How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008)

A British writer struggles to fit in at a high-profile magazine in New York City.

Director:

Robert B. Weide

Writers:

Peter Straughan (screenplay), Toby Young (book)

Stars:

Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Megan Fox

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kelan Pannell	...	Young Sidney
Janette Scott	...	Sidney's Mother (archive footage)
Danny Huston	...	Lawrence Maddox
Simon Pegg	...	Sidney Young
Megan Fox	...	Sophie Maes
Gillian Anderson	...	Eleanor Johnson
Kelly Jo Charge	...	Apollo Awards Presenter
Christian Maier Smith	...	Apollo Awards Guest
Katherine Parkinson	...	PR Woman
Felicity Montagu	...	Clipboard Nazi
Thandiwe Newton	...	Thandie Newton (as Thandie Newton)
John Lightbody	...	Assistant Hotel Manager
Ian Bonar	...	Post Modern Review Staff
James Corden	...	Post Modern Review Staff
Fenella Woolgar	...	Post Modern Review Staff

Storyline

Sidney Young is a disillusioned intellectual who both adores and despises the world of celebrity, fame and glamor. His alternative magazine, "Post Modern Review", pokes fun at the media obsessed stars and bucks trends, and so when Young is offered a job at the diametrically opposed conservative New York based "Sharps" magazine it's something of a shock! It seems "Sharps" editor Clayton Harding is amused by Young's disruption of a post-BAFTA party with a pig posing as Babe. Thus begins Sidney's descent into success - his gradual move from derided outsider to confidante of starlet Sophie Maes. Initially helping him out at Sharps is colleague Alison Olsen, who has her own secret. Wither their friendship?

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Plot Keywords:

co worker | bar | man wears underwear in public | woman wears black lingerie | woman wears underwear in public | 

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Taglines:

He's across the pond, and out of his depth

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Genres:

Biography | Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some graphic nudity and brief drug material

Did You Know?

Trivia

Stephen Woolley: Producer has a cameo as one of the members of the queue behind Sidney at the airport. He is the man with long hair wearing dark glasses.

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Goofs

At the stately home, the band resumes playing after Sidney Young falls off the top of the stage's wooden frame. In a following shot facing the band, the keyboardist removes his right playing hand from the keyboard placing it in his lap with his left hand prior to the last keyboard chord being played.

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Quotes

Sidney Young: [to his father] You thought Brad Pitt was a cave in Yorkshire.

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Connections

References 3:10 to Yuma (2007)

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Soundtracks

Chicken Payback
Written by Paul James Butler, Aaron Fletcher, Kristian David Birkin, Michael John Clevett, Warren Michael Hampshire, Timothy David Parkin
Performed by The Bees
Licensed courtesy of Virgin Records Ltd
Published by Universal Music Publishing Ltd

User Reviews

Pegg List Grows As This Movie Does Not Fail To Deliver The Laughs

Pegg has had a few hits in the past few years, starting with "Shaun Of The Dead" in 2004, movie on to "Hot Fuzz 2007", early 2008 he came out with "Run Fat Boy Run" and now comes this, "How To Lose Friends And Alienate People" which is in many ways one of my favourite comedy's of the year.

The film is about Sidney Yound, a man who writes a failing magazine who makes fun of celebrity's mostly because he is not one of them. Anyway, one of the most successful magazine owners (Played By Jeff Bridges) invites him (Out of nostalgia) to work at his magazine. Sidney is of course excited and moves to America, there he meets a girl currently writing a book, and hilarity ensues.

This film is great and I hope more come out like it in the near future. Pegg has once again given people everywhere another good film and I cant wait to the see the third part of the blood and ice cream trilogy "Paul". I Rate this film 81%.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [UK] Official site [United States]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 October 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

How to Lose Friends & Alienate People

Filming Locations:

Café de Paris, Coventry Street, Soho, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$28,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,430,294, 5 October 2008

Gross USA:

$2,778,752

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$19,152,009

Company Credits

Production Co:

Number 9 Films, Film4, Intandem Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1