A young, naive Hollywood studio assistant finally turns the tables on his incredibly abusive producer boss.
Director:
George HuangWriter:
George Huang
From metacritic.com
Once you've memorized the lyrics to Hamilton, check out these TV shows and movies to enhance your experience.
Related News
-
Hulu in March: Here’s Everything Coming and Going
01 March 2020 | The Wrap -
TVLine Items: Killing Eve Premiere Date, Masters of the Universe Cast and More
14 February 2020 | TVLine.com -
Quibi's 'Swimming With Sharks' Adds Thomas Dekker, Finn Jones, Donald Sutherland (Exclusive)
13 February 2020 | The Hollywood Reporter
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: Swimming with Sharks (1994)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
4 wins & 4 nominations.
See more awards »
Edit
Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Kevin Spacey | ... | Buddy Ackerman | |
| Frank Whaley | ... | Guy | |
| Michelle Forbes | ... | Dawn Lockard | |
| Benicio Del Toro | ... | Rex | |
| T.E. Russell | ... | Foster Kane | |
| Roy Dotrice | ... | Cyrus Miles | |
 |
Matthew Flint | ... | Manny |
| Patrick Fischler | ... | Moe | |
| Jerry Levine | ... | Jack | |
Learn more
More Like This
The Ref
(1994)
Comedy
|
Crime
|
Drama
Director:
Ted Demme
Stars:
Denis Leary,
Judy Davis,
Kevin Spacey
The Big Kahuna
(1999)
Certificate: 18A
Drama
|
Comedy
Director:
John Swanbeck
Stars:
Kevin Spacey,
Danny DeVito,
Peter Facinelli
Hurlyburly
(1998)
Comedy
|
Drama
Director:
Anthony Drazan
Stars:
Sean Penn,
Kevin Spacey,
Chazz Palminteri
Beyond the Sea
(2004)
Certificate: 14A
Biography
|
Drama
|
Music
Director:
Kevin Spacey
Stars:
Kevin Spacey,
Kate Bosworth,
John Goodman
Ordinary Decent Criminal
(2000)
Comedy
|
Crime
Director:
Thaddeus O'Sullivan
Stars:
Kevin Spacey,
Linda Fiorentino,
Peter Mullan
Glengarry Glen Ross
(1992)
Certificate: 14A
Crime
|
Drama
|
Mystery
Director:
James Foley
Stars:
Al Pacino,
Jack Lemmon,
Alec Baldwin
Certificate: 14A
Crime
|
Drama
|
Mystery
Director:
Clint Eastwood
Stars:
John Cusack,
Kevin Spacey,
Jack Thompson
Consenting Adults
(1992)
Certificate: 18A
Crime
|
Drama
|
Mystery
Director:
Alan J. Pakula
Stars:
Kevin Kline,
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio,
Kevin Spacey
Casino Jack
(2010)
Certificate: 14A
Biography
|
Comedy
|
Crime
Director:
George Hickenlooper
Stars:
Kevin Spacey,
Barry Pepper,
Jon Lovitz
The Negotiator
(1998)
Certificate: 14A
Action
|
Crime
|
Drama
Director:
F. Gary Gray
Stars:
Samuel L. Jackson,
Kevin Spacey,
David Morse
Darrow
(TV Movie 1991)
Biography
|
Drama
Director:
John David Coles
Stars:
Kevin Spacey,
Bob Tracey,
Paul Klementowicz
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
A young Hollywood executive becomes the assistant to a big time movie producer who is the worst boss imaginable: abusive, abrasive and cruel. But soon things turn around when the young executive kidnaps his boss and visits all the cruelties back on him. Written by Jason Ihle <jrihl@conncoll.edu>
Taglines:
Life is not a movie See more »Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated R for some scenes of psychological/physical torture and pervasive strong language | See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
Edit
See more »
Written by Paul Brouwer, David Gibbs, Steve Hurley, Phil Hurley
Performed by Gigolo Aunts
Published by Songs of Polygram Int'l, Inc. and Mean Medve Music (BMI)
Courtesy of the RCA Records Label of BMG Music
See more »
Did You Know?
Goofs
After Buddy calls Guy at his apartment and tells him to go to the office for a phone number, the back of Guy's jacket collar alternates between being straight and twisted between shots. See more »Quotes
Dawn: [to Guy] Let me give you a piece of advice here. You want to make it in this business, you don't have time for a personal life, much less a relationship.See more »
Soundtracks
RIDE ON BABY RIDEWritten by Paul Brouwer, David Gibbs, Steve Hurley, Phil Hurley
Performed by Gigolo Aunts
Published by Songs of Polygram Int'l, Inc. and Mean Medve Music (BMI)
Courtesy of the RCA Records Label of BMG Music
See more »
Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
Edit
Edit
See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
21 April 1995 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Bye Bye boss See more »Filming Locations:
Culver Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USAEdit
Box Office
Budget:
$700,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend USA:
$34,703, 23 April 1995Gross USA:
$382,928Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$382,928Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
From Sunset Boulevard (1950) through to The Player (1992), the dark side of Hollywood has given up juicy material for filmmakers looking to bite the hand that feeds. Not that there is any secret to be revealed here - pretty much everything you need to know about the soulless, spirit-crushing side of movie-making is contained in Raymond Chnadler's 1945 essay "Writer's in Hollywood", which contains more horror than any of the celluloid parodies it has since inspired.
Swimming with Sharks is the tale of innocent Guy (a freshly scrubbed Frank Whaley), whose monster boss is tinsel town king-maker Buddy Ackerman, a screaming, mood-shifting bully who dangles just enough opportunity before Guy to keep him on his leash. But payback is due, and comes in spades.
It is all very dark and delicious, and Spacey gets to rip loose as the psycho boss, the joke being that it is his very lack of sanity and compassion that allows him to thrive in the business. Love interest is supplied by producer Dawn (Michelle Forbes), who allows Guy to stay grounded as he negotiates his way to the top. Dawn and Guy show us that even in Hollywood true love can conquer all - or can it? It is received wisdom that movies about movies don't travel very well. Swimming with Sharks is about delusion and corruption, and how much the human spirit can take. It just happens to be set in Hollywood, but Buddy Ackerman could be Gordon Gecko in a different market. Worth watching to see Spacey enjoying himself in a role where he gets to say pretty much whatever he likes, and does so with relish.