After Julia Roberts became a real star with Pretty Woman, the actress played roles in various genres. But four years after his iconic film, he’s back in another romantic comedy that’s still largely forgotten — and maybe for good reason.
Released in 1994, Les Accomplices failed to impress critics or the public, grossing only $61.9 million at the worldwide box office against a $45 million budget. For comparison: with a budget of only $14 million, beautiful woman In total, it earned $463.4 million worldwide.
A major criticism of the film was that its stars seemed to hate each other, making the love story between their characters completely unconvincing. And for good reason: Julia Roberts and Nick Nolte did not like each other at all.
Directed by Charles Scheer (Father of the Bride), the latter co-wrote the script with romantic comedy legend Nancy Meyers. (The four of us, the holiday, what women want…)
In AccomplicesTwo journalists meet while reporting on a tragic train accident. Peter Brackett (Nolte) is established and cynical, while Sabrina Peterson (Roberts) is young, passionate and upstart. But when the culprit is found, the duo suspect that he is the scapegoat of a massive conspiracy. Sabrina and Peter must then reluctantly form an alliance to solve the mystery. Then begins a hunt at the risk of their lives, during which they discover new aspects of each other…
A palpable antipathy
But if the fictional couple is supposed to fall in love, on the screen, unfortunately, the antipathy between Roberts and Nolte took over. Even before the film’s release, the signs were there: in 1993, while promoting his legal thriller The Pelican Affair. Julia Roberts had described Nick Nolte like someoneAbsolutely disgustingIn an interview with the New York Times, she also said that he irritated her from the first meeting, and that she even suspected that it was intentional.
“From the moment we met him, we hit it off and it’s natural to get on each other’s nerves.” Although it may be “Totally charming and very kind“, he added,It’s also absolutely disgusting. He’s going to hate me for saying this, but he seems to be going out of his way to alienate people.“
According to the Los Angeles Times, this created a vicious circle on set: Nolte’s negative behavior would anger Roberts, which would lead to further bullying of Nolte. This is why the two stars would end up shooting many scenes using only their dubbing. Nick Nolte would reply: “She is not a pretty girl, everyone says that.Back in 2009, he named it one of his worst memories while filming, due to a seizure…
Decades later, in an interview with Insider in 2022, the actor admitted that it was finally over.Absurd“And when asked if he’s been trying to get in touch over the years Julia Roberts To bury the hatchet, he replied:No, I don’t. Even if he buried me. I mean what we experienced was absurd. It was partly my fault and partly his. Julia got married at the beginning of this movie and that was one of the things I got wrong.“
To make up your own mind about Les Accomplices, go to VOD.
Watch the trailer of the film in its original language below:
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
