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

Symphony #1 in C Opus 21
Music by Ludwig van Beethoven (as Beethoven)
Conducted by Herbert Kegel
Performed by Dresdner Philharmonie (as Dresden Philharmonic)
Courtesy of Laserlight Digital
By Arrangement with Source/Q

User Reviews

People I Shouldn't Have Known

With 'People I Know' Dan Algrant tells a story of how the rich and powerful can get away with anything and everything. In the film, it is an actress, Jill (Tea Leoni) and a PR (Al Pacino) who fall victim as they threaten to expose the shady potentially scandalous secrets of the rich elites. Algrant's portrayal is very one-sided because he shows all the wealthy characters as big bad wolves and the lesser fortunate people in a more humane light. Examples include the scene where Tea's face lightens up as she thinks of a house in the country, and the sequences between Pacino and Basinger where we see a vulnerable side of Eli. It is the performances that stand out. Al Pacino displays a very intense performance, of a vulnerable and relatively weak character. It is entirely different from the kind of roles he has played earlier and one of his best parts. Kim Basinger lightens the screen as the supportive and loving Vicci. I liked how Algrant demonstrates the special relationship between Eli and Vicci. Their scenes together were some of the best moments of the movie. Tea Leoni is superb despite having a small role. Ryan O'Neal and Richard Schiff are adequate. 'People I Know' is a small film and the ending perhaps may not appeal to many but I thought it was an interesting, even though somewhat partial, take on how power corrupts and destroys.