People I Know (2002)

A New York press agent must scramble when his major client becomes embroiled in a huge scandal.

Director:

Daniel Algrant (as Dan Algrant)

Writer:

Jon Robin Baitz

Stars:

Al Pacino, Téa Leoni, Ryan O'Neal

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Al Pacino	...	Eli Wurman
Kim Basinger	...	Victoria Gray
Ryan O'Neal	...	Cary Launer
Téa Leoni	...	Jilli Hopper
Richard Schiff	...	Elliot Sharansky
Bill Nunn	...	The Reverend Lyle Blunt
Robert Klein	...	Dr. Sandy Napier
Mark Webber	...	Ross
Eldon Bullock	...	Washroom Attendant
Juliet Papa	...	Radio Announcer (voice)
Ramsey Faragallah	...	David Fielding
Brian McConnachie	...	Jamie Hoff
Frank Wood	...	Michael Wormly
Rex Reed	...	Himself
Lewis Dodley	...	Himself

Storyline

Eli Wurman is a decadent drug addicted New Yorker public relation, who is promoting a social event on behalf of Afro-Americans. Along two days of his crazy life, the day of the event and the day before, he makes contacts and favors, 'kissing asses', using drugs etc. Victoria Gray is his widow sister-in-law and passion in the past. Cary Launer is an Oscar winner actor and principal client of Eli. On the day before of the event, Eli finds out secrets that evolve powerful men of America.

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Plot Keywords:

scandal | new york | actor | protection | corruption | 

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Taglines:

He thought he'd seen it all, until the night he saw too much

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, drug use and brief sexual images

Details

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 November 2002 (Peru)

Also Known As:

Influences

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$34,211, 27 April 2003, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$121,972, 18 May 2003

Company Credits

Production Co:

Myriad Pictures, Wildwood Enterprises, Galena

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

As one of the subplots was fairly critical about the mayor of New York, this film sat on the shelves for two years following the terrorist attacks on the USA of 11 September 2001, a time when the city's mayor Guiliani redeemed himself in many peoples' eyes.

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Quotes

Eli Wurman: [of Jilli's red-walled, red-upholstered hotel room] This is not a room... it's a vagina.

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Connections

Features Home Again with Bob Vila (1990)

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Soundtracks

Ghoom Charakhana
Performed by Najma Akhtar
Courtesy of Triple Earth Music

User Reviews

Reality check

Jon Robin Baitz, the writer of this film, needs to check his facts a little more carefully. The story, as I perceived it, takes place in today's New York with today's personalities of the moment.

At one point of the film when Eli Wurman, played by Al Pacino, is talking to his widowed sister-in-law, Victoria Gray, and he asks her if she remembers when they had marched in Selma? Helloooo Mr. Baitz, how old is Victoria supposed to be? I made her out to be in her early 40s. Now, wouldn't that have been a miracle? The only way she would have been around Selma at the time of the march on that city would have been in the womb of her mother, if that was so! Well, then again, I could be wrong, she really is in her late 60s!

This film tries to do too many things; it goes in all directions without making sense, most of the time. The idea of presenting the Eli Wurman of Pacino, who was obviously gay, playing against a straight woman is laughable. Even more ridiculous when the one making the passes is a beautiful woman like Ms. Bassinger, in wild contrast with this washed out person.

Mr. Pacino might be a great actor. He has given us many interesting and diverse characters that will be cherished by all his fans, but lately, he has appeared in a series of duds that one wonders who is the person behind his decisions, since many of his choices haven't added any substance to his body of work.

This Eli Wurman, being compared to the Burt Lancaster's character in Sweet Smell of Success by many critics, kept reminding me of the Clifton Webb's tragic role in The Razor's Edge. This Eli has seen better days and no one cares about him at all.

The subplot having to do with the cause Eli is working to promote racial justice to people being deported, sounds empty and not true. It shows a side to this character that deep down inside all he cared for in his life was being at the right places, surrounded by the same celebrities he stooped to serve.

How about the other aspect of the film about the rich, possible would-be-sponsors of the cause, as libertines and swingers in an opium den on a Wall Street club? Is that supposed to be a metaphor? Oh well, I guess some of us, so out of touch with the powerful people of New York, will never know what we are really missing in those "fun" places.