''Walking to the Waterline'' is a 1998 American

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

written and directed by

Matt Mulhern Matt Mulhern (born July 21, 1960) is an American actor and historian who has starred in such films as '' One Crazy Summer'' and '' Biloxi Blues'', and such television series such as '' Major Dad'', '' JAG'', and '' Rescue Me'' (playing Lt. John ...

and starring

Alan Ruck Alan Douglas Ruck (born July 1, 1956) is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Cameron Frye, Ferris Bueller's best friend, in John Hughes's film ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' (1986); Stuart Bondek, a lecherous, power-hungry member of ...

, Matthew Broderick, and

Hallie Foote Barbara Hallie Foote (born March 31, 1950) is an American actress. Life and career Born Barbara Hallie Foote in Manhattan, the daughter of Lillian Vallish Foote and writer and director Horton Foote, she was raised in Nyack, New York and New Hamps ...

. The film premiered at the Florida Film Festival on June 13, 1998. The film aired in heavy rotation on IFC.

Premise

Once a successful television

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...

star, Francis McGowan is now a struggling actor who returns to his family home on the

Jersey Shore The Jersey Shore (known by locals simply as the Shore) is the coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Geographically, the term encompasses about of oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy in the north to Cape May Po ...

to sell it following his father's death. While there, he interacts with his agent Michael Woods, his childhood friend Duane Hopwood, and tour guide Lucy Bammer, with whom he drifts into a casual affair while his wife and children wait for him to return home.

Cast

as Francis McGowan *

as Duane Hopwood * Matthew Broderick as Michael Woods *

as Lucy Bammer * Jon Cypher as Fred Blumquist *

Hal Holbrook Harold Rowe Holbrook Jr. (February 17, 1925 – January 23, 2021) was an American actor, television director, and screenwriter. He first received critical acclaim in 1954 for a one-man stage show that he developed called ''Mark Twain Tonight!'' ...

as Man on the Beach * Beverly Archer as Pam Whitman *

Michael Boatman Michael Patrick Boatman (born October 25, 1964) is an American actor and writer. He is known for his roles as New York City mayoral aide Carter Heywood in the ABC sitcom ''Spin City'', as U.S. Army Specialist Samuel Beckett in the ABC drama ser ...

as Marshall

Production

''Walking to the Waterline'' was Matt Mulhern's directorial debut and was filmed during 1997 in Ocean City and

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.

. His sophomore effort, the 2005 drama '' Duane Hopwood'', focused on one of the supporting characters he created for this film. Mulhern starred in the film and was able to enlist Ruck, Broderick, Holbrook, and Boatman to the cast as they were friends of his.

Release

''Walking to the Waterline'' premiered at the Florida Film Festival on June 13, 1998.

Critical reception

Josh Ralske of ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...

'' reviewed the film, writing "There's a sweet underlying sadness to the film, but it's much too soft around the edges."

References

External links

* * *{{Mojo title 1998 films 1998 drama films American independent films 1998 independent films American drama films Films about actors Films shot in New Jersey Films set in New Jersey 1998 directorial debut films 1990s English-language films 1990s American films