Waiting to Exhale (1995)

About Waiting to Exhale

"Waiting to Exhale" is a drama directed by Forest Whitaker and released in 1995. It revolves around the lives of four African-American women living in Phoenix, Arizona. The film deals with their relationships with men, each other, and their complex lives. Each character is pursuing true love, and their journey sees them encountering a variety of issues such as divorce, single parenthood, and loveless marriages.

Making/ Production

The film was adapted from the 1992 novel of the same name by Terry McMillan. Forest Whitaker made his directorial debut and Deborah Schindler and Ezra Swerdlow served as producers. The cinematography was handled by Toyomichi Kurita and the film was edited by Richard Chew.

Actors

• Whitney Houston as Savannah Jackson - Played the character of a successful television producer who holds onto the hope of one day being loved by a married man.
• Angela Bassett as Bernadine Harris - Brought to life the character of a woman abandoned by her husband for a white woman, she portrays the struggle and eventual triumph of love over betrayal.
• Loretta Devine as Gloria Matthews - Gloria is a beauty salon owner and a single mother, attempting to raise her son and find new love which Devine gracefully pulls off.
• Leila Rochon as Robin Stokes - Robin's desperate search for love forces her into a series of disastrous relationships. Leila wonderfully portrayed the vulnerable and longing character.

Trivia/Interesting Facts

• The film was actor Forest Whitaker's debut as a director.
• The novel from which the film was adapted was a New York Times bestseller.
• The soundtrack of the film was produced by Babyface and became his breakout as a top music producer.

Awards

Angela Bassett won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for her role in the film.

Quotes

• "I still love him. But I can't do it anymore. I can't be this worried about some man." - Bernadine
• "You know what your problem is? You're in love with the idea of being in love. That's what messed us all up." - Gloria
• "My body needs this. I can't get sick. He asked me to come to Denver." - Savannah

Music and Soundtrack

• The soundtrack album sold over 12 million copies worldwide.
• It includes songs from major artists like Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton, and Mary J. Blige.
• The song "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" by Whitney Houston from the soundtrack reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.