''Sweethearts'' is a 1997 American

independent film An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is produced outside the major film studio system, in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies (or, i ...

written and directed by

Aleks Horvat ALEKS (Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces) is an Internet, online tutoring and assessment program that includes course material in mathematics, chemistry, introductory statistics, and business. Rather than being based on numerical Tes ...

and starring

Janeane Garofalo Janeane Marie Garofalo ( ; born September 28, 1964) is an American comedian, actress, and former co-host on the now-defunct Air America Radio's ''The Majority Report''. Garofalo began her career as a stand-up comedian and became a cast member on ...

and

Mitch Rouse Edward Mitchell "Mitch" Rouse (born August 6, 1964) is an American film and television actor, director, and screenwriter. Rouse was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, and raised in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where he played football at Oak Ridge High Sch ...

. The supporting cast features

Margaret Cho Margaret Moran Cho (born December 5, 1968) is an American comedian, actress, LGBT social activist, and musician. She is known for her stand-up routines, through which she critiques social and political problems, especially regarding race and se ...

and

Bobcat Goldthwait Robert Francis "Bobcat" Goldthwait (born May 26, 1962) is an American actor, comedian, director and screenwriter, known for his black comedy stand-up act, delivered through an energetic stage persona with an unusual raspy and high-pitched voice. ...

as well as a cameo appearance by singer/guitarist

Stephen Malkmus Stephen Joseph Malkmus (born May 30, 1966) is an American musician best known as the primary songwriter, lead singer and guitarist of the indie rock band Pavement. He currently performs with Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks and as a solo artist ...

of the band Pavement.

Plot

Arliss meets Jasmine on a blind date at a coffeehouse, but it turns out Jasmine has bipolar, carrying a gun and contemplating

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...

. Jasmine introduces herself to Arliss as "Emily", a fake character she created to pretend she is not his date. She pretends to be somebody else that went to the same coffee shop. Eventually Arliss discovers that she is his date pretending to be another person and he gets mad. She forces him to stay by holding a gun in front of his face. Jasmine confesses that the gun is for her, because she is going to commit suicide tomorrow morning on her 31st birthday. The reason why she wants to commit suicide is because she is a manic bipolar depressive and she feels she can't live any longer with the condition and is suffering psychological pain. In the middle of the drama, Arliss starts feeling love for Jasmine instead of hating her for pointing a gun at him.

Cast

... Jasmine

... Arliss

... Noreen

... Charles
Van Quattro ... Officer Carter
Buckley Norris ... Asylum patron
Vinnie Bilancio ... Officer Felliciano

... Coffee House Singer
Debby Barkan ... Girl in Floral Dress
Patricia Peralta ... Girl in Shop Window
Dayna West ... Girl in Black

References

External links

* *Sweethearts a
Rotten Tomatoes
1997 films American romantic drama films Bipolar disorder in fiction Films about bipolar disorder American independent films 1997 romantic drama films 1997 independent films 1990s English-language films 1990s American films {{1990s-romantic-drama-film-stub