WiseGirls
Encyclopedia
WiseGirls is a 2002 film starring Mira Sorvino
, Mariah Carey
and Melora Walters
as waitresses working at a restaurant run by mobsters. It was directed by David Anspaugh
and premiered at the 2002
Sundance Film Festival
, where it received negative reviews.
), a med student who after a traumatic experience moves to Staten Island to live with her grandmother while she gets back on her feet. Her grandmother's care giver, Mrs. Saladino, recommends Meg a waitress job in a family-run Italian restaurant called 'Santalino's'. There, Meg meets Raychel (Mariah Carey
) and Kate (Melora Walters
) and becomes fast friends with the two. Not long after starting, Meg discovers exactly what kind of clientele she is serving, the Mob. Meg becomes an adored fixture and valued asset due to her medical training, offering medical advice to several of the mobsters. One night she becomes the focus of anger from one of the mob men, who slaps her. This led to Frankie (Christian Maelen) and Mr. Santalino to kill the man. Frankie forcifily orders Meg to chop up the body. Now realizing what she has gotten into she decides she needs to get out as fast as possible. She confides in Kate, and she discovers that Kate is actually an undercover police officer. Meg is then convinced by the police to help them in a sting operation. She is soon discovered and a shoot out ensues in the restaurant. She is then believed to be dead. Raychel has moved on to a more subdued life. In the final scene Kate returns on their birthday July 11th and reveals that Meg is actually alive, and the girls celebrate the pact that they made the year before.
Mira Sorvino
Mira Katherine Sorvino is an American actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Mighty Aphrodite and is also known for her role as Romy White in Romy and Michele's High School Reunion.- Early life :Sorvino was born in Tenafly, New Jersey...
, Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
and Melora Walters
Melora Walters
Melora Walters is an American actress.-Personal life:Walters was born in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia to American parents. She was partly raised there and in Holland. Walters attended high school at Lake Forest Academy-Ferry Hall in Lake Forest, Illinois...
as waitresses working at a restaurant run by mobsters. It was directed by David Anspaugh
David Anspaugh
David Anspaugh is an American television and film director.Born in Decatur, Indiana, Anspaugh studied at Indiana University and the USC School of Cinematic Arts, after which he taught high school in Colorado. His work as an associate producer on television movies led to his producing and directing...
and premiered at the 2002
2002 in film
The year 2002 in film involved some significant events. The first significant releases of sequels took place between The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Men in Black II, Analyze That, Spy Kids 2: The Island of...
Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
, where it received negative reviews.
Plot
The film centers around Meg (Mira SorvinoMira Sorvino
Mira Katherine Sorvino is an American actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Mighty Aphrodite and is also known for her role as Romy White in Romy and Michele's High School Reunion.- Early life :Sorvino was born in Tenafly, New Jersey...
), a med student who after a traumatic experience moves to Staten Island to live with her grandmother while she gets back on her feet. Her grandmother's care giver, Mrs. Saladino, recommends Meg a waitress job in a family-run Italian restaurant called 'Santalino's'. There, Meg meets Raychel (Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
) and Kate (Melora Walters
Melora Walters
Melora Walters is an American actress.-Personal life:Walters was born in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia to American parents. She was partly raised there and in Holland. Walters attended high school at Lake Forest Academy-Ferry Hall in Lake Forest, Illinois...
) and becomes fast friends with the two. Not long after starting, Meg discovers exactly what kind of clientele she is serving, the Mob. Meg becomes an adored fixture and valued asset due to her medical training, offering medical advice to several of the mobsters. One night she becomes the focus of anger from one of the mob men, who slaps her. This led to Frankie (Christian Maelen) and Mr. Santalino to kill the man. Frankie forcifily orders Meg to chop up the body. Now realizing what she has gotten into she decides she needs to get out as fast as possible. She confides in Kate, and she discovers that Kate is actually an undercover police officer. Meg is then convinced by the police to help them in a sting operation. She is soon discovered and a shoot out ensues in the restaurant. She is then believed to be dead. Raychel has moved on to a more subdued life. In the final scene Kate returns on their birthday July 11th and reveals that Meg is actually alive, and the girls celebrate the pact that they made the year before.
Cast
- Mariah CareyMariah CareyMariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
as Raychel - Mira SorvinoMira SorvinoMira Katherine Sorvino is an American actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Mighty Aphrodite and is also known for her role as Romy White in Romy and Michele's High School Reunion.- Early life :Sorvino was born in Tenafly, New Jersey...
as Meg Kennedy - Melora WaltersMelora WaltersMelora Walters is an American actress.-Personal life:Walters was born in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia to American parents. She was partly raised there and in Holland. Walters attended high school at Lake Forest Academy-Ferry Hall in Lake Forest, Illinois...
as Kate - Arthur J. NascarellaArthur J. NascarellaArthur J. Nascarella is an American actor who has appeared in dozens of films, most often playing a mobster or police officer. Among his notable film credits include a corrupt cop in Cop Land , a hypocritical ambulance captain in Bringing Out The Dead and a fed-up casino boss in The Cooler; he has...
as Mr. Santalino - Saul Stein as Umberto
- Joseph SiravoJoseph SiravoJoseph Siravo is an Italian american actor and graduate of both Stanford and NYU. Among his most notable roles is that of "Johnny Boy" Soprano, father of Tony Soprano, on The Sopranos. He is credited as the voice of Carmine in the Disney film The Wild...
as Gio Esposito - Christian Maelen as Frankie Santalino
- Anthony Alessandro as Lorenzo
- Louis Di Bianco as Deluca
- Dax Ravina as Tony
- Karen Giordano as Angela Fontaine
- Michael Egan as Joey Jr.
- Tina Bruno as Mrs. Saladino
- Isa Thomas as Grandmother Nell