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All of Me (1984) movie poster

Characters & Themes

All of Me (1984) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
1984 · 93 min · Spanish
JustWatch #3,959 13
Starring
Lily Tomlin, Steve Martin, Victoria Tennant, Gailard Sartain, Dana Elcar, Eric Christmas

A straitlaced lawyer's life is hilariously disrupted when a soul-swapping sorceress unexpectedly takes up residence in his body. They must learn to share control, leading to chaotic and comedic situations as they grapple with love, legal battles, and the challenges of coexisting within a single person.

On this page (9)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (3)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like All of Me
  8. 8 Categories
  9. 9 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch All of Me (1984)

Where can you watch All of Me? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, Fawesome and Hoopla: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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3 main characters · contains spoilers

All of Me Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of All of Me (1984), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Roger Cobb (Steve Martin)

    Roger Cobb is a disillusioned lawyer torn between his mundane legal career and his passion for music. Initially apathetic about his future, he undergoes significant growth as he confronts his identity crisis and learns the importance of self-expression and love.

    • ⚖️ Lawyer
    • 🎸 Musician
    • 🤔 Identity Crisis
  • Edwina Cutwater (Lily Tomlin)

    Edwina Cutwater is a wealthy, elderly woman whose soul accidentally merges with Roger's body. Initially spoiled and controlling, she transforms through her experiences in Roger's life, learning selflessness and forging a deep bond with Roger.

    • 👵 Wealthy
    • 🌌 Reincarnation
    • 🥰 Transformation
  • Terry Hoskins (Victoria Tennant)

    Terry Hoskins is the vibrant daughter of the stable hand, caught in the conflict between her own inheritance and the whims of Edwina. She brings a sense of youthful energy and represents the path of self-discovery and love that Roger desires.

    • 💃 Young
    • ❤️ Love Interest
    • 🐴 Inheritance

Last updated: January 14, 2025 at 22:06

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Setting

Where and When Does All of Me Take Place?

The setting of All of Me (1984): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Modern Times

The movie takes place in contemporary times, reflecting modern societal values and issues like career dissatisfaction and the quest for personal identity. This era is marked by the exploration of alternative lifestyles and beliefs, such as reincarnation, as showcased through Edwina's desires.

Location

Fulton Norris Orchestra, Schuylar Mifflin Law Firm, Cutwater Estate, Ambassador Hotel

The Fulton Norris Orchestra is a vibrant music venue where Roger finds his true passion for playing guitar. The Schuylar Mifflin Law Firm serves as the main backdrop for Roger's professional struggles as a lawyer. The Cutwater Estate is a lavish home where Edwina Cutwater's final affairs are handled, highlighting wealth and entitlement. The Ambassador Hotel serves as a temporary refuge during the chaotic events of the plot.

  • 🏢 Office
  • 🎷 Music Venue
  • 🏰 Estate
  • 🏨 Hotel

Last updated: January 14, 2025 at 22:06

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3 major themes

All of Me Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is All of Me (1984) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Music

    Music serves as a pivotal theme in 'All of Me', showcasing Roger's internal conflict between his passion for music and his law career. The orchestra represents an escape from his mundane life, highlighting the importance of following one's true desires and talents.

  • Love and Relationships

    The film explores various relationships, particularly Roger's with his girlfriend Peggy, and his evolving connection with Edwina after their bodies merge. It emphasizes the complexities of love, commitment, and personal fulfillment against the backdrop of societal expectations.

  • Reincarnation

    Reincarnation is a key theme as Edwina seeks to reclaim her life through another's body. It raises questions about identity, legacy, and the right to a second chance, blending humor with philosophical reflections on life and death.

Last updated: January 14, 2025 at 22:06

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Character & theme questions

All of Me Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about All of Me (1984): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where does All of Me take place?

All of Me is set in contemporary modern times, primarily taking place in urban and suburban American settings. Key locations include the Schuylar Mifflin Law Firm where Roger works as a lawyer, the Fulton Norris Orchestra where he pursues his passion for music, the Cutwater Estate where Edwina's affairs are handled, and the Ambassador Hotel which serves as a temporary refuge during the chaos.

  • setting
  • locations
  • film locations
  • fulton norris orchestra
  • schuylar mifflin law firm
  • cutwater estate
  • ambassador hotel
Q2

What is the Fulton Norris Orchestra in the movie?

The Fulton Norris Orchestra is a vibrant music venue that represents Roger's true passion for playing guitar. It serves as an escape from his mundane legal career, symbolizing his internal conflict between following his artistic dreams or staying on his conventional professional path.

  • orchestra
  • music venue
  • guitar
  • roger cobb passion
  • music theme
Q3

What time period does All of Me depict?

The movie takes place in modern times, reflecting contemporary societal values of the 1980s. This era is marked by explorations of alternative lifestyles and beliefs, including reincarnation, which is showcased through Edwina's desires to reclaim her life through another's body.

  • time period
  • modern era
  • 1980s
  • contemporary setting
  • reincarnation beliefs
Q4

What role does music play in All of Me?

Music serves as a pivotal theme in All of Me, showcasing Roger's internal conflict between his passion for music and his law career. The orchestra represents an escape from his mundane life, highlighting the importance of following one's true desires and talents rather than conforming to societal expectations.

  • music theme
  • orchestra
  • guitar
  • roger cobb passion
  • personal fulfillment
  • career vs passion
Q5

How does All of Me explore reincarnation?

Reincarnation is a key theme in All of Me as Edwina Cutwater seeks to reclaim her life through another's body after her death. The film raises questions about identity, legacy, and the right to a second chance, blending humor with philosophical reflections on life, death, and what it means to truly live.

  • reincarnation
  • identity
  • edwina cutwater
  • second chance
  • life and death
  • philosophy
Q6

What does All of Me say about love and relationships?

All of Me explores the complexities of love, commitment, and personal fulfillment against societal expectations. The film examines Roger's relationship with his girlfriend Peggy and his evolving connection with Edwina after their bodies merge, showing how love can develop in unexpected circumstances.

  • love
  • relationships
  • roger cobb
  • peggy
  • edwina cutwater
  • commitment
  • romance theme
Q7

Who is Roger Cobb in All of Me?

Roger Cobb is a disillusioned lawyer played by Steve Martin who is torn between his mundane legal career and his passion for music. He represents anyone facing an identity crisis between what society expects and what truly fulfills them, eventually learning the importance of self-expression and love.

  • roger cobb
  • steve martin
  • lawyer
  • musician
  • protagonist
  • identity crisis
Q8

Who is Edwina Cutwater in All of Me?

Edwina Cutwater is a wealthy, elderly woman played by Lily Tomlin whose soul accidentally merges with Roger's body after a sorcery ritual goes wrong. Initially spoiled and controlling, she transforms through her experiences in Roger's life, learning selflessness and forging a deep bond with him.

  • edwina cutwater
  • lily tomlin
  • sorceress
  • soul swap
  • transformation
  • wealthy heiress
Q9

Who is Terry Hoskins in All of Me?

Terry Hoskins is played by Victoria Tennant as the vibrant daughter of the stable hand at Cutwater Estate. She brings youthful energy to the film and represents the path of self-discovery and love that Roger desires, while being caught in the conflict between her own inheritance and Edwina's whims.

  • terry hoskins
  • victoria tenor
  • cutwater estate
  • youth
  • love interest
  • inheritance
Q10

What is Roger Cobb's main conflict in the movie?

Roger Cobb's main conflict is his struggle between his conventional career as a lawyer and his true passion for music. He represents the universal theme of choosing between societal expectations and personal fulfillment, ultimately learning that authenticity and love are more important than status quo success.

  • roger cobb conflict
  • career vs passion
  • identity crisis
  • lawyer vs musician
  • self-expression

Movie threads

More Movies Like All of Me, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes All of Me tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Chaotic cohabitation comedies like All of Me

Hilarious stories where characters are forced to share a body or mind. If you enjoyed the hilarious chaos of two souls in one body in All of Me, you'll like these movies about characters forced to share a physical form. Discover similar comedies where mismatched personalities must learn to coexist, leading to laughter and unexpected friendship.

  • comedic
  • chaotic
  • playful
  • quirky
  • heartwarming
  • unlikely friendship
  • Tone: whimsical, comedic
  • Pacing: steady, escalating
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically begins with a fantastical or sci-fi premise that forces two distinct characters into one body or mind. The story then explores the initial conflict and chaos as they struggle for control, eventually leading to cooperation, mutual understanding, and personal growth for both parties.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread are grouped by their shared premise of involuntary physical or mental cohabitation, which generates a specific brand of physical comedy, character-driven humor, and a theme of finding common ground with the most unlikely of partners.

Whimsical journeys of self-discovery like All of Me

Lighthearted stories about finding yourself through fantastical situations. If you liked how All of Me used a fantastical body-swap scenario for a funny and uplifting journey of self-discovery, explore these movies. Find similar stories with a whimsical tone where characters find themselves through magical, quirky, and heartwarming experiences.

  • whimsical
  • uplifting
  • quirky
  • heartwarming
  • bittersweet
  • playful
  • Tone: whimsical, uplifting
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: A character, often dissatisfied with their life, is thrust into a bizarre or magical circumstance that forces them to see the world—and themselves—in a new light. The narrative is a steady, character-driven exploration of this new perspective, leading to positive personal transformation in a comedic and low-stakes framework.

Why they belong together: This thread groups movies that share a specific tone and emotional goal: using whimsy and light comedy to explore themes of identity and personal growth. The experience is defined by its uplifting feel, gentle humor, and focus on positive change rather than intense conflict.

If you liked this

Movies Like All of Me

Similar movies to All of Me: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

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Categories

Movie Lists Featuring All of Me

All of Me appears in these hand-built movie categories. Each one groups movies by a specific mood, theme or story type, with their plot summaries and endings explained.

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Every angle

All of Me (1984) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about All of Me in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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