The Gingerbread Man (1998)

A lawyer uses his power to help his lover put her father behind bars, but when he escapes, they are all in danger.

Director:

Robert Altman

Writers:

John Grisham (story), Clyde Hayes (screenplay) (as Al Hayes)

Stars:

Kenneth Branagh, Embeth Davidtz, Robert Downey Jr.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kenneth Branagh	...	Rick Magruder
Embeth Davidtz	...	Mallory Doss
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Clyde Pell
Daryl Hannah	...	Lois Harlan
Robert Duvall	...	Dixon Doss
Tom Berenger	...	Pete Randle
Famke Janssen	...	Leeanne Magruder
Clyde Hayes	...	Carl Alden
Mae Whitman	...	Libby Magruder
Jesse James	...	Jeff Magruder
Troy Byer	...	Konnie Dugan (as Troy Beyer)
Julia Ryder Perce	...	Cassandra (as Julia R. Perce)
Danny Darst	...	Sheriff Hope
Sonny Seiler	...	Phillip Dunson
Walter Hartridge	...	Edmund Hess

Storyline

Lawyer Rick Magruder has a one-night-stand affair with caterer Mallory Doss. He becomes hooked on her, and when he learns her nut-case father Dixon is threatening her, he puts the weight of his law firm behind Mallory, has Dixon arrested and subpoenas her ex-husband Pete to testify against Dixon in court. Dixon is sent to an asylum, but escapes from there and the lives of many people are in danger.

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Plot Keywords:

killing a pet | full frontal female nudity | barefoot woman | one night stand | lawyer | 

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Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some sexuality, violence and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 January 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Gingerbread Man

Filming Locations:

Guyton, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$118,278, 25 January 1998, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,534,569, 21 June 1998

Company Credits

Production Co:

Enchanter Entertainment, Island Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Janine Turner was considered for the role of Mallory Doss.

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Goofs

At the party early in the movie, Rick and Lois are talking head-to-head on the sofa. Mallory walks behind them and you can hear Lois talking, but we see their heads at opposite ends of the sofa and they aren't talking. The camera immediately cuts back to them sitting close and talking like before.

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Quotes

Lois Harlan: I'm simply curious, you just keep propositioning people until somebody says yes?

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Spice World/Hard Rain/Fallen/The Gingerbread Man/Phantoms/Star Kid (1998)

User Reviews

Well-made, but thrill-less thriller

The promising first half-hour is let down by the failure to develop the characters and thus waste a great cast. Downey Jnr is a fantastic actor but is given very little to work with, same goes for Hannah, Berenger and Janssen (who seems to have no purpose in the film whatsoever). Davidtz would've been great if her character had grown, but instead all she got to do was mope around for the whole movie. Majority of the bog-standard material here is given to Branagh, and although he is by no means poor, he just does not get the viewer involved in his battle.

The direction, for me, was the film's only virtue. Altman creates a wonderfully dark and intriguing atmosphere, it's just a shame neither the story nor the undercooked characters are equally dark and intriguing.

With more complex characters, more of Downey Jnr and Jansenn, and more explosive dialogue, I could've easily overlooked and forgiven the silly plot turns and contrivances, but sadly they stick out like a sore thumb.

Disappointing sub-noir thriller. 4/10