I Love You Phillip Morris (2009)

A cop turns con man once he comes out of the closet. Once imprisoned, he meets the second love of his life, whom he'll stop at nothing to be with.

Directors:

Glenn Ficarra, John Requa

Writers:

John Requa, Glenn Ficarra

Stars:

Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor, Leslie Mann

6 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jim Carrey	...	Steven Russell
Ewan McGregor	...	Phillip Morris
Leslie Mann	...	Debbie
Rodrigo Santoro	...	Jimmy
Antoni Corone	...	Lindholm
Brennan Brown	...	Birkheim
Michael Mandell	...	Cleavon
Annie Golden	...	Eudora
Marylouise Burke	...	Barbara Bascombe (as Mary Louise Burke)
David Jensen	...	Judge
Dameon Clarke	...	Houston Lawyer
Clay Chamberlin	...	Cellmate - Arnie
Louis Herthum	...	Doctor
Morgana Shaw	...	Steven's Mom
Joe Chrest	...	Steven's Dad

Storyline

Steven Russell is happily married to Debbie, and a member of the local police force when a car accident provokes a dramatic reassessment of his life. Steven becomes open about his homosexuality and decides to live life to the fullest - even if it means breaking the law. Steven's new, extravagant lifestyle involves cons and fraud and, eventually, a stay in the State Penitentiary where he meets sensitive, soft-spoken Phillip Morris. His devotion to freeing Phillip from jail and building the perfect life together prompts Steven to attempt and often succeed at one impossible con after another.

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Plot Keywords:

gay | con artist | prison break | character name in title | male objectification | 

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Taglines:

Do some time with the one you love.

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Genres:

Biography | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual content including strong dialogue, and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site (ru)

Country:

France USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 January 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Una pareja dispareja

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

€946,920 (France), 14 February 2010

Opening Weekend USA:

$112,520, 5 December 2010, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,035,566, 10 April 2011

Company Credits

Production Co:

EuropaCorp, Mad Chance, Consolidated Pictures Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min (European Film Market)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

While on set in New Orleans and filming at the Orleans Parish Prison, one of the extras dressed as an OPP inmate was arrested by a real OPP Jail guard after leaving the set in costume to put some belongings away in his car.

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Goofs

When Steven Russell is working at the deli, the customer pays with a newer five dollar bill that wasn't introduced until Series 1999. The film takes place in the early or mid 1990s.

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Quotes

Steven Russell: [telling about his schemes to get money] And for a guy without a college education, my options were... limited.
[slipping on the supermarket floor]
Steven Russell: Ooo... Oh, my back! Ah! Oh, I can't believe I slipped on virgin oil. Ah, don't touch me. Oh, no, don't tou... Oh.

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Crazy Credits

The very end of the credits has a list of Thank Yous. The last two items on the list are Redbull and Xanax.

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Connections

References All in the Family (1971)

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Soundtracks

Steal Away
Performed by Robbie Dupree
Written by Robbie Dupree (as Robbie Dupuis), Rick Chudacoff, Peter Bunetta
Big Ears Music (ASCAP), Grandma Annie Music (BMI), Oozle Music (BMI), Bug Music, Inc. and EMI Music Publishing
Courtesy of Wacbiz

User Reviews

Carrey and McGregor shine in superbly crafted comedy

Continuing my MIFF reviews, I saw this last week with a packed house at Greater Union.

Firstly, it has to be said that it's a tragedy that this film's general release has been such a stifled process. The entertainment value of this picture, its expert construction and superb performances cannot be denied.

Carrey turns in what is possibly his best performance in a decade. It's bizarre, the way that his signature antics actually enhance rather than diminish the dramatic aspects of this film, based loosely on real life events. In fact, for me, the movie trumps The Truman Show as Carrey's true coming of age as a performer of depth. Ewan McGregor is equally astonishing as Phillip Morris - you'd swear you were watching the kind of unique romantic chemistry between two actors that arrives very rarely in cinema, and virtually never between two A-listers playing gay lovers; but the love story is only a foundation for what emerges as a kinetic, superbly told comedy-drama about the real life exploits of con man and recidivist prison escapee Steven Jay Russell.

Directors/writers Glenn Ficarra and John Requa expertly handle the tensions of comic and dramatic performance and also prove to have a masterly touch with the frenzied action sequences. Bit parts are cast beautifully. You can see the attention to detail and craft in this movie.

It can only be assumed that the gay context of this film has cost it it's commercial potential in the eyes of distributors, because everything else about it spells box office success. Apparently, it will finally have a limited release in the US in October this year, with the potential of expansion.

Without spoiling any of the twists of the film's detailed series of events, the film succeeds at beautifully hijacking audience expectation time and again. Just when you think you've got the film pinned for being predictable, suddenly it flips on you with a wry smile as if to say, "I knew what you were thinking".

I'm not sure how close the producers stuck to the facts, but it scarcely matters. If 5% of this narrative is true, it would be amazing in itself. I would be happy if the film was complete fiction.

It's a wonderful, assured comedy and deserves wide commercial exploitation.