Heroes of Mariah wanted to make the promo for WiseGirls in Belgium
The sad and revolting story about WiseGirls in Belgium
It all started on February the 13th. 2002.  Belgium was the first country worldwide to have bought the rights for WiseGirls.  The kind people of the Belgian distributor's offices, promised us their help and collaboration, as we offered them our full support to promote WiseGirls in Belgium.  After that the release of the movie in the movie theathers was cancelled worldwide, the kind people of the Belgian distributor's offices, promised us again their help and collaboration, as we offered them our full support to promote WiseGirls on DVD and VHS in Belgium.  So, we were really happy and we started to arrange a very great event.  At OUR costs, we managed to rent a room in a movie theater, so: 
1. We would have been able to say that WiseGirls was released in a movie theater in Belgium, even if it was for a private screening. 
2. We would have invited the press and VIPs, so they would have seen Mariah's acting talent in WiseGirls. 
3. Indie movies are very popular here in Belgium, so we would have invited movie fans too. 
The people of the Belgian distributor's offices were very excited by the idea and they thought it was great, they promised us again their help and collaboration.  So, we started to launch it all.  The lists of all the people invited (press, VIPs, movie fans) were ready.  We had closed the deal with the movie theater.  We were ready to start the printing of the invitations, programs and press packs.  Remember that like I said, all, absolutely all, was at OUR costs.  The big day and the big surprise was near. 
A last phone call to the Belgian distributor's offices, to plan the last details and to be sure we would have a copy of the movie on DVD to broadcast (like it was said in a earlier phone call, before we launched it all), because we were not allowed to broadcast our own copy of the DVD, due to copyrights issues. 
Well, I will tell you the "great" news that the "nice" person from the Belgian distributor's offices told me yesterday, they said they are not aware of their promise, they said they never promised anything, they said they don't know which person is in charge of that or who promised that, even if we have the names.
In any case, the sale of the WiseGirls DVD and VHS will not bring anything more to Mariah.  We just wanted to make that private screening, so the press, VIPs and movie fans would have seen Mariah's acting talent in WiseGirls.
Today, my anger and sadness are still there, 'cause for me a promise is a promise.  End of story.
WiseGirls
Returning from Missouri to stay with her grandmother on Staten Island, med school graduate Meg (Mira Sorvino) takes work at an Italian restaurant. She quickly befriends fellow waitress Kate (Melora Walters), who aspires to be a Broadway dancer; she more gradually warms to brassy co-worker Raychel (Mariah Carey), who doles out sass to staff and customers alike. 
As the trio solidifies into an inseparable unit, Meg opens up to her friends about the devastating recent loss of her fiance. But the comfort of this newfound camaraderie is compromised by Meg's growing awareness that the eatery is not only a mob-owned concern frequented by armed thugs, but one that fronts for a drug-dealing operation, of which Raychel and possibly Kate appear to be aware. 
Struggling to pull her life back together, Meg is drawn deeper into the world, finding herself obliged to accept the monetary tokens of the boss Mr. Santalino (Arthur J. Nascarella), while fending off the romantic attentions of his son Frankie (Christian Maelen). 
When Meg unwittingly prompts father and son to erase the cheating restaurant manager (Joseph Siravo), and is then forced - somewhat implausibly - to help dispose of the body, she is cornered by police into gathering crucial evidence against the Santalino's, placing her own life and that of her friends in danger. Two well-kept plot secrets revealed in the closing stretch pave the way - following a bloody face-off between cops and mobsters - to an upbeat, satisfying conclusion. 


CAST 

Mariah Carey - Raychel 
Mira Sorvino - Meg 
Melora Walters - Kate 
Arthur J. Nascarella - Mr. Santalino 
Christian Maelen - Frankie 
Anthony Alessandro - Lorenzo 
Joseph Siravo - Gio 
Saul Stein - Umberto 

PRODUCTION 

Director: David Anspaugh (Moonlight and Valentino, Rudy and Hoosiers ) 
Scriptwriter: John Meadows (debut) 
Producers: Anthony Esposito (Leading Pictures), Billy Blake (R.G.H. Lion 
Share), Jack Soyka, Bill Blum 

Editor: Margaret Booth 

Photography: William H. Daniels 
Production Start: May 2001 
Production Place: Nova Scotia 
Production Cost: $8.5 to $10 Million 
Distributors: Lions Gate (Domestic) / Intermedia (International) 
(according to hollywood.com MGM) 
Casting: Mariah Carey by WMA Independents' Rena Ronson and Talent 
Entertainment Group's Suzan Bymel, Mira Sorvino by WMA and manager Gene Fox, Melora Walters by Writers and Artists Agency 

Premiere: January 13th @ Sundance Festival in Park City, Utah (USA) 

Tagline: Mira. Mariah. Melora. Mayhem
Reviews
Movie Profile:
The Setup: After her fiancé is killed in a car crash, former medical student Meg (Mira Sorvino), moves in with her grandmother and gets a job at a mob-run pasta joint, where she witnesses some ghastly incidents in the back rooms. Should she tell her pals, waitresses Raychel (Carey) and Kate (Melora Walters)? Or should she just leave town? 
The Breakdown: Capitalizing on the success of all-chick flicks like "Coyote Ugly" and mob hits like HBO's "The Sopranos," "Wise Girls" combines girl power with some gory "Goodfellas"-style antics. 

In a word - "Brilliant"! Mariah Carey as Rachel was the biggest surprise for me... she was absolutely *fantastic* as a foul-mouthed mob chick with a big heart. Mira and Melora were also excellent. You have to see this movie. The script and the actresses are EXCELLENT! – by Matt 

A thrilling drama, this is a chickflick any guy will love! Two of my friends 
and I had the amazing opportunity to see the "surprise screening" of Wise Girls at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. We went in to the theater knowing very little about the film and with no certain expectations, and we came out dying to see it all over again! The story takes place on Staten Island where Meg (Mira Sorvino) has recently moved to escape a dark past. She takes a job at an Italian resteraunt which turns out to be run by the Mafia. While she's there, Meg befriends the other two waitresses who work there (Mariah and Melora) and they become like a family amidst all the drama. Meg gets into serious trouble later in the film and after a very surprising plot twist, the movie ends in a flurry of action followed by yet another surprise. Mira Sorvino does an excellent job starring in this film, but it is really Mariah Carey who brings the personality and zest to the story with her character, a trash-talking, tough waitress with a heavy New York accent named Raychel. The film has a few eye-covering, stomach-turning scenes involving lots of blood which might make you want to leave all children and young adults at home, but it was obvious that everyone in the theater really responded to the plot. Mira, Mariah and Melora were actually in attendance for the screening, and the three actresses plus the director got a standing ovation from the crowd at the end. My advice to you is to definitely go see this film, especially if you're in the mood for suspense!! 

One Of The Most Creative Movie Of 2002 A couple of friends and I got a 
special treat to this year's Sundance Film Festival, we got to see Wise Girls. Although, I'm not going to give any details of the movie, because you got to watch this movie. All I have to say is that Mira, Mariah and Melora were all great in this movie. The directing, acting and especially writing were very well done. Wise Girls is kinda of a twist to all of those mob movies out there; The Sopranos and The Godfather. 
FINAL GRADE: A (95%)



Sundance 2002




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