Rat Race (2001)

A Las Vegas casino magnate, determined to find a new avenue for wagering, sets up a race for money.

Director:

Jerry Zucker

Writer:

Andy Breckman

Stars:

Breckin Meyer, Amy Smart, Whoopi Goldberg

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Breckin Meyer	...	Nick Schaffer
Jenica Bergere	...	Hotel Clerk
Cuba Gooding Jr.	...	Owen Templeton
Carrie Diamond	...	Casino Bartender
Douglas Haase	...	Guy at Bar
Chris Myers	...	Fox Sportscaster
Kevin Frazier	...	Fox Sportscaster
Seth Green	...	Duane Cody
Gloria Allred	...	Herself
Vince Vieluf	...	Blaine Cody
Renée Lee	...	Witness in Crowd
Corinna Harney	...	Cocktail Waitress (as Corinna Harney Jones)
Jane C. Walsh	...	Cocktail Waitress
Lanei Chapman	...	Merrill Jennings (as Lanai Chapman)
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Vera Baker

Storyline

Donald P. Sinclair has placed six separate gold coins in different slot machines in his casino. The lucky six who find these coins discover an opportunity of a lifetime. The chance to own $2 million. Locked up in a locker in New Mexico, these six contestants must now race each other, to be the first to the cash. There are no rules in place and everything that could possibly happen, does. Whilst, behind the scenes, Sinclair's associates are placing their bets.

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Plot Keywords:

on the road | mother daughter reunion | rock concert | casino | money | 

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Taglines:

563 miles. 9 people. $2 million. 1001 problems!

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual references, crude humor, partial nudity and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 August 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rat Race

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$48,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,662,094, 19 August 2001, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$56,618,055

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$85,498,534

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Alphaville Films, Fireworks Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Professor Ken Freedman, mentioned in the speech by the jet car driver before the women steal the car, is a reference to Ken Freedman, the station manager of WFMU where the writer and he do a weekly radio show, 7 Second Delay.

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Goofs

When Vera and Merrill first meet, they sit down and Merrill puts her handbag on the table so that the side with the little pink flower at the top faces Vera. In the next shot it faces Merrill.

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Quotes

[after losing the heart]
Enrico Pollini: I have lost my heart many times before.
[laughs]
Enrico Pollini: I make a joke to help you forget how screwed you are.

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Crazy Credits

The start of the movie has caricatures of the main cast members walking around and interacting with the credits.

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Connections

Spoofs Deep Impact (1998)

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Soundtracks

Libiamo, ne lieti calici
(Brindigi)
from opera "La Traviata"
Music by Giuseppe Verdi
Lyrics by Francesco Maria Piave
Performed by Carlo del Monte, Victoria de los Ángeles and the Orchestra & Chorus of the Rome Opera House
Conducted by Tullio Serafin
Courtesy of EMI Classics
Under license from EMI-Capitol Music Special Markets

User Reviews

One of the best non-sense movies

From a point of view it is not convenient to give a very high mark to a movie like this, but I believe that movies have to be rated in different categories. So it could happen that such a movie receives a greater mark than a movie from a different category, which by the way has a greater artistic value.

Anyway, if you like non-sense movies with absurd scenes, this is for you. The movie succeeds without clever jokes, with its hilarious scenes to make fun of the greedy or the "don't know how to spend their money" people. One absurd scene follows the other, and if you like such humor you will soon find yourself convulsed with laughter. Sometimes it may appear forced, but this is a characteristic for the genre. If you just want a fun and action packed movie, this is a very good choice.