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IMDbPro

The Opportunists

  • 19991999
  • RR
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
77,228
3,464
Christopher Walken and Cyndi Lauper in The Opportunists (1999)
Theatrical Trailer from First Look
Play trailer1:36
1 Video
5 Photos
ComedyCrimeDrama
A struggling auto mechanic with a criminal past agrees to one last heist to pay off his debts.A struggling auto mechanic with a criminal past agrees to one last heist to pay off his debts.A struggling auto mechanic with a criminal past agrees to one last heist to pay off his debts.
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
77,228
3,464
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Myles Connell
    • Writer
      • Myles Connell
    • Stars
      • Christopher Walken
      • Peter McDonald
      • Anne Pitoniak
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Myles Connell
    • Writer
      • Myles Connell
    • Stars
      • Christopher Walken
      • Peter McDonald
      • Anne Pitoniak
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 24User reviews
    • 23Critic reviews
    • 71Metascore
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Videos1

    The Opportunists
    Trailer 1:36
    The Opportunists

    Photos

    Vera Farmiga in The Opportunists (1999)
    Christopher Walken and Peter McDonald in The Opportunists (1999)
    Christopher Walken in The Opportunists (1999)
    Christopher Walken, Cyndi Lauper, and Peter McDonald in The Opportunists (1999)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Christopher Walken
    Christopher Walken
    • Vic Kelly
    Peter McDonald
    Peter McDonald
    • Michael Lawlor
    • (as Peter Mcdonald)
    Anne Pitoniak
    • Aunt Dee
    Kate Burton
    Kate Burton
    • Rest Home Sister
    Jim Mayzik
    Jim Mayzik
    • Rest Home Priest
    Vera Farmiga
    Vera Farmiga
    • Miriam Kelly
    Donal Logue
    Donal Logue
    • Pat Duffy
    Cyndi Lauper
    Cyndi Lauper
    • Sally Mahon
    Paul D'Amato
    Paul D'Amato
    • Dylan
    Wally Dunn
    Wally Dunn
    • Harry
    Olek Krupa
    Olek Krupa
    • Ted Walikaki
    Chuck Cooper
    Chuck Cooper
    • Arnon Morris
    John Ortiz
    John Ortiz
    • Ismail Espinoza
    José Zúñiga
    José Zúñiga
    • Jesus Del Toro
    • (as Jose Zuniga)
    Branden Vega
    • Tony Del Toro
    Patrick Fitzgerald
    Patrick Fitzgerald
    • Kevin
    Rosalyn Coleman
    Rosalyn Coleman
    • Kevin's Partner
    Claudia Shear
    Claudia Shear
    • Gladys
    • Director
      • Myles Connell
    • Writer
      • Myles Connell
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Goofs
      When they are renovating the bar, the painter in the background is moving the paint roller up and down the wall, but no paint is transferring onto the wall.
    • Crazy credits
      Thanks to Ma Connell and the clan. Special thanks to Adele, Bobby and the rest of the gang at Buffa's.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: The Cell/Steal This Movie/The Opportunists/The Replacements/An Affair of Love (2000)
    • Soundtracks
      One More River To Cross
      Written by Freddie Scott (as F. Scott) and Scott Turner (as S. Turner)

      Performed by The Del Vikings

      Published by Atlantic Music Corporation (BMI)

      Courtesy of MCA Records

      Under license from Universal Music Special Markets

    User reviews24

    Review
    Top review
    Very little action, but fine "character study" starring Christopher Walken.
    Christopher Walken and his girlfriend played by Cindi lauper are both New Yorkers so I'm certain they both felt right at home in their roles. Many who like fast action, snappy dialog types of films will be bored with this one. However, for those like me who enjoy a great, well-developed character study carried out in about 88 minutes, this is worth a viewing.

    Walken plays a safe-cracker who has served his time and trying to go straight, working as a mechanic, and paying for his old aunt to stay in a home run by nuns. Always on the verge of debt, the sale of his car is saboutaged by someone wanting to get him to do one more job, the safe at the armored car office. So, pressured from all sides, he agrees.

    In the safe, his halpess "helper", posing as a cousin from Ireland, gets Walken trapped and caught by the cops. He gets out of it when the business owner, who also runs an illegal laundering operation, fails to press charges. We see walken going back into Lauper's bar, presumably to live straight from then on.

    The story thus is sorta victimless. Although Walken and the others are helped by the one money bag that is successfully stolen by the Irish guy, then split up, it was money illegally gotten. We are, I suppose, to forgive Walken because he had no choice. The most interesting scene was where he was practicing "cracking" the 3 different safe combinations within 6 minutes to avoid setting off the alarm.

    The DVD is "budget" all the way - Dolby AC-3 sound, no menu, no extras. However, the sound and picture are not deficient, given the formats. Just a well-acted, low-budget film, and I enjoyed it.
    helpful•10
    1
    • TxMike
    • Aug 8, 2001

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 11, 2000 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Polish
    • Also known as
      • Отступники
    • Production companies
      • Clinica Estetico
      • Eureka Pictures
      • Flashpoint (I)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $584,054
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $46,967
      • Aug 13, 2000
    • Gross worldwide
      • $584,054
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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