Starring Madonna, Rupert Everett, and Benjamin Bratt, it opened to the number-two position in the North American box office and poor critical reviews.

Its lead single, "American Pie" topped the charts in various countries, including Everett's native United Kingdom, and helped to introduce Don McLean's song to newer audiences.

Five years later, Abbie falls in love with a heterosexual man and wants to move away with him and Robert's son Sam, and a nasty custody battle ensues.

[2][3] The film began as an original screenplay titled The Red Curtain by Tom Ropelewski, which he intended to direct, with his wife Leslie Dixon to produce.

It was announced to be made in 1995 with Richard Dreyfuss attached to star as Robert; he dropped out, then Helen Hunt was named as female lead to play Abbie.

[2] Roger Ebert gave the film one star out of four, stating: "The Next Best Thing is a garage sale of gay issues, harnessed to a plot as exhausted as a junkman's horse.

[15][16] The album had two new songs from Madonna: "Time Stood Still" (an original track co-written and co-produced with William Orbit) and a cover of Don McLean's "American Pie".

[28] New York Daily News made similar remarks, complimenting the music style featured on the soundtrack, describing the album as "nouvelle electronica", "a revolutionary mix of woozy electronics and retro-lounge sounds".

[21] Jim Farber, in his review for Orlando Sentinel overall praised the soundtrack, and also complimented "Time Stood Still" saying "her best ballad since 'Take a Bow'; vocally, Madonna "has never sounded more beautiful than on her other song".

[30] In a mixed response, Howard Cohen from the Miami Herald commented "American Pie" is the "best thing" on the album while "the rest is the usual soundtrack grab-bag of found oldies".

[38] "American Pie" also revived "interest in [Don] McLean's magnum opus" according to publications such as Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI),[39] and writer Nat Shapiro.