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Swimming with Sharks

  • 1994
  • R
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
25K
YOUR RATING
Kevin Spacey and Frank Whaley in Swimming with Sharks (1994)
Home Video Trailer from Trimark
Play trailer2:11
1 Video
99+ Photos
Dark ComedySatireShowbiz DramaComedyCrime

A young, naive Hollywood studio assistant finally turns the tables on his incredibly abusive producer boss.A young, naive Hollywood studio assistant finally turns the tables on his incredibly abusive producer boss.A young, naive Hollywood studio assistant finally turns the tables on his incredibly abusive producer boss.

  • Director
    • George Huang
  • Writer
    • George Huang
  • Stars
    • Kevin Spacey
    • Frank Whaley
    • Michelle Forbes
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    25K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • George Huang
    • Writer
      • George Huang
    • Stars
      • Kevin Spacey
      • Frank Whaley
      • Michelle Forbes
    • 165User reviews
    • 33Critic reviews
    • 66Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 4 wins & 4 nominations total

    Videos1

    Swimming With Sharks
    Trailer 2:11
    Swimming With Sharks

    Photos107

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    Top cast11

    Edit
    Kevin Spacey
    Kevin Spacey
    • Buddy Ackerman
    Frank Whaley
    Frank Whaley
    • Guy
    Michelle Forbes
    Michelle Forbes
    • Dawn Lockard
    Benicio Del Toro
    Benicio Del Toro
    • Rex
    T.E. Russell
    T.E. Russell
    • Foster Kane
    Roy Dotrice
    Roy Dotrice
    • Cyrus Miles
    Matthew Flint
    • Manny
    Patrick Fischler
    Patrick Fischler
    • Moe
    Jerry Levine
    Jerry Levine
    • Jack
    Sabryn Genet
      Kyle Reed
      • Studio Executive
      • (uncredited)
      • Director
        • George Huang
      • Writer
        • George Huang
      • All cast & crew
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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      Storyline

      Edit

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Trivia
        Buddy Ackerman's character was inspired by real life movie mogul Joel Silver whom Huang used to work for.
      • Goofs
        Guy puts a CD in the player upside-down. The display then shows "no disc" but the music begins to play anyway.
      • Quotes

        Buddy: Life is not a movie. Good guys lose, everybody lies, and love... does not conquer all.

      • Connections
        Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Crimson Tide/A Little Princess/The Perez Family/The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill/Swimming with Sharks (1995)
      • Soundtracks
        The Spoken Word
        Written by J. Munns, M. Dingle, J. Lyde

        Performed by Vibes Alive

        Published by 83 Jazz, Inc. (ASCAP)

        Courtesy of Ubiquity Recordings, Inc.

      User reviews165

      Featured review
      8/10

      Delightful discovery

      I was so depressed after watching "The Men Who Stare At Goats" that I actively sought out Kevin Spacey movies to help redeem my perceptions of him. I saw "K-Pax" last week, which was adequately engaging, then found "Swimming with Sharks" on the IFC. What a find! This low-cost(less than $1M) film must not have had a very big marketing budget -- it completely escaped me at the time -- but it's one of the best performances Kevin Spacey I've ever seen. An abusive, self-indulgent, arrogant boss in the film industry, his role easily translates into that of a recognizable evil boss in any field. Spacey nicely runs the gamut of expression from god-like to humbled. His once-idealistic assistant is played by Frank Whaley, who never really saw his full potential subsequently develop in his career but has had nice turns in Pulp Fiction and a number of high-production TV series. Whaley too should be commended for his ability to grow the character from a wide-eyed beginning his dream job, to a vengeful warrior out for blood. The film centers on the dysfunctional relationship between these two and is weak only when it attempts to introduce minor roles featuring Michelle Forbes (Maryann on "True Blood") and Benecio del Toro (though these actors perform well with what they've been given).
      • jennifer626
      • Dec 18, 2010
      • Permalink

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      FAQ19

      • How long is Swimming with Sharks?Powered by Alexa
      • What is Swimming with Sharks about?

      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • April 21, 1995 (United States)
      • Country of origin
        • United States
      • Language
        • English
      • Also known as
        • The Buddy Factor
      • Filming locations
        • Culver Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA(Studio)
      • Production companies
        • Cineville
        • Keystone Studios
        • Mama'Z Boy Entertainment
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Box office

      Edit
      • Budget
        • $700,000 (estimated)
      • Gross US & Canada
        • $382,928
      • Opening weekend US & Canada
        • $34,703
        • Apr 23, 1995
      • Gross worldwide
        • $382,928
      See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

      Tech specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        1 hour 33 minutes
      • Color
        • Color
      • Sound mix
        • Dolby
      • Aspect ratio
        • 1.85 : 1

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