Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Bill Pullman | ... | Rick O'Lette | |
Aaron Stanford | ... | Duke | |
Agnes Bruckner | ... | Eve O'Lette | |
Sandra Oh | ... | Michelle | |
Dylan Baker | ... | Buck | |
Emmanuelle Chriqui | ... | Duke's Long-Suffering Wife | |
Marianne Hagan | ... | Laura | |
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Jerome Preston Bates | ... | Lobby Guard |
Jamie Harris | ... | Mick | |
Paz de la Huerta | ... | Vicki | |
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Marin Rathje | ... | Mrs. O'Lette in Picture |
William Ryall | ... | Rick's Doorman | |
Daniel Handler | ... | Perky Waiter | |
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Dennis Parlato | ... | BusinessTalk Anchor |
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P.J. Brown | ... | Jack Lantern |
"Rigoletto" retold at Christmas time in Manhattan's corporate world. Rick, an executive at Image, is a jerk to a woman applying for a job. That evening, he's out for drinks with his much younger boss, Duke, and the same women is their waitress. Rick's continued rudeness leads to her getting fired. She puts a curse on him. A potential rift with Duke quickly surfaces. Rick is approached by the hail-fellow Buck, who runs his own company, offering to rid Rick of Duke. At dinner later that night, Rick and Duke's paths cross again. This time Rick is with his stunning and beloved daughter, Eve, a student who has a secret relationship with Duke. All paths lead to the office holiday party. Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
I saw "Rick" yesterday at Anthology, and it keeps playing in my head. Based on Verdi's "Rigoletto, the film is not afraid to mix both dark humor and tragedy. "Rick" manages to satire the corporate world and its self-centered "Masters of the Universe" types, while still keeping true to the gut level truth of tragedy's inevitable demand for its "pound of flesh."
'Rick' takes us inside a rather claustrophobic world of boardrooms and offices, where sex is played over computer chat rooms or under mahogany desks. It's Christmas time, but the emphasis here is on 'taking' all that you can get.
Pullman and Stanford are loathsome yet vulnerable pawns in this game of fate. They get what they deserve. Standouts are young Agnes Bruckner as Eve and especially effective is Sandra Oh's terrific bar scene. Definitely worth seeing. I may never look at my Dylan albums the same.