Writer-director Alan Rudolph, after making a couple of "B movies" in the early 1970s, began working with counter-culture director Robert Altman, assisting him on now-classics Nashville and The Long Goodbye. Altman produced Rudolph's next two films, taking Altman's large ensemble approach (including some of his actors) and giving it a distinct stylistic twist.
Choose Me shows Rudolph with complete creative control, and a further maturation of his style, as well as blending the cool 80s look with noir retro atmosphere (which would continue in follow-up Trouble In Mind).
The cast includes Keith Carradine, Lesley Ann Warren, Genvieve Bujold, John Larroquette, Rae Dawn Chong, Patrick Bauchau, and Pop artist Ed Ruscha.
The film was shot in and around Los Angeles, but has the artificial look of studio sets to stress the romantic fantasy. It was made on a surprisingly low budget of under $1 million. Running throughout the film are R&B songs performed by Teddy Pendergrass and Luther Vandross, commenting indirectly on the action and characters.
The film received positive reviews, doubled its cost in a limited release, and won a critic's award at the Toronto Film Festival. This allowed Rudolph to continue making his unique films into the late 1990s.
Running time is approx. 1 hr, 45 min.
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