How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008)

A British writer struggles to fit in at a high-profile magazine in New York City.

Director:

Robert B. Weide

Writers:

Peter Straughan (screenplay), Toby Young (book)

Stars:

Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Megan Fox

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kelan Pannell	...	Young Sidney
Janette Scott	...	Sidney's Mother (archive footage)
Simon Pegg	...	Sidney Young
Megan Fox	...	Sophie Maes
Gillian Anderson	...	Eleanor Johnson
Kelly Jo Charge	...	Apollo Awards Presenter
Christian Smith	...	Apollo Awards Guest
Katherine Parkinson	...	PR Woman
Felicity Montagu	...	Clipboard Nazi
Thandie Newton	...	Herself
John Lightbody	...	Assistant Hotel Manager
Ian Bonar	...	Post Modern Review Staff
James Corden	...	Post Modern Review Staff
Fenella Woolgar	...	Post Modern Review Staff
Chris O'Dowd	...	Post Modern Review Staff

Storyline

Sidney Young is a disillusioned intellectual who both adores and despises the world of celebrity, fame and glamor. His alternative magazine, "Post Modern Review", pokes fun at the media obsessed stars and bucks trends, and so when Young is offered a job at the diametrically opposed conservative New York based "Sharps" magazine it's something of a shock! It seems "Sharps" editor Clayton Harding is amused by Young's disruption of a post-BAFTA party with a pig posing as Babe. Thus begins Sidney's descent into success - his gradual move from derided outsider to confidante of starlet Sophie Maes. Initially helping him out at Sharps is colleague Alison Olsen, who has her own secret. Wither their friendship?

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Plot Keywords:

celebrity | starlet | pig | party | writer | 

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Taglines:

He's across the pond, and out of his depth

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some graphic nudity and brief drug material

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [UK] Official site [United States]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 October 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

New York für Anfänger

Filming Locations:

Café de Paris, Coventry Street, Soho, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$27,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,154,607 (UK) (3 October 2008)

Gross:

$2,775,593 (USA) (5 December 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Number 9 Films, Film4, Intandem Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During the montage of Sidney's name appearing on guest lists to parties and exclusive events one of the names about Sidney's on a list is Oscar Wright - younger brother of writer/director Edgar Wright, who is a frequent collaborator of Simon Pegg.

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Goofs

When Sidney is looking at Lawrence from inside an office, the camera and lighting kit is clearly visible in the reflection of the glass while trying to create Sidney's point of view.

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Quotes

Sidney Young: [to his father] You thought Brad Pitt was a cave in Yorkshire.

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Connections

References It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

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Soundtracks

Enough Love
Written by Richard Parfitt (uncredited) and Owen Powell (uncredited)
Performed by Duffy
Courtesy of Polydor Records Ltd
Under licence from Universal Music Operations
Publishing Copyright Control

User Reviews

Great fun, absorbing and thought provoking. Plenty of fascinating characters.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that How to Lose Friends and Alienate People was nowhere near as 'gross-out' a comedy as the trailer had led me to expect. I rapidly became absorbed in the unfolding of the narrative and remained engrossed throughout. Pacing of the more visual humorous content was, I thought, spot on. (I mean I got the impression I was witnessing Pegg's attempts at restoring lost control very much 'in real time', so to speak.) At other moments there was time allowed to share the main protagonists' (i.e. Pegg's and Dunst's) reflection on how events were affecting them and what had led them to where they now found themselves. All the characters were well cast, to some extent interesting in and of themselves, and generally quite likable. (Any apparent ruthless ambition displayed tended to be tempered by a corresponding good natured resilience.) An entertaining, intelligently scripted, brilliantly directed and superbly acted film that I would thoroughly recommend.