Mr. Nice (2010)

The life story of Howard Marks, an elite British drug smuggler.

Director:

Bernard Rose

Writers:

Bernard Rose (screenplay), Howard Marks (based on the book by)

Stars:

Rhys Ifans, Chloë Sevigny, David Thewlis

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rhys Ifans	...	Howard Marks
Chloë Sevigny	...	Judy Marks
David Thewlis	...	Jim McCann
Luis Tosar	...	Craig Lovato
Crispin Glover	...	Ernie Combs
Omid Djalili	...	Saleem Malik
Christian McKay	...	Hamilton McMillan
Elsa Pataky	...	Ilze Kadegis
Jack Huston	...	Graham Plinston
Jamie Harris	...	Patrick Lane
Sara Sugarman	...	Edna Marks
William Thomas	...	Dennis Marks
Andrew Tiernan	...	Alan Marcuson
Kinsey Packard	...	Patti Hayes
Ania Sowinski	...	Maureen

Storyline

Mr Nice is the true life story of Howard Marks who was born into a coal mining family in South Wales in 1940's and then made it to Oxford University to study nuclear physics during the swinging sixties. With the help of fellow students, Marks built a worldwide marijuana smuggling network which became responsible for the majority of the drug smoked in the Western world during the 1970s and 1980s. Marks' adventures led him to have dealings with the CIA, PLO, IRA and the Mafia and he even became an MI6 agent himself for a period. Howard Marks is played by the brilliant Rhys Ivans, who won much acclaim for his portrayal of the folk hero.

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Plot Keywords:

bikini | stoner comedy | cool | drugs | mi6 | 

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Taglines:

Most Wanted. Most Wasted.

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Genres:

Biography | Comedy | Crime | Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

There's been some criticism leveled at Chloë Sevigny for the quality of her English accent. In fact, Savigny rehearsed diligently to perfect the accent using tapes and voice coaches, but was somewhat thrown when Bernard Rose insisted on going off-script and improvising.

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Goofs

When Howard enters the prison, the sign says "LORRACH GEFÄNGNIS". In fact, the city is called "Lörrach".

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Quotes

[Voice over]
Howard Marks: I staged my own abduction, so my Dad wouldn't forfeit bail. You don't forfeit bail if you've been kidnapped.

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Crazy Credits

The credits appear over a super slow motion shot of Howard Marks (Rhys Ifans) lighting and taking a toke from a joint.

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Soundtracks

Lazy
by Deep Purple

User Reviews

"Mr. Nice" Trades in Nasty Commerce

Being a successful international drug smuggler is sky high fun. Until the long arm of the law seriously harshes your buzz, that is.

The biopic "Mr. Nice" is the story of Howard Marks, an Oxford alum who falls into a job as a pot peddling patriarch in swinging 1960's and '70's London. Rhys Ifans smokes it as the lead here. So good, in fact, that you actually find yourself pulling for this most affable chap on a seemingly endless ride rife with mischief and misadventures. But alas, you come to realize that what you are rooting for is inevitably and irrevocably doomed for devastation.

And that every trip meets it's end.

Details

Country:

UK Spain

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

3 June 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mr Nice

Filming Locations:

Benidorm, Alicante, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,673,840

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hindsight Media, Independent, Kanzaman

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1