The lead actors, Shirley MacLaine and Marcello Mastroianni, are what make the film an event. Both perform excellently as Pearl, a Jewish woman who has recently buried her husband and Joe, an Italian who invites her out on a date during the funeral. In genre a romantic comedy, the film »Used people« brilliantly transcends the cliché of a couple in the autumn of their years with its sensitive dialogue. Shirley MacLaine and Marcello Mastroianni were nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Actress and Actor – Motion picture musical / comedy in 1993.

Beeban Kidron, born in London in 1961, is a well-known British film director and producer. She received a nomination for the BAFTA Film Award for her 2002 television film »Murder«.