Gente Conhecida (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:

man wears eyeglasses | scandal | new york | actor | protection | 

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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:

24 January 2003 (Portugal)

Also Known As:

Gente Conhecida

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$34,211, 27 April 2003

Gross USA:

$126,793

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,484,302

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: I look like Dracula's Uncle Morty from Kiev. Oh man, I should be embalmed.

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Connections

Features Live with Regis and Kathie Lee (1988)

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Soundtracks

Bye Bye Blackbird
Music by Ray Henderson
Lyrics by Mort Dixon
Performed by Rickie Lee Jones
Courtesy of Geffen Records
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

landmark latter-day Pacino performance.

Pacino is extraordinary. The much-lamented accent is sorta a bisexual/Georgian/"Noo Yawk" ... it represents a complex mixture of dialect for a complex character perfectly portrayed by Pacino - balls and all. His work seems to become increasingly esoteric over the years, and outside of his character, the storyline is uneven and downright wretched in some parts.

But Pacino redeems even the drek and delivers a landmark performance that one wouldn't expect as he nears closer to being able to collect Social Security. Gutsy, bold, and brilliant. The script and direction needed quite a bit of work- but Pacino's performance is compelling enough to wonder exactly what he will do next. A must-see for Pacino fans.