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IMDb > Being Michael Madsen (2007)

Being Michael Madsen (2007) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
5.7/10   81 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 8% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Michael Mongillo
Writers:
James Charbonneau (co-screenwriter)
Michael Mongillo (co-screenwriter)
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Contact:
View company contact information for Being Michael Madsen on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
December 2009 (USA) more
Plot:
Actor Michael Madsen turns the tables on notorious paparazzo, Billy Dant, by hiring a trio of documentary filmmakers to chronicle Dant's life, loves, and troubles. | full synopsis
User Comments:
A treat for Madsen fans, and amusing for everyone else. more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Michael Madsen ... Himself

Jason Alan Smith ... Billy Dant aka Peter Kenneth Ryan

Doug Tompos ... Mark Pollard

Kathy Searle ... Jackie Clark

Davis Mikaels ... Dexter Hilt

Virginia Madsen ... Herself

Daryl Hannah ... Herself

David Carradine ... Himself

Lacey Chabert ... Vanessa Rapaport

Harry Dean Stanton ... Himself
Paige Davis ... Herself

Debbie Rochon ... Mrs. Agnes Ripplehorn

Jack Betts ... James J. Perry

Zeke Rippy ... Teddy Gold

Vicki Roberts ... Attorney Vicki Roberts
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Turning the Tables (USA) (original script title)
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Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Ninety percent of "Being Michael Madsen" was scripted, word for word, scene by scene. Only about ten percent of the interview dialogue was ad-libbed. more

FAQ

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6 out of 9 people found the following comment useful:-
A treat for Madsen fans, and amusing for everyone else., 30 September 2007
7/10
Author: Freddy_Newendyke from United Kingdom

I was lucky enough to see the world premiere of this mockumentary at the Raindance Film Festival in London, with the titular Coolest Man on the Planet in attendance. A light satire on the paparazzi, entertainment industry and the self-righteousness of documentary film makers, this low-budget indie comedy is good for a few laughs.

Michael Madsen, playing himself, has been accused of killing an extra on one of his films by a slimeball paparazzo, Billy Dant (Jason Alan Smith). He sues Dant for slander, but when he loses, decides to teach him a lesson by sending a documentary film crew to stalk him and give him a taste of his own medicine. The plot reveals itself mostly through talking head interviews, and it takes a while for the film to warm up and for it to become clear what is going on. Once it gets going, though, it is quite funny and compelling.

Davis Mikaels, Kathy Searle and Doug Tompos are great as the film crew, each in the business for very different reasons, and all ringing true to life. The real draws, however, are the cameo talking heads by friends of Madsen, like David Carradine, Harry Dean Stanton, Daryl Hannah and his sister, Virginia Madsen, all making fun of themselves.

The film reminded me in places of a Christopher Guest one, and I certainly enjoyed it as much as For Your Consideration, which is on a similar subject (although also the least good of Guest's films). For something that only took ten days to shoot, the film makers have done an amazing job. Unfortunately, it perhaps still doesn't add up to enough for a cinema release. Being Michael Madsen should find its home on DVD or on something like HBO, where it will give fans of Mr. Madsen a treat, and everyone else a diverting hour and a half or so.

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Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Where can I get a copy of this? AlexXII
What was Paige Davis' role in this? j-r-otto
Free screening of Being Michael Madsen Feb. 20 jesse-144
Just saw this at its world premiere at the Raindance Film Festival Craig_Grobler
How come... not_getten_any
I think i know what the movie's about... not_getten_any
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