Cosmopolis (2012)

Riding across Manhattan in a stretch limo in order to get a haircut, a 28-year-old billionaire asset manager's day devolves into an odyssey with a cast of characters that start to tear his world apart.

Director:

David Cronenberg

Writers:

David Cronenberg (screenplay), Don DeLillo (novel)

Stars:

Robert Pattinson, Sarah Gadon, Juliette Binoche

3 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Pattinson	...	Eric Packer
Sarah Gadon	...	Elise Shifrin
Paul Giamatti	...	Benno Levin
Kevin Durand	...	Torval
Abdul Ayoola	...	Ibrahim Hamadou
Juliette Binoche	...	Didi Fancher
Emily Hampshire	...	Jane Melman
Bob Bainborough	...	Dr. Ingram
Samantha Morton	...	Vija Kinsky
Zeljko Kecojevic	...	Danko
Jay Baruchel	...	Shiner
Philip Nozuka	...	Michael Chin
Mathieu Amalric	...	André Petrescu
Patricia McKenzie	...	Kendra Hays
Ryan Kelly	...	Rat Man #1

Storyline

Riding across Manhattan in a stretch limo in order to get a haircut, a 28-year-old billionaire asset manager's day devolves into an odyssey with a cast of characters that start to tear his world apart.

---

Plot Keywords:

haircut | billionaire | woman on top | taxi driver | anarchist | 

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some strong sexual content including graphic nudity, violence and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [fr]

Country:

Canada France Portugal Italy

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 May 2012 (France)

Also Known As:

Cosmópolis

Filming Locations:

Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$20,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$70,339 (USA) (17 August 2012)

Gross:

$743,636 (USA) (14 September 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alfama Films, Prospero Pictures, Kinology

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

David Cronenberg wrote the script in six days.

---

Quotes

Elise Shifrin: Where is your office? What do you do exactly? You know things, I think this is what you do. I think you acquire information and turn it into something awful.

---

Crazy Credits

The final credits are inspired in ROTHKO's paintings which are part of the conversation between 'Juliet Binoche' (qv) and 'Robert Pattinson' (qv).

---

Connections

Referenced in Cinema 3: Episode dated 24 November 2011 (2011)

---

Soundtracks

"Mecca"
Lyrics by Don DeLillo and K'Naan
Performed by K'Naan

User Reviews

Not for Everybody

Young billionaire Eric Packer (Robert Pattinson) decides to take his stretch limo across New York City for a haircut. Along the way he conducts business, meets friends, family and acquaintances before being mobbed by anarchists and confronting someone who has malicious intent to harm him. This film reminded me of a good Shakespearean play; I only understood about half of it but enjoyed it a lot. There are long elongated stretches of duelling dialogue which are spoken in a half alien language of metaphors and double meanings. The word 'this' takes on new meanings and is used in – it feels like – almost every sentence. Much like a Shakespearean play there are odd comic moments and in keeping with Director David Cronenberg's cannon, brief scenes of extreme violence. These few instances ignited some of the more drawn out and dare I say duller scenes to keep the audience on tenterhooks. Despite these flashes this wont be a film for everyone and a man next to me in an early afternoon screening fell asleep while a couple on the row in front left about half way in. Robert Patz' character reminded me a little of Michael Fassbender's in Shame. Both felt like they were on a path to destruction which they both sort of wanted or at least drew themselves towards. R-Pattinson defies the advice of his security to actively search out trouble and seems to show no emotion in doing so. In fact there is very little emotion in any scene and the whole cast seem to live in a world of robots. Sarah Gadon plays Robbie-P's wife as an android with almost no movement or signs of feeling. Equally The Robster's bodyguard played by Kevin Durand is focused solely on his employer's safety and shows no signs of living in a world outside of the film. This and also the cinematography lead me to wonder if the film was set inside a dream. It certainly had a dreamlike quality to it. Pattinson is surprisingly excellent in this film, playing a character that is sealed off from the outside world in such a way that he barely notices when it is crumbling in front of him. He has stoicism and magnetism that is rarely matched on film. As I said a couple of paragraphs ago I didn't understand a lot of what was actually going on. There is a lot of financial talk and discussions on a metaphysical level which went over my head. None of this stopped me enjoying myself though and I only felt bored once, in a long scene featuring Rob-Patz and Paul Giamatti. The scene was livened up though by a wonderful creeping score which slowing increased in volume as the tension racked up as well as a short sharp burst of violence. This film definitely won't be for everyone but I do hope hordes of young Twilight fans go and get bitterly disappointed and confused. Personally I thought it was very good but felt perplexed at times. Unlike the source novel the ending is slightly ambiguous which I felt was a good thing. This is a film I'd recommend to hardcore Cronenberg fans and anyone who doesn't mind having to think a little but if you're only interested in Rizzle-Patz cos' he's super hunky then stay away.