In and Out

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In and Out ★★★ 1997 (PG-13)

See what an Oscar can do? When Tom Hanks thanked, and inadvertently outed, his high school drama teacher during his Academy Awards speech (for “Philadelphia”), it lead to this feature. Popular high school English teacher Howard Brackett (Kline) has his sexuality come into question on the eve of his wedding thanks to a former-student-turned-movie-star (Dillon). As a media circus converges on the small town, Howard is forced to examine his sexuality by openly gay reporter Selleck (out to prove Howard's gay), his mother Reynolds (who wants the wedding to go on regardless of his orientation) and his tightly wound fiancee Cusack (who wants to put a serious hurtin' on Barbra Striesand). All-around excellent performances, especially by Kline and Cusack. 92m/C VHS, DVD . Kevin Kline, Joan Cusack, Matt Dillon, Debbie Reynolds, Wilford Brimley, Bob Newhart, Tom Selleck, Deborah Rush, Lewis J. Stadlen, J. Smith-Cameron, Zak Orth, Gregory Jbara, Shalom Harlow, Kate McGregor-Stewart, Shawn Hatosy, Lauren Ambrose, Alexandra Holden; D: Frank Oz; W: Paul Rudnick; C: Rob Hahn; M: Marc Shaiman. N.Y. Film Critics ‘97: Support. Actress (Cusack); Broadcast Film Critics ‘97: Support. Actress (Cusack).

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