The Thing Called Love

Play trailer

The Thing Called Love

PG-13

1993

1h 56m

Drama

Romance

Music

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

59%

Tomatometer

22 Reviews

48%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Hoping to become a country music star, Miranda Presley (Samantha Mathis) moves from New York to Nashville, Tenn. She gets a job waiting tables at the renowned Bluebird Cafe, where she meets other would-be singer-songwriters, including James Wright (River Phoenix) and Kyle Davidson (Dermot Mulroney), the two men who will battle for her heart. Linda Lue Linden (Sandra Bullock) offers female friendship as they all struggle to achieve fame -- or at least respectability.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

The last film River Phoenix completed before his death, The Thing Called Love doesn't have much new to say about show business, but it's energetic and well acted.

Read Critics Reviews

Variety Staff

Variety

Perhaps there's not much new to say about the dues and disappointments involved in breaking into the country music scene, but the scenes are fresh and the emotions real in Peter Bogdanovich's tune-laden, mixed-mood drama.

Mar 26, 2009

Full Review

Fernando F. Croce

Slant Magazine

The Thing Called Love charms and touches.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 11, 2006

Full Review

Geoff Andrew

Time Out

Bogdanovich's modest staging is occasionally awkward -- his kids still watch John Wayne movies at the drive-in -- but there's a convincing sense of what Nashville's like and how country music works.

Feb 9, 2006

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...familiar subject matter that is, for the most part, employed to watchable, affable effect by Bogdanovich...

Rated: 3/4

Oct 1, 2025

Full Review

Randy White

Common Sense Media

A star is born in Nashville.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 2, 2011

Full Review

TV Guide

Peter Bogdanovich brings conviction but little else to this upbeat response to Robert Altman's Nashville.

Rated: 2/4

Jun 14, 2009

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Member

The late Peter Bogdanovich directs Samantha Mathis, a young Sandra Bullock, Dermott Mulroney, and the late River Phoenix Miranda Presley (no relation to Elvis as she makes it quite clear) goes from the big apple to Nashville, Tennessee to become a successful musician Working at a diner she meets James and Kyle, two other songwriters Linda is also one of the people auditioning she runs into she befriends James and Kyle are fighting for Miranda's affection but if she can't achieve her dream making it big she can at least get the respect Breaking into the scene of country music is tough no doubt The actors have lively performances yet I was expecting some more melodrama This isn't one of Bogdanovich's finest efforts Maybe more melodramatic moments would've made it stand out more yet this does capture the life of struggling talents

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/27/23

Full Review

steve d

Ok film because of the cast.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

River was amazing in this movie. Such an underrated little gem.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Peter Bogdanovich

Director

River Phoenix

James Wright

Samantha Mathis

Miranda Presley

Dermot Mulroney

Kyle Davidson

Sandra Bullock

Linda Lue Linden

K.T. Oslin

Lucy

Some Kind of Wonderful

76%

80%

Some Kind of Wonderful

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Some Kind of Wonderful

Untamed Heart

60%

76%

Untamed Heart

Watchlist

The Man in the Moon

91%

85%

The Man in the Moon

Watchlist

Blue Sky

80%

58%

Blue Sky

Watchlist

At First Sight

32%

46%

At First Sight

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Hoping to become a country music star, Miranda Presley (Samantha Mathis) moves from New York to Nashville, Tenn. She gets a job waiting tables at the renowned Bluebird Cafe, where she meets other would-be singer-songwriters, including James Wright (River Phoenix) and Kyle Davidson (Dermot Mulroney), the two men who will battle for her heart. Linda Lue Linden (Sandra Bullock) offers female friendship as they all struggle to achieve fame -- or at least respectability.

Director: Peter Bogdanovich
Producer: John Davis
Screenwriter: Carol Heikkinen
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Davis Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Some Language)
Genre: Drama, Romance, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 16, 1993, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $872.4K
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Most Popular at Home Now