Gray Matters
Encyclopedia
Gray Matters is a 2006 romantic comedy film
directed by Sue Kramer, starring Heather Graham, Tom Cavanagh
and Bridget Moynahan
. It premiered on October 21, 2006 at the Hamptons International Film Festival
and had a United States limited theatrical release on February 23, 2007.
), a family oriented and quiet bachelorette, lives a close-knit life with her brother, Sam (Tom Cavanagh
). Their lifestyle is generally co-dependent, involving them living together, going to dance classes together, etc. Gray and Sam's relationship has never been thought of as strange, but once a dinner party guest mistakes the siblings as a couple, Gray and Sam decide to venture outside of one another. While discussing with each other what they can do about their single lifestyles, and how they can "hook each other up" with a significant other. Their conversation continues to the park, where Gray meets a possible girlfriend for Sam, Charlie Kelsey (Bridget Moynahan
). Gray then introduces Charlie and Sam, and they instantly bond, agreeing to see each other again.
To Gray's surprise, Charlie and Sam become engaged, two days after their meeting. Charlie and Sam insist they are so in love with one another, they should go to Las Vegas the following morning and elope there, inviting Gray along. Gray is a little hesitant, but agrees when Charlie says they can have a "mini bachelorette party". Gray agrees and the three make their way out to Vegas. While in Vegas, Gray takes Charlie out for a hen night, and after many drinks, the two share a drunken kiss. The next morning, Charlie does not remember anything, but Gray has not slept the whole night, due to the bond she felt with Charlie. After realisation, Gray comes to a conclusion that she is attracted to women, and is falling in love with her sister-in-law.
The events that occurred in Vegas begin a beautiful journey of self-discovery, testing the relationship between two close siblings and finding happiness in lonely Manhattan.
audiences in her role of Helena Peabody in The L Word
, on which Cumming has guest-starred.
Three of the movie's stars have been featured on the sitcom Scrubs
: Molly Shannon had a guest appearance in one episode, and Tom Cavanagh and Heather Graham have both had recurring roles on the show.
Romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy films are films with light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as that true love is able to surmount most obstacles. One dictionary definition is "a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily"...
directed by Sue Kramer, starring Heather Graham, Tom Cavanagh
Tom Cavanagh
Thomas "Tom" Cavanagh is a Canadian actor.-Early life:Cavanagh was born in Ottawa, Ontario. He is of Irish descent and was raised in a large Roman Catholic family. Cavanagh moved with his family to Winneba, a small city in Ghana, when he was seven years old. In his teens, the family moved to...
and Bridget Moynahan
Bridget Moynahan
Kathryn Bridget Moynahan , best known as Bridget Moynahan, is an American model and actress. After graduating from Longmeadow High School in 1989, Moynahan pursued a career in modeling. She was signed by a modeling agency, which led her to appear in department store catalogs and the covers of...
. It premiered on October 21, 2006 at the Hamptons International Film Festival
Hamptons International Film Festival
Hamptons International Film Festival was founded to provide a forum for independent filmmakers from around the world to express their vision. The Festival is traditionally held for five days in mid-October in theatre venues from Montauk to Southampton and attracts roughly 15,000 visitors annually...
and had a United States limited theatrical release on February 23, 2007.
Plot
Gray Baldwin (Heather GrahamHeather Graham
Heather Joan Graham is an American actress. She has appeared in such films as Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Lost in Space, Bowfinger, From Hell, Anger Management, and The Hangover...
), a family oriented and quiet bachelorette, lives a close-knit life with her brother, Sam (Tom Cavanagh
Tom Cavanagh
Thomas "Tom" Cavanagh is a Canadian actor.-Early life:Cavanagh was born in Ottawa, Ontario. He is of Irish descent and was raised in a large Roman Catholic family. Cavanagh moved with his family to Winneba, a small city in Ghana, when he was seven years old. In his teens, the family moved to...
). Their lifestyle is generally co-dependent, involving them living together, going to dance classes together, etc. Gray and Sam's relationship has never been thought of as strange, but once a dinner party guest mistakes the siblings as a couple, Gray and Sam decide to venture outside of one another. While discussing with each other what they can do about their single lifestyles, and how they can "hook each other up" with a significant other. Their conversation continues to the park, where Gray meets a possible girlfriend for Sam, Charlie Kelsey (Bridget Moynahan
Bridget Moynahan
Kathryn Bridget Moynahan , best known as Bridget Moynahan, is an American model and actress. After graduating from Longmeadow High School in 1989, Moynahan pursued a career in modeling. She was signed by a modeling agency, which led her to appear in department store catalogs and the covers of...
). Gray then introduces Charlie and Sam, and they instantly bond, agreeing to see each other again.
To Gray's surprise, Charlie and Sam become engaged, two days after their meeting. Charlie and Sam insist they are so in love with one another, they should go to Las Vegas the following morning and elope there, inviting Gray along. Gray is a little hesitant, but agrees when Charlie says they can have a "mini bachelorette party". Gray agrees and the three make their way out to Vegas. While in Vegas, Gray takes Charlie out for a hen night, and after many drinks, the two share a drunken kiss. The next morning, Charlie does not remember anything, but Gray has not slept the whole night, due to the bond she felt with Charlie. After realisation, Gray comes to a conclusion that she is attracted to women, and is falling in love with her sister-in-law.
The events that occurred in Vegas begin a beautiful journey of self-discovery, testing the relationship between two close siblings and finding happiness in lonely Manhattan.
Cast
- Heather Graham as Gray
- Tom CavanaghTom CavanaghThomas "Tom" Cavanagh is a Canadian actor.-Early life:Cavanagh was born in Ottawa, Ontario. He is of Irish descent and was raised in a large Roman Catholic family. Cavanagh moved with his family to Winneba, a small city in Ghana, when he was seven years old. In his teens, the family moved to...
as Sam - Bridget MoynahanBridget MoynahanKathryn Bridget Moynahan , best known as Bridget Moynahan, is an American model and actress. After graduating from Longmeadow High School in 1989, Moynahan pursued a career in modeling. She was signed by a modeling agency, which led her to appear in department store catalogs and the covers of...
as Charlie - Molly ShannonMolly ShannonMolly Helen Shannon is an American comic actress best known for her work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1995–2001 and for starring in the films Superstar and Year of the Dog. More recently, she starred in NBC's Kath & Kim from 2008–2009 and on the TBS animated series Neighbors from...
as Carrie - Alan CummingAlan CummingAlan Cumming, OBE is a Scottish stage, television and film actor, singer, writer, director, producer and author. His roles have included the Emcee in Cabaret, Boris Grishenko in GoldenEye, Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler in X2: X-Men United, Mr. Elton in Emma, and Fegan Floop in the Spy Kids trilogy...
as Gordy - Sissy SpacekSissy SpacekSissy Spacek is an American actress and singer. She came to international prominence for her for role as Carrie White in Brian De Palma's 1976 horror film Carrie for which she earned her first Academy Award nomination...
as Sydney - Rachel ShelleyRachel ShelleyRachel Shelley is an English actress and model. She was born in Swindon. , Los Angeles Daily News and graduated from Sheffield University with a B.A...
as Julia Barlett - Alejandro AbellanAlejandro AbellanAlejandro Abellan is a Canadian film and television actor.The son of Spanish immigrants, his first role in the film industry was as Antonio Banderas's stand-in for the film The Thirteenth Warrior. Alejandro's first big acting role was as Tito in "Phenomenon", based on the John Travolta movie...
as Juan - Don AckermanDon AckermanDonald D. "Buddy" Ackerman was an American basketball player.Ackerman played collegiately for Long Island University. He was selected by the New York Knicks in the second round of the 1953 NBA Draft and played in 28 games for the Knicks in the 1953/54 season.- References :...
as Conrad Spring - Warren ChristieWarren ChristieHans Warren Christie is an Irish-born Canadian television and film actor known for his roles as Ray Cataldo on the ABC drama October Road and as Aidan "Greggy" Stiviletto on the ABC series Happy Town...
as Trevor Brown - Casey Dubois as Boy in park
- Samantha FerrisSamantha FerrisSamantha Ferris is a Canadian actress and in the mid-1990s was a television reporter for the Bellingham, Washington station KVOS TV-12 and Vancouver's BCTV, where she went by the name Janie Ferris...
as Elaine - Gloria GaynorGloria GaynorGloria Gaynor is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits; "I Will Survive" , "Never Can Say Goodbye" , "Let Me Know " and "I Am What I Am" .-Early career:Gaynor was a singer with the Soul...
as Herself - Emily Anne Graham as Young Gray
Casting
Both Alan Cumming and Rachel Shelley are significant actors to the LGBT community. Cumming is openly bisexual and an LGBT rights activist, and Shelley has become familiar to queerQueer
Queer is an umbrella term for sexual minorities that are not heterosexual, heteronormative, or gender-binary. In the context of Western identity politics the term also acts as a label setting queer-identifying people apart from discourse, ideologies, and lifestyles that typify mainstream LGBT ...
audiences in her role of Helena Peabody in The L Word
The L Word
The L Word is an American co-production television drama series originally shown on Showtime portraying the lives of a group of lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and their friends, family and lovers in the trendy Greater Los Angeles, California city of West Hollywood...
, on which Cumming has guest-starred.
Three of the movie's stars have been featured on the sitcom Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
: Molly Shannon had a guest appearance in one episode, and Tom Cavanagh and Heather Graham have both had recurring roles on the show.
Production
- The film was shot on location in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in only twenty-one days. - The screenplayScreenplayA screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
was loosely based on the life of Carolyn Kramer, the director's sister.