Nobel Son (2007)

Barkley Michaelson is in a deep life rut. He's struggling to finish his PhD thesis when his father, the learned Eli Michaelson, wins the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Barkley and his mother, ... See full summary »

Director:

Randall Miller

Writers:

Jody Savin, Randall Miller

Stars:

Alan Rickman, Bryan Greenberg, Shawn Hatosy

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alan Rickman	...	Eli Michaelson
Bryan Greenberg	...	Barkley Michaelson
Shawn Hatosy	...	Thaddeus James
Mary Steenburgen	...	Sarah Michaelson
Bill Pullman	...	Max Mariner
Eliza Dushku	...	City Hall
Danny DeVito	...	George Gastner
Lindy Booth	...	Beth Chapman
Tracey Walter	...	Simon Ahrens
Ted Danson	...	Harvey Parrish
Ernie Hudson	...	Bill Canepa
Hal B. Klein	...	Tully's Guy
Matt Winston	...	Book Store Manager
Kirk Baily	...	Wil Cavalere
Joyce Guy	...	Eileen Moses

Storyline

Barkley Michaelson is in a deep life rut. He's struggling to finish his PhD thesis when his father, the learned Eli Michaelson, wins the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Barkley and his mother, Sarah, a renowned forensic psychiatrist, now have the ill-fortune of living with a man-eating monster whose philandering ways have gotten less and less discrete. As if Barkley's world is not bad enough, on the eve of his father receiving the Nobel, Barkley is kidnapped and the requested ransom is the $2,000,000 in Nobel prize money. Needless to say, Eli refuses to pay it and so starts a venomous tale of familial dysfunction, lust, betrayal and ultimately revenge. In the words of Michel De Montaigne, the 16th century philosopher: "There is more barbarity in eating a man alive than in eating him dead."

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Plot Keywords:

nobel prize | revenge | phd | thesis | ransom | 

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Taglines:

Lust, betrayal, kidnapping... and you thought your family had problems!

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some violent gruesome images, language and sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 December 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Le prix de la rançon

Filming Locations:

City of Industry, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$333,912 (USA) (5 December 2008)

Gross:

$333,912 (USA) (5 December 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eli's Son Production, Gimme Five Films, Prama

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first American Nobel Prize winner in sciences was Michelson (without a) his first name was Albert.

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Goofs

In the mall scene the mini cooper used was a base model but the sound coming from the motor was that of a Supercharged S model.

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Quotes

City Hall: Crazy's just a choice, Barkley.

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Connections

References Scarface (1932)

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Soundtracks

"Just One of Those Things (Brazilian Girls Remix)"
Written by Cole Porter
Performed by Blossom Dearie
Remixed by Brazilian Girls
Courtesy of The Verve Music Group
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

A roller coaster thriller that keeps you guessing

I somehow managed to get a ticket to the premiere at Tribeca and it was worth the struggle. The film is a freight train that picks up speed and never stops going. Great performances from Alan Rickman, Mary Steenburgen, Bill Pullman, Danny DeVito, Shawn Hatosy, Bryan Greenberg and Eliza Dushku (so hot!). Writers Miller and Savin have us constantly off balance and Miller's direction is reminiscent of early Guy Ritchie (Lock Stock, Snatch). It's amazing that the same team that did the sweet and sensitive Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School managed to pull off this wild breathless ride of a movie.

Can't wait to see it in theaters again when it comes out.