Say It Isn't So
Encyclopedia
Say It Isn't So is a 2001 American comedy film
starring Chris Klein
and Heather Graham as two young lovers who come to believe that they are actually siblings. The film is directed by J.B. Rogers and written by Peter Gaulke and Gerry Swallow.
) takes a stray cat named "Ringo
" to the animal pound where he works. Gilbert gets his haircut by a beautiful young hairdresser named Josephine "Jo" Wingfield (Heather Graham). As Jo cuts Gilbert's hair, she mentions that she lost a tail-less cat named Ringo a while ago, leading Gilbert to tell her that Ringo is at the pound. Immediately after this revelation, Jo accidentally cuts off a part of Gilbert's ear, and he is rushed to the hospital. To make up for the incident, Jo invites Gilbert to her house for lunch the next day, where Gilbert meets Jo's self-centered mother, Valdine (Sally Field
), and stroke-suffering father, Walter (Richard Jenkins
). After lunch, Gilbert and Jo start dating, and fall in love. Gilbert and Jo eventually have sex for the first time. Just as Gilbert prepares to propose to Jo, he receives a call from a detective (Brent Briscoe
) who has been searching for Gilbert's long-lost mother. Apparently, the detective has come up with the news that Gilbert's mother is really Valdine Wingfield, which shocks everyone. Jo leaves the Wingfield home, and Gilbert stays there while the news spreads that they had sex as siblings.
16 months later, a surprise comes to the Wingfield doorstep in the form of a young man named Leon Pitofsky (Jack Plotnick
) who claims to be Valdine and Walter's son, and presents his birth certificate as proof. Valdine and Walter feel better for a few moments before angrily lashing out at Gilbert and forcing him to leave. Gilbert runs for his life and flees Indiana to tell Jo, who now lives in Oregon, the news. Valdine phones the police station in the county where Jo lives, and reports Gilbert as a sexual predator in order to stop Gilbert from telling Jo. She tells the police to keep the whole thing quiet, but the police prove to be just as corrupt as the criminals they capture and hang "Wanted" posters all over Gilbert's destination town, depicting Gilbert as a "sexual predator". On his way to the town, Gilbert hits a legless middle-aged African-American named Dig McCaffrey (Orlando Jones
). After stopping to help Dig, Gilbert offers Dig a ride. When they part, Dig tells Gilbert that he is one eighth Chippewa, (or Cherokee or Navaho), and that Gilbert saved his life, and therefore Dig is in debt to Gilbert. He offers Gilbert directions and hands him a business card should he ever need him. Gilbert is soon spotted by people who saw the posters, and is immediately shunned by the society as a "pervert".
Meanwhile, Josephine becomes engaged to Jack Mitchelson (Eddie Cibrian
), a rich and powerful young man who secretly deals in cocaine
and marijuana, and controls over half the county by paying off numerous politicians. Valdine keeps on pushing Josephine to marry Jack, although Josephine still loves Gilbert. Gilbert tries to hide from the authorities, and Dig frequently aids him in his escape from muggers and killers. Ultimately, after many escapades with fellow patient, Mr. Campisi (C. Ernst Harth
), Gilbert manages to find Leon, Valdine's real son. To win Josephine back, Gilbert and Dig make a plan to change Josephine's mind before the impending wedding. The plan backfires when Leon gets away from Dig. Gilbert finds himself with his hand inside a cow's rectum, and Josephine sees him. In another attempt, he displays a sign with the message "JO! I'M NOT YOUR BROTHER! MARRY ME!" across the sky from a plane before Gilbert is arrested and sent to an asylum—after the word "NOT" is ripped off by a nearby tree as they take off in Dig's plane.
Ultimately, Gilbert is not able to stop Josephine from marrying Mitchelson. Police arrive at the marriage scene to inform that Gilbert died in car accident, which was actually an act of sabotage by Leon. But unknown to everyone, Gilbert was not driving the car at the time of the accident. One of Mitchelson's goons had taken the car from Gilbert and the ashes are his. Walter makes a good recovery and reveals to Josephine that Valdine conspired to destroy their relationship and force Josephine into marrying Mitchelson. Also, the news that Valdine is Gilbert's mother was fed to the detective by Mitchelson. Josephine defies Valdine for the first time which proves to be too much for Valdine to handle, and Valdine has a stroke and falls unconscious while attacking Leon, who also participated in interrupting the wedding. Thinking that Gilbert is dead, Josephine goes back to the roof of the animal shelter where they used to hang out to disperse Gilbert's ashes and to give him the one gun salute that Gilbert used to give dogs who were about to be put to sleep. Gilbert, who has just begun working at his old job, sees her and mistakenly believes that she wants to commit suicide. They are finally reunited on the roof of the same animal shelter which was a catalyst for their coming together.
A few months later, Gilbert and Josephine are married, and Walter, Valdine, Leon, Dig and many other people attend, with Walter on his feet and Valdine in a wheelchair after her stroke. Also, as a surprise wedding present, Gilbert's mother agent turns up and tells Gilbert that he has truly found his mother. In an ironic twist, Gilbert's mother turns out to be Suzanne Somers
, a famous actress/sex symbol about whom Gilbert used to fantasize while masturbating.
Alternative ending
The DVD includes an extended ending where, after Gilly discovers his mother's identity, we cut to him and Jo on the roof to his vet office - Gilly got his vet - and he says that there is are only lonely people, then they kiss and live happily ever after.
Rotten Tomatoes
gives it a score of 9% based on 103 reviews, the consensus being that; "those that haven't tired of Farrelly brothers' brand of comedy may still find some laughs here. Otherwise, the slow pacing and unimaginative shock gags will start to wear on the viewer."
including an extended ending.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
starring Chris Klein
Chris Klein (actor)
Frederick Christopher "Chris" Klein is an American movie actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Chris "Oz" Ostreicher in the 1999 film American Pie and its sequel American Pie 2.-Early life:...
and Heather Graham as two young lovers who come to believe that they are actually siblings. The film is directed by J.B. Rogers and written by Peter Gaulke and Gerry Swallow.
Plot
Gilbert Noble (Chris KleinChris Klein (actor)
Frederick Christopher "Chris" Klein is an American movie actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Chris "Oz" Ostreicher in the 1999 film American Pie and its sequel American Pie 2.-Early life:...
) takes a stray cat named "Ringo
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
" to the animal pound where he works. Gilbert gets his haircut by a beautiful young hairdresser named Josephine "Jo" Wingfield (Heather Graham). As Jo cuts Gilbert's hair, she mentions that she lost a tail-less cat named Ringo a while ago, leading Gilbert to tell her that Ringo is at the pound. Immediately after this revelation, Jo accidentally cuts off a part of Gilbert's ear, and he is rushed to the hospital. To make up for the incident, Jo invites Gilbert to her house for lunch the next day, where Gilbert meets Jo's self-centered mother, Valdine (Sally Field
Sally Field
Sally Margaret Field is an American actress, singer, producer, director, and screenwriter. In each decade of her career, she has been known for major roles in American TV/film culture, including: in the 1960s, for Gidget or Sister Bertrille on The Flying Nun ; in the 1970s, for Sybil , Smokey and...
), and stroke-suffering father, Walter (Richard Jenkins
Richard Jenkins
Richard Dale Jenkins is an American stage, film, and television actor. After beginning his career in theatre, Jenkins made his film debut in 1974, and appeared in supporting roles in numerous film productions in the 1980s and the 1990s. His breakthrough came in the 2000s for playing the deceased...
). After lunch, Gilbert and Jo start dating, and fall in love. Gilbert and Jo eventually have sex for the first time. Just as Gilbert prepares to propose to Jo, he receives a call from a detective (Brent Briscoe
Brent Briscoe
Brent Briscoe is an American actor and screenwriter.Briscoe was born in Moberly, Missouri. After finishing his education at the University of Missouri, Briscoe launched his career as a theater actor. He then segued into screenwriting and acting in feature films...
) who has been searching for Gilbert's long-lost mother. Apparently, the detective has come up with the news that Gilbert's mother is really Valdine Wingfield, which shocks everyone. Jo leaves the Wingfield home, and Gilbert stays there while the news spreads that they had sex as siblings.
16 months later, a surprise comes to the Wingfield doorstep in the form of a young man named Leon Pitofsky (Jack Plotnick
Jack Plotnick
Jack Stuart Plotnick is an American film and television actor.Born in Worthington, Ohio, Plotnick is based in Hollywood...
) who claims to be Valdine and Walter's son, and presents his birth certificate as proof. Valdine and Walter feel better for a few moments before angrily lashing out at Gilbert and forcing him to leave. Gilbert runs for his life and flees Indiana to tell Jo, who now lives in Oregon, the news. Valdine phones the police station in the county where Jo lives, and reports Gilbert as a sexual predator in order to stop Gilbert from telling Jo. She tells the police to keep the whole thing quiet, but the police prove to be just as corrupt as the criminals they capture and hang "Wanted" posters all over Gilbert's destination town, depicting Gilbert as a "sexual predator". On his way to the town, Gilbert hits a legless middle-aged African-American named Dig McCaffrey (Orlando Jones
Orlando Jones
Orlando Jones is an American comedian and film and television actor. He is notable for being one of the original cast members of the sketch comedy series MADtv and for his role as the 7 Up spokesman from 1999-2002.-Early life:...
). After stopping to help Dig, Gilbert offers Dig a ride. When they part, Dig tells Gilbert that he is one eighth Chippewa, (or Cherokee or Navaho), and that Gilbert saved his life, and therefore Dig is in debt to Gilbert. He offers Gilbert directions and hands him a business card should he ever need him. Gilbert is soon spotted by people who saw the posters, and is immediately shunned by the society as a "pervert".
Meanwhile, Josephine becomes engaged to Jack Mitchelson (Eddie Cibrian
Eddie Cibrian
Edward Carl "Eddie" Cibrian is an American actor. He is known for his television roles as Cole Deschanel on Sunset Beach, Jesse Cardoza in CSI: Miami, Jimmy Doherty on Third Watch and Russell Varon in Invasion.-Early life and career:...
), a rich and powerful young man who secretly deals in cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and marijuana, and controls over half the county by paying off numerous politicians. Valdine keeps on pushing Josephine to marry Jack, although Josephine still loves Gilbert. Gilbert tries to hide from the authorities, and Dig frequently aids him in his escape from muggers and killers. Ultimately, after many escapades with fellow patient, Mr. Campisi (C. Ernst Harth
C. Ernst Harth
Cary Ernst Harth is a Canadian actor.Harth was born in Galt, Ontario, Canada. He got his first taste of acting in grade school when the drama club cast the school's largest child to play Santa in their Christmas pageant. Harth was just a kindergartner at the time...
), Gilbert manages to find Leon, Valdine's real son. To win Josephine back, Gilbert and Dig make a plan to change Josephine's mind before the impending wedding. The plan backfires when Leon gets away from Dig. Gilbert finds himself with his hand inside a cow's rectum, and Josephine sees him. In another attempt, he displays a sign with the message "JO! I'M NOT YOUR BROTHER! MARRY ME!" across the sky from a plane before Gilbert is arrested and sent to an asylum—after the word "NOT" is ripped off by a nearby tree as they take off in Dig's plane.
Ultimately, Gilbert is not able to stop Josephine from marrying Mitchelson. Police arrive at the marriage scene to inform that Gilbert died in car accident, which was actually an act of sabotage by Leon. But unknown to everyone, Gilbert was not driving the car at the time of the accident. One of Mitchelson's goons had taken the car from Gilbert and the ashes are his. Walter makes a good recovery and reveals to Josephine that Valdine conspired to destroy their relationship and force Josephine into marrying Mitchelson. Also, the news that Valdine is Gilbert's mother was fed to the detective by Mitchelson. Josephine defies Valdine for the first time which proves to be too much for Valdine to handle, and Valdine has a stroke and falls unconscious while attacking Leon, who also participated in interrupting the wedding. Thinking that Gilbert is dead, Josephine goes back to the roof of the animal shelter where they used to hang out to disperse Gilbert's ashes and to give him the one gun salute that Gilbert used to give dogs who were about to be put to sleep. Gilbert, who has just begun working at his old job, sees her and mistakenly believes that she wants to commit suicide. They are finally reunited on the roof of the same animal shelter which was a catalyst for their coming together.
A few months later, Gilbert and Josephine are married, and Walter, Valdine, Leon, Dig and many other people attend, with Walter on his feet and Valdine in a wheelchair after her stroke. Also, as a surprise wedding present, Gilbert's mother agent turns up and tells Gilbert that he has truly found his mother. In an ironic twist, Gilbert's mother turns out to be Suzanne Somers
Suzanne Somers
Suzanne Somers is an American actress, author, singer and businesswoman, known for her television roles as Chrissy Snow on Three's Company and as Carol Lambert on Step by Step....
, a famous actress/sex symbol about whom Gilbert used to fantasize while masturbating.
Alternative ending
The DVD includes an extended ending where, after Gilly discovers his mother's identity, we cut to him and Jo on the roof to his vet office - Gilly got his vet - and he says that there is are only lonely people, then they kiss and live happily ever after.
Cast
- Chris KleinChris Klein (actor)Frederick Christopher "Chris" Klein is an American movie actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Chris "Oz" Ostreicher in the 1999 film American Pie and its sequel American Pie 2.-Early life:...
as Gilbert "Gilly" Noble - Heather GrahamHeather GrahamHeather 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...
as Josephine "Jo" Wingfield - Orlando JonesOrlando JonesOrlando Jones is an American comedian and film and television actor. He is notable for being one of the original cast members of the sketch comedy series MADtv and for his role as the 7 Up spokesman from 1999-2002.-Early life:...
as Dig McCaffrey - Sally FieldSally FieldSally Margaret Field is an American actress, singer, producer, director, and screenwriter. In each decade of her career, she has been known for major roles in American TV/film culture, including: in the 1960s, for Gidget or Sister Bertrille on The Flying Nun ; in the 1970s, for Sybil , Smokey and...
as Valdine Wingfield - Richard JenkinsRichard JenkinsRichard Dale Jenkins is an American stage, film, and television actor. After beginning his career in theatre, Jenkins made his film debut in 1974, and appeared in supporting roles in numerous film productions in the 1980s and the 1990s. His breakthrough came in the 2000s for playing the deceased...
as Walter Wingfield - John RothmanJohn RothmanJohn Mahr Rothman is an American film, television, and stage actor.Rothman was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Elizabeth D. and Donald N. Rothman, a lawyer. He is the brother of film executive Tom Rothman. Rothman is a graduate of Wesleyan University and the Yale School of Drama...
as Larry Falwell - Jack PlotnickJack PlotnickJack Stuart Plotnick is an American film and television actor.Born in Worthington, Ohio, Plotnick is based in Hollywood...
as Leon Pitofsky - Eddie CibrianEddie CibrianEdward Carl "Eddie" Cibrian is an American actor. He is known for his television roles as Cole Deschanel on Sunset Beach, Jesse Cardoza in CSI: Miami, Jimmy Doherty on Third Watch and Russell Varon in Invasion.-Early life and career:...
as Jack Mitchelson - Mark PellegrinoMark PellegrinoMark Ross Pellegrino is an American actor of film and television. He is best known for his work on Lost as Jacob and for playing Lucifer on Supernatural.-Career:...
as Jimmy Mitchelson - Richard RiehleRichard Riehle-Life and career:Riehle was born in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, the son of Mary Margaret , a nurse, and Herbert John Riehle , an assistant postmaster. He attended the University of Notre Dame....
as Sheriff Merle Hobbs - Brent BriscoeBrent BriscoeBrent Briscoe is an American actor and screenwriter.Briscoe was born in Moberly, Missouri. After finishing his education at the University of Missouri, Briscoe launched his career as a theater actor. He then segued into screenwriting and acting in feature films...
as Detective Vic Vetter - Ezra BuzzingtonEzra BuzzingtonEzra Buzzington is an American character actor for film and TV.With over 40 film credits to his name, Ezra Buzzington has been referred to as "the Dennis Hopper of underground cinema". He's played characters ranging from "Weird Al the Waiter" in GHOST WORLD to "Goggle" in THE HILLS HAVE EYES...
as Stewart - Julie WhiteJulie WhiteJulie White is an American actress. She is known for her role in Grace Under Fire and for her role as Judy Witwicky in the Transformers film series.-Personal life:...
as Ruthie Falwell - Courtney PeldonCourtney PeldonCourtney Peldon is an American television and film actress.-Personal life:Peldon was born in New York City, New York. Her younger sister Ashley Peldon is also an actress...
as Cher Falwell - Matthew Peters as Buddy Falwell
- Lin ShayeLin ShayeLinda "Lin" Shaye is an American film, theatre and television actress.-Early life:Born in Detroit, Michigan, Shaye is the daughter of Dorothy , a homemaker, and Max Mendle Shaye, a painter and supermarket owner. Her brother is film executive Robert Shaye...
as Nurse Bautista - C. Ernst HarthC. Ernst HarthCary Ernst Harth is a Canadian actor.Harth was born in Galt, Ontario, Canada. He got his first taste of acting in grade school when the drama club cast the school's largest child to play Santa in their Christmas pageant. Harth was just a kindergartner at the time...
as Mr. Campisi - Sarah SilvermanSarah SilvermanSarah Kate Silverman is a Jewish American comedian, writer, actress, singer and musician. Her satirical comedy addresses social taboos and controversial topics such as racism, sexism, and religion....
as Officer Gina - Suzanne SomersSuzanne SomersSuzanne Somers is an American actress, author, singer and businesswoman, known for her television roles as Chrissy Snow on Three's Company and as Carol Lambert on Step by Step....
(uncredited) as Suzanne
Reception
The film received an overwhelmingly negative response from critics.Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
gives it a score of 9% based on 103 reviews, the consensus being that; "those that haven't tired of Farrelly brothers' brand of comedy may still find some laughs here. Otherwise, the slow pacing and unimaginative shock gags will start to wear on the viewer."
Box office
The film opened at #10 at the North American box office making $2,861,903 in its opening weekend.Home media
Say It Isn't So was released on VHS and DVD on August 21, 2001. The DVD features six deleted and extended scenesDeleted scene
In Entertainment, especially the film and television industry, Deleted scenes are parts of a film removed or censored from or replaced by another scene in the final "cut", or version, of a film...
including an extended ending.