Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Next Best Thing

  • 20002000
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 48m
IMDb RATING
4.6/10
11K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
15,897
2,956
Madonna and Rupert Everett in The Next Best Thing (2000)
Trailer
Play trailer2:09
1 Video
28 Photos
ComedyDramaRomance
Abbie, tired of failed relationships, has a one-night-stand with her gay friend; they agree to raise the resulting baby together.Abbie, tired of failed relationships, has a one-night-stand with her gay friend; they agree to raise the resulting baby together.Abbie, tired of failed relationships, has a one-night-stand with her gay friend; they agree to raise the resulting baby together.
IMDb RATING
4.6/10
11K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
15,897
2,956
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • John Schlesinger
    • Writer
      • Tom Ropelewski
    • Stars
      • Madonna
      • Rupert Everett
      • Benjamin Bratt
    Top credits
    • Director
      • John Schlesinger
    • Writer
      • Tom Ropelewski
    • Stars
      • Madonna
      • Rupert Everett
      • Benjamin Bratt
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 164User reviews
    • 79Critic reviews
    • 25Metascore
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 10 nominations

    Videos1

    The Next Best Thing
    Trailer 2:09
    The Next Best Thing

    Photos28

    Madonna stars as Abbie
    Benjamin Bratt stars as Ben
    Rupert Everett stars as Robert
    Robert, Abbie, Ben & Sam
    Robert & Abbie
    Abbie, David & Robert
    Rupert Everett and Madonna get guidance from director John Schlesinger
    Madonna and Rupert Everett in The Next Best Thing (2000)
    Madonna and Rupert Everett in The Next Best Thing (2000)
    Madonna and Rupert Everett in The Next Best Thing (2000)
    Madonna and Rupert Everett in The Next Best Thing (2000)
    Madonna and Rupert Everett in The Next Best Thing (2000)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Madonna
    Madonna
    • Abbie Reynolds
    Rupert Everett
    Rupert Everett
    • Robert Whittaker
    Benjamin Bratt
    Benjamin Bratt
    • Ben Cooper
    Illeana Douglas
    Illeana Douglas
    • Elizabeth Ryder
    Michael Vartan
    Michael Vartan
    • Kevin Lasater
    Josef Sommer
    Josef Sommer
    • Richard Whittaker
    Malcolm Stumpf
    • Sam
    Lynn Redgrave
    Lynn Redgrave
    • Helen Whittaker
    Neil Patrick Harris
    Neil Patrick Harris
    • David
    Mark Valley
    Mark Valley
    • Cardiologist
    Suzanne Krull
    Suzanne Krull
    • Annabel
    Stacy Edwards
    Stacy Edwards
    • Finn
    John Carroll Lynch
    John Carroll Lynch
    • Abbie's Lawyer
    Fran Bennett
    Fran Bennett
    • Judge Tracey Bennett
    Ricki Lopez
    • Angel
    Ramiro Fabian
    • Flavio
    Tiffany Paulsen
    Tiffany Paulsen
    • Young Mother
    Joan Axelrod
    • Bel Air Matron
    • Director
      • John Schlesinger
    • Writer
      • Tom Ropelewski
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Evita
    6.3
    Evita
    Who's That Girl
    4.8
    Who's That Girl
    Shanghai Surprise
    3.2
    Shanghai Surprise
    Body of Evidence
    4.5
    Body of Evidence
    Madonna: Ciao, Italia! - Live from Italy
    8.1
    Madonna: Ciao, Italia! - Live from Italy
    Madonna: Truth or Dare
    6.3
    Madonna: Truth or Dare
    I'm Going to Tell You a Secret
    7.6
    I'm Going to Tell You a Secret
    Madonna: Drowned World Tour 2001
    8.4
    Madonna: Drowned World Tour 2001
    Dangerous Game
    5.6
    Dangerous Game
    Madonna: The MDNA Tour
    8.1
    Madonna: The MDNA Tour
    Madonna: Rebel Heart Tour
    7.6
    Madonna: Rebel Heart Tour
    Desperately Seeking Susan
    6.1
    Desperately Seeking Susan

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Rupert Everett disliked the script and originally turned the role down. Paramount wanted to hire Everett so much that they offered him a producing and writing credit and the right to pick his co-star. Everett picked his longtime friend, Madonna. During production, Everett was fired as producer and co-writer.
    • Goofs
      Near the end of the film, when Robert is talking to Ben across the street of Sam's school, Robert's head keeps changing positions between shots. In one shot he is looking toward Ben and in another shot he is looking at the school, then it goes back to the other shot when hes looking at Ben.
    • Quotes

      Ben: Are you gay, or are you just acting gay?

      Robert: Well, that depends, are you interested are are you just acting interested?

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Drowning Mona/My Dog Skip/What Planet Are You From?/The Next Best Thing/Miss Julie (2000)
    • Soundtracks
      Boom Boom Ba
      Written by Aida Bredou and Skully

      Performed by Métisse

      Courtesy of Wildstar Records

      By Arrangement with Telstar Special Products, Part of the Telstar Entertainment Group

      Produced by Magnus Fiennes (uncredited)

    User reviews164

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    MUCH better than I expected
    This movie is really a sleeper. I can see why people who watch it expecting a campy fiasco like Madonna made with Sean Penn would be disappointed or even p.o.'d. I avoided it for 9 years just on principle. In fact, during the first few minutes when I accidentally caught it on TV, I kept thinking, "Who is this actress who looks so much like Madonna but who can ACT????" This is really REALLY not a romantic comedy, no matter how light and funny it is initially. It is a more serious than usual role for both Madonna and Rupert Everett, and they both did very well. It is touching and funny, and might have suffered 9 years ago because the viewing public was not ready for the very realistic portrayal of these complicated questions about who is really "family" and why.
    helpful•12
    0
    • JaynaB
    • Aug 11, 2009

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 3, 2000 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • The Red Curtain
    • Filming locations
      • Rae's Restaurant, 2901 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Lakeshore Entertainment
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $25,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $14,990,582
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $5,870,387
      • Mar 5, 2000
    • Gross worldwide
      • $24,362,772
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 48 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Madonna and Rupert Everett in The Next Best Thing (2000)
    Top Gap
    By what name was The Next Best Thing (2000) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in August
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    Fall TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list
    View image
    Photos
    These Stars Are on the Rise
    See the gallery
    Back to top

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more access
    Sign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.