Waiting to Exhale

Waiting to Exhale
Theatrical release poster
Directed byForest Whitaker
Screenplay byTerry McMillan
Ronald Bass
Based onWaiting to Exhale
by Terry McMillan
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyToyomichi Kurita
Edited byRichard Chew
Music byKenneth "Babyface" Edmonds
Distributed by20th Century Fox
Release date
  • December 22, 1995 (1995-12-22)
Running time
124 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$16 million
Box office$82 million

Waiting to Exhale is a 1995 American romantic comedy-drama 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 women living in the Phoenix metropolitan area and their relationships with men and one another.