New York Magazine commented that the film had moments of wit but was undermined by its "over-reliance on easy, obvious jokes and a heavy-handed Mother Nature device." Screen Rant later described I Could Never Be Your Woman as "a flawed but likable romantic comedy" that offered "sharp performances" from Pfeiffer and Saoirse Ronan despite its "uneven script and clumsy tonal shifts."

External links

• I Could Never Be Your Woman at IMDb