Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- whimsical
- sincere
- date night
- lazy sunday
What critics said
Critics broadly regard it as a witty, sweetly soulful romantic comedy and an affectionate love letter to Los Angeles, with Steve Martin's comic performance at its center.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Los Angeles shapes the protagonist's romantic search and communicates an inherent truth about the city's culture through surreal freeway signs and local institutions.
A talkative freeway sign gives Harris cryptic, insightful direction as he searches for meaning and pursues Sarah.
The film places a wacky television weatherman and his cliché-ridden life in a world where freeway infrastructure can offer personal advice, while maintaining a sweetly soulful romantic core.
Harris's pursuit of the English reporter Sarah grows from his dissatisfaction with his repetitive Los Angeles existence and search for meaning.
Films like L.A. Story, and why
Pleasantville
quirky romantic comedy, heightened urban fantasy, and affectionate city portrait
Stranger Than Fiction
witty romance, surreal comic premise, and whimsical emotional self-discovery
The Purple Rose of Cairo
offbeat romance, playful fantasy elements, and eccentric metropolitan characters
Annie Hall
screwball humor, romantic entanglements, and a stylized comic vision of city life
Movie Details
- Director
- Mick Jackson
- Release Date
- 1991-02-08
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (398)
Cast
- Steve Martin
- Victoria Tennant
- Richard E. Grant
- Marilu Henner
- Sarah Jessica Parker
- Susan Forristal
- Kevin Pollak
- Sam McMurray
- Patrick Stewart
- Andrew Amador
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is L.A. Story about?
- A wacky Los Angeles weatherman follows a mysterious freeway sign toward an unexpected romance and a more meaningful life.
- What is L.A. Story like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of L.A. Story as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is L.A. Story violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in L.A. Story as mild.
- What did critics think of L.A. Story?
- Critics broadly regard it as a witty, sweetly soulful romantic comedy and an affectionate love letter to Los Angeles, with Steve Martin's comic performance at its center.
- Which films are like L.A. Story?
- Films with a similar feel include Pleasantville, Stranger Than Fiction, The Purple Rose of Cairo, and Annie Hall.
- How long is L.A. Story?
- L.A. Story runs 95 minutes.
- Where can I watch L.A. Story?
- In United States, L.A. Story is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
