In the Soup (1992)

New Yorker Adolpho Rollo is your classic head-movie auteur. In his mind, he's creating deathless classics of the screen. Back in the real world, he can't pay the rent on the downtown grothole he calls home.

Director:

Alexandre Rockwell

Writers:

Sollace Mitchell (as Tim Kissell), Alexandre Rockwell

Stars:

Steve Buscemi, Seymour Cassel, Jennifer Beals

5 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve Buscemi	...	Aldolpho Rollo
Seymour Cassel	...	Joe
Jennifer Beals	...	Angelica Pena
Pat Moya	...	Dang
Will Patton	...	Skippy
Sully Boyar	...	Old Man
Steven Randazzo	...	Louis Barfardi
Francesco Messina	...	Frank Barfardi
Jim Jarmusch	...	Monty
Carol Kane	...	Barbara
Stanley Tucci	...	Gregoire
Rockets Redglare	...	Guy
Elizabeth Bracco	...	Jackie
Debi Mazar	...	Suzie
Sam Rockwell	...	Pauli

Storyline

A neurotic nebbish lives in 2 worlds: the fantasy of winning his dream-girl via a hit movie, and the meager existence he scrapes out from very odd jobs, such as thesping in an arty no-budget flick. His beautiful object is his next-door neighbor Angelica, who's understandably preoccupied with her own life, as an illegal immigrant and single mom. Aldolpho Rollo's writing his unending masterpiece screenplay from a walk-up NYC flat, in-between peering at debtors through his peephole. AR's hopes to win her love take wing via another angel, a shady high-roller who definitely has the self-confidence, and promises the cash Aldolpho craves, to produce the auteur's vision.

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Plot Keywords:

struggling filmmaker | shady film producer | love interest | female cashier | new york | 

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Taglines:

A comedy about getting in over your head.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filmed on color film stock, but it was always intended as a B&W film. Director Alexandre Rockwell explained: "We really wanted a high contrast look with deeply saturated blacks and brilliant whites in the final prints of the film. The only way we could achieve that was by shooting on a fine grain color stock and then printing on black and white stock called Kodak 5369 which was primarily used for making silhouette mattes and travelings mattes. This particular stock had a high silver content. As we hoped, the result was spectacular."

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Goofs

61 minutes in, the position of Joe's hands changes entirely between shots as he's talking to Aldolpho.

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Quotes

Joe: Can't you do a simple story? Like a love story, something that grabs you by the balls.
Aldolpho Rollo: Love story? That's been done like a thousand times!
Joe: Correct me if I'm wrong, but "I love you" always sounds fresh to me. Depends on who's saying it.

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Alternate Versions

Although intended to be shown in black and white, the film was shot in colour for economic reasons. In the UK, the colour version was released on rental video, but the sell-through version was black and white.

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Connections

Referenced in The Class of '92 (2002)

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Soundtracks

Ballad
Written by Mader
Courtesy of Force of Circumstance & Mader

User Reviews

Don't be turned off by the "quirky indie comedy" tag! This is a wonderful movie with a brilliant performance by Seymour Cassel.

Cast your mind back to the early 1990s when the American indie scene spawned such wonderful movies as 'Johnny Suede', 'Barton Fink', and 'Reservoir Dogs', and this one, Alexandre Rockwell's brilliant debut 'In The Soup'. Rockwell's subsequent career didn't really go the way you'd imagine, and lately he's really slipped off the radar, but that doesn't take anything away from this wonderful little movie. And yes, it IS a "quirky indie comedy", but don't panic, it's a very good one. Indie favourite Steve Buscemi ('Reservoir Dogs', 'Fargo', 'Trees Lounge') plays Aldolpho, a pretentious wanna be movie director, who unexpectedly finds himself partners with Joe (Seymour Cassel), a small time hood. Cassel is one of those character actors who delivers the goods year in, year out, but never gets the attention he deserves. Even if you don't know his name you will recognise his face, from John Cassavetes movies to 'Rushmore'. He's almost always good, but 'In The Soup' is the best I've ever seen him. He gives a superb comic performance, and he and Buscemi work very well together (Buscemi must think so too, as he gave Cassel a small cameo in his directorial debut 'Trees Lounge'.) The rest of the cast are excellent, and include Jennifer Beals ('Vampire's Kiss'), Stanley Tucci ('The Impostors'), Will Patton ('Jesus' Son'), Sam Rockwell ('Safe Men'), Debi Mazar ('Goodfellas'), and others, as well as a quirky turn from Carol Kane ('Taxi') and director Jim Jarmusch ('Mystery Train') as producers of a nude cable TV show. Don't be put off by the "quirky indie comedy" tag, 'In The Soup' is a great movie, and highly recommended to fans of Steve Buscemi and/or Seymour Cassel.

Details

Country:

USA France Germany Japan Italy Spain

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 August 1992 (Germany)

Also Known As:

In the Soup

Filming Locations:

New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$13,922, 25 October 1992

Gross USA:

$256,249

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$256,249

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alliance Communications Corporation, Alta, Cacous Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1