Manny & Lo (1996)

62% of critics liked it
(21 reviews)
55% of users liked it
(1,303 ratings)

The debut feature from writer/director Lisa Krueger stars Scarlett Johansson and Aleksa Palladino as the titular Manny and Lo, orphaned teenaged sisters who avoid foster homes by living on the run, stealing food, and sleeping in random model homes. Older sister Lo is the rude, bossy, incompetent… More The debut feature from writer/director Lisa Krueger stars Scarlett Johansson and Aleksa Palladino as the titular Manny and Lo, orphaned teenaged sisters who avoid foster homes by living on the run, stealing food, and sleeping in random model homes. Older sister Lo is the rude, bossy, incompetent leader, and younger sister Manny is her thoughtful, realistic, logical underling. It quickly becomes apparent that Lo is pregnant and they won't be able to continue their wandering lifestyle of "keep moving and you won't get nailed." After a significant stage of denial, Lo goes to a hospital for an abortion and is denied. Quickly running out of options, Lo comes up with plan that seems ridiculous to the observant narrator Manny. Since they don't know anything about birthing babies, they kidnap Elaine (Mary Kay Place), a middle-aged woman dressed as a nurse who works in a maternity store. Together, the three women squat in an abandoned house in the woods so the disgruntled Lo can have her baby. Eventually, the owner of the house comes home and the captive Elaine resorts to a strange solution to the problem. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 30 min.
Directed By: Lisa Krueger
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Jul 26, 1996 Wide
On DVD: Jan 20, 2004
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Its thematic scope stays rather small, and the final third of the movie seems muted and flat.
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail
A sweet little fable, a bit shy on substance but quite charming in the telling.
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
An unapologetically small but wholly original movie, warm-hearted but not precious, and possessed of a gently wacky sensibility.
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
Though employing no surreal devices and remaining within a realistic convention, Krueger takes the story of two young sisters on their own and somehow makes it seem unreal, strange, outside time.
Janet Maslin, New York Times
It's the kind of story that leaves viewers with a warm glow.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
With its carefully-modulated combination of light comedy and drama, the film casts a gentle spell.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
This indie feature shows a quirky, offeat sensibility by a new director, Lisa Krueger, a talent to watch.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Oddball charmer about the quirky way certain people are put together just when they need each other most.
Joseph McBride, Boxoffice Magazine
Krueger's characters aren't complex enough to sustain a feature film, and her direction is both visually and dramatically listless.
Scott Renshaw, rec.arts.movies.reviews
A slow, rather simple and not terribly entertaining film.
Terry Chung, Jam! Movies
The sub-par performances and flat plot drowns the interesting relationship triangle at the base of this film.
Cynthia Fuchs, Philadelphia City Paper
Yes, it's a movie about life cycles. But it's also quirky enough that it avoids getting bogged down in a predictable reaffirmation of the nuclear family.
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle
An understated movie that, in turns, is funny and heart-breaking and uplifting.