Entropy (1999)

Stephen Dorff narrates this tale about how his life goes astray as his character attempts to strike a balance between the demands of directing his first film and the pressures of his new ... See full summary »

Director:

Phil Joanou

Writer:

Phil Joanou

Stars:

Stephen Dorff, Judith Godrèche, Kelly Macdonald

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Stephen Dorff	...	Jake Walsh
Judith Godrèche	...	Stella (as Judith Godreche)
Kelly Macdonald	...	Pia
Lauren Holly	...	Claire
Jon Tenney	...	Kevin
Frank Vincent	...	Sal
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Andy
Hector Elizondo	...	The Chairman
Bray Poor	...	Wyatt
Kathryn Erbe	...	Evan (as Katheryn Herbe)
Shannon Fiedler	...	Isabelle
Zach Tyler	...	Lukas (as Zachary Tyler)
Jim Gaffigan	...	Bucky
Dominic Hawksley	...	Pierre
Drena De Niro	...	Waitress

Storyline

Stephen Dorff narrates this tale about how his life goes astray as his character attempts to strike a balance between the demands of directing his first film and the pressures of his new romance with a model. U2's Bono plays a role in this film as both himself and Dorff's character's concience.

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Plot Keywords:

model | u2 | film camera | photograph | camera | 

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Taglines:

Making a movie is not as easy as falling in love.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and sexuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kelly Macdonald (Pia) was considered for the role of Stella.

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Quotes

Jake: There are three truths in life: you are born, you will die, and things change. OK, maybe one more: everyone has their stella, and when they do, no one else can even compare.

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Soundtracks

Vultures
(uncredited)
Music by Dudley Matthew (pseudonym of Graham Whettam)
De Wolfe Music Ltd

User Reviews

Steven Dorff finally fills the shoes of the brooding everyman, and evolves beyond the "Slater" image.

Seldom is there a movie produced which can incorporate the personal, immediate feeling of a play with the abstract and subtle strokes of cinematic genius; yet here it is.

The script alone is genius, and with a few minor snips here and there, it could have easily been a theatre piece. But the way that the cinematics (camera angles, rate of motion, "intoxication effect", etc) were able to bond with the work is what really elevated the film. I've never had a movie imbue me with a sense of serenity with nothing more than an accelerated frame rate and a minimal sound use, but here it is.

The problem with the whole of the piece is that it's driven towards the writer, not the audience; being a reflective piece, that is understandable. And even admirable, because there's not a doubt in my mind that when this movie was produced, Janou knew it wasn't going to endow him with financial success, only artistic. A blockbuster this is not, but a brilliant work of art it is, proving once again that with just a twist of lemony liberty, life is the best form of art.

Steven Dorff has also reached a pinnacle in my mind with this film, and again, on an artistic level--not financial. The brooding character struggling with his adolescence, once played by the typecast Christian Slater and now by Dorff, has matured. Dorff was able to take the character into an autumnal growth, transplanting the brilliance and detatchment into the shoes of an adult who sees the world for what it is, yet at the same time is able to maintain his edge.

I could go on about the supporting cast, but really, this movie is about the main character, and how he deals with near-success, utter failure, and realistic romance. Definitely not one to miss.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 November 1999 (Japan)

Also Known As:

De Cabeça Para Baixo

Filming Locations:

South Africa

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Baldwin/Cohen Productions, Disorder Productions, Interlight

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1