Waiting to Exhale

Waiting to Exhale is a 1995 American romance film directed by Forest Whitaker (in his feature film directorial debut) and starring Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett. The film was adapted from the 1992 novel of the same name by Terry McMillan. Lela Rochon, Loretta Devine, Dennis Haysbert, Michael Beach, Gregory Hines, Donald Faison, and Mykelti Williamson rounded out the rest of the cast. The original music score was composed by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. The story centers on four female friends living in the Phoenix, Arizona area and their relationships with men and one another. All of them are "holding their breath" until the day they can feel comfortable in a committed relationship with a man.
==Plot==
Waiting to Exhale is a story about four African-American women who are good friends: Savannah, Robin, Bernadine, and Gloria. The women get together frequently to support one another and listen to each other vent about life and love. They each want to be in a romantic relationship but they each have difficulties finding a good man.
Savannah "'Vannah" Jackson is a successful television producer who believes that one day her married lover will leave his wife for her. She later realizes that he won't, and that she must find her own man who will love her for who she really is.
Bernadine "Bernie" Harris, who abandoned her career dream of having a catering business, instead raised a family and supported her husband. He announces he is leaving her for a white woman with whom he works.
Robin Stokes is a high-powered executive and the long-time mistress of married Russell. After dumping him, she has problems finding someone suitable.
Gloria "Glo" Matthews is a beauty salon owner and single mother. Her ex-husband and the father of her son tells her that he was always bisexual and now realizes he is gay. Gloria eventually falls in love with a new neighbor, Marvin King.
The situations all resolve themselves for the better. Savannah ends up dumping her married lover for good. Bernadine gets a large divorce settlement from her ex-husband and finds love with a widowed civil rights attorney who encourages her to pursue her catering dream. Robin ends up pregnant by her married lover, but dumps him, and chooses to raise the baby on her own. 
Gloria apologizes to her neighbor for snapping at him when he suggested that she should let her son grow up and experience the world. She learns not to be so protective of her son and lets him go on an "Up With People" trip to Spain. She finds love while learning to take care of herself rather than being self-sacrificing in her devotion to her son and her business.
==Cast==
* Whitney Houston as Savannah "Vannah" Jackson. Savannah is a successful local TV/Entertainment Producer who after few failed relationships, decides to move from Denver, Colorado to Phoenix, Arizona, where she is reunited with her best friend and college roommate, Bernadine. While trying to navigate a successful Production career, an aging mother, she dabbles into relationships including an on/off courtship with a married businessman, Kenneth, played by Dennis Haysbert.
* Angela Bassett as Bernadine "Bernie" Harris. Savannah and Bernadine have been best friends since college. She vents her anger on John by burning his clothes and car and selling the remainder of his personal items for $1 apiece. 
* Lela Rochon as Robin Stokes. She is a high-powered executive and the long-time mistress of Russell. After dumping him, she has problems finding a decent man of her own.
* Loretta Devine as Gloria "Glo" Matthews, a beauty salon owner and single mother. 
* Gregory Hines as Marvin King, Gloria's neighbor with whom she falls in love.
* Dennis Haysbert as Kenneth Dawkins, Savannah's married lover
* Mykelti Williamson as Troy
* Michael Beach as John Harris Sr., Bernie's husband, who leaves her for a white woman.
* Donald Adeosun Faison as Tarik Matthews, Gloria's teenage son.
* Leon as Russell
* Wendell Pierce as Michael Davenport
* Jeffrey D. Sams as Lionel
* Jazz Raycole as Onika Harris
* Brandon Hammond as John Harris Jr.
* Kenya Moore as Denise
* Lamont Johnson as Joseph
* Starletta DuPois as Bessie Jackson (credited as Savannah's Mother)
* Shari L. Carpenter as Savannah's Assistant
* Delaina Mitchell as Tarik's Girl Friend
* Luis Sharpe as Herbert
* Kelly Preston (uncredited) as Kathleen
* Wesley Snipes (uncredited) as James Wheeler
* Giancarlo Esposito (uncredited) as David Matthews, Gloria's ex-husband and father of Tarik.
Category:1995 films
Category:20th Century Fox films
Category:Rated R
Category:Directorial debut films
Category:Pages containing Mature Content