Harvard Man (2001)

A basketball player strikes a deal with the mob to fix a basketball game.

Director:

James Toback

Writer:

James Toback

Stars:

Sarah Michelle Gellar, Adrian Grenier, Joey Lauren Adams

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Adrian Grenier	...	Alan Jensen
Sarah Michelle Gellar	...	Cindy Bandolini
Joey Lauren Adams	...	Chesney Cort
Eric Stoltz	...	Teddy Carter
Rebecca Gayheart	...	Kelly Morgan
Gianni Russo	...	Andrew Bandolini
Ray Allen	...	Marcus Blake
Mike Vetere	...	Russell (as Michael Aparo)
Scottie Epstein	...	Mario
John Neville	...	Dr. Reese
Polly Shannon	...	Juliet
Phillip Jarrett	...	Coach Preston
Adam Bloch	...	Kenner
Lauren Collis	...	Connie
Landy Cannon	...	Butch

Storyline

College has always been a time for experimentation, sexual, cultural and otherwise. "Harvard Man" plays out against a background of love, sex, basketball, crime and experimentation. Action and philosophy in young people's quest to discover their true identity.

---

Plot Keywords:

two word title | male objectification | nudity | male rear nudity | male frontal nudity | 

---

Taglines:

Passion, Seduction, Deception

---

Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for drug use, language and some strong sexuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 August 2001 (France)

Also Known As:

Harvard Story

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,425, 19 May 2002, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$56,653, 19 September 2002

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alliance Cinema, Bigel / Mailer Films, Lions Gate Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sarah Michelle Gellar was James Toback's first choice for Cindy Bandolini.

---

Goofs

The type and amount of clouds change in the final scene of the movie when the family walks to the river and get their pictures taken by Alan.

---

Quotes

Alan Jensen: In the meantime I think I've gotten about as far as I can with general thinking about life-- and sanity, and madness, and death. I think what I need to do is get concrete..find something that I can get good at and something that I can make a living doing.

---

Alternate Versions

On The DVD there is an Alternate Opening Scene. The only major difference being that the sex scene between Cindy & Alan is more graphic (you see more naked shots of Alan, which were not in the original version)

---

Connections

Referenced in The Cinema Snob: Heaven's Gate: Part 1 (2015)

---

Soundtracks

The List
Written by Aaron Accetta, Dan Woods, David Schommer (as Dave Schoemmer), Sam Hollander
Performed by J Bender
Courtesy of Columbia Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

on second viewing, not as silly and pretentious as i thought

Anyone who read my comments on this movie from a few days ago probably surmised, quite correctly, that I did not care for it. Well, due to a series of odd circumstances, I actually wound up seeing the movie *again* this weekend, and though it pains me to admit it, I think I may have been off-base with my original review. Maybe this is one of those cases where a film is so unique that it takes a second viewing to truly appreciate its depth and complexity. This time, even though I knew what was going to happen, I found the dramatic tension mesmerizing. I think this is a testament not only to the really fine acting (okay, so I'm a big "Buffy" fan!), but also to the subtle nuances of Toback's script and his sure hand as a director. I now really admire the economy of the writing and the way Toback gets to the point really quickly in each scene. I thought the way he subtly interwove the philosophy professor's treatises on Wittgenstein's theories of language (I'm sort of a philosophy buff myself) with the main character's desire to "break free" of the bonds of our normal world. And I like the way their relationship isn't portrayed as merely a seedy affair--they truly seem to like each other, and having them walk arm-in-arm across the campus was a nice touch. (Then again, what undergrad wouldn't want to get to know "Professor Joey Lauren Adams" a bit better?) Oh, one other thing: I don't know how I missed it the first time, but Ray Allan is a remarkably subtle actor. I think I was too startled by the scene where he draws the gun to realize the real confusion and anguish his character is going through. Far from being "ridiculous" or "offensive," I now have to give a big "shout out" to Allan for pulling off that scene! So I guess the lesson I've learned is that being in a bad mood can affect one's opinion of a movie. Also, we should all keep in mind that sometimes artistic genius can only be perceived through repeated exposure. Can't wait to see what you do next, Mr. Toback!