A radio journalist and his technician get in over their heads when they hatch a scheme to fake their own kidnapping during a rebel uprising in South America and hide out in New York instead.A radio journalist and his technician get in over their heads when they hatch a scheme to fake their own kidnapping during a rebel uprising in South America and hide out in New York instead.A radio journalist and his technician get in over their heads when they hatch a scheme to fake their own kidnapping during a rebel uprising in South America and hide out in New York instead.
- Perry
- (as Glen Grant)
- Director
- Writers
- Ricky Gervais
- Jacques Labib(uncredited)
- Simon Michaël(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWhile in Toronto during production, Ricky Gervais donated a personally owned guitar used in the film to the Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary. Gervais posted two links to the eBay auction for the guitar during the period he was hosting the Golden Globes in attempts to help the sanctuary raise funds for much needed extension work. The guitar was purchased by Danny Young, a well respected musician in the guitar industry, who used the guitar to help the sanctuary with further fund raising. Gervais is well known on social media for animal welfare activism.
- GoofsWhile broadcasting from "South America" Frank almost always announces an occurrence, such as an explosion, before Finch plays the audio for it.
- Quotes
[last lines]
Ian Finch: We seem to be walking to Manhattan - I guess.
Claire Maddox: I have coffee, so...
Ian Finch: You didn't want milk, did you?
Claire Maddox: I *did*.
Ian Finch: Okay, you good. 'Cuz there's a shop on this side, by now. We're probably not allowed to go across there...
Claire Maddox: This is like the end of a movie.
Ian Finch: A low bidget movie, maybe.
- Crazy credits"Trailer Puppy .... Charlie"
- SoundtracksSpanish Stroll
Written by Willy DeVille
Performed by Mink DeVille
© 1977 Willy DeVille
Published by Nina Lagerwall / Jockamo Music (BMI) and Warner/Chappell Music Inc.
Courtesy of Capital Records LLC
Under license from Universal Music Operations Ltd.
Great to see Eric Bana killing it again, but this time figuratively in a role as a self-confident, rogue reporter at a local news station. So too is the rest of the hilarious character gallery, along with their quirky foibles, from the manipulative money-grubbing sociopath played by Vera Farmiga to the over-emotional America Ferrera. Not to mention Gervais in the leading actor playing a fumbling doofus technician with low self-esteem, but with the redeemable quality of being kindhearted and well-meaning. Until he snorts coke, that is.. The film has a fair amount of subtle humor baked into the dialogue and contains a broader societal satire e.g. on the superficiality of news media, on the obsession with fame in today's docusoap infested society, and on the callous amorality of the drug gangs of Latin America, etc.
It's also a feelgood movie you leave with a smile, but that nonetheless doesn't suffer from being syrupy and maudlin which is so typical for the genre. The low-budget remake of the original French film feels like a fresh take in a world where Hollywood constantly churns out focus group-tested flavorless rom-coms.
- DrWilhielmWonk
- Jun 6, 2016
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Details
- Runtime1 hour 41 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1