IMDb RATING
5.5/10
6.8K
YOUR RATING
A stage actor who is slowly losing his mind engages in a relationship with a sexually confused younger woman.A stage actor who is slowly losing his mind engages in a relationship with a sexually confused younger woman.A stage actor who is slowly losing his mind engages in a relationship with a sexually confused younger woman.
IMDb RATING
5.5/10
6.8K
YOUR RATING
- Director
- Writers
- Buck Henry(screenplay)
- Michal Zebede(screenplay)
- Philip Roth(novel)
- Stars
Top credits
- Director
- Writers
- Buck Henry(screenplay)
- Michal Zebede(screenplay)
- Philip Roth(novel)
- Stars
Videos2
Jennifer Regan
- Vet Nurseas Vet Nurse
- (as Jen Regan)
- Director
- Writers
- Buck Henry(screenplay)
- Michal Zebede(screenplay)
- Philip Roth(novel)
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
- All cast & crew
Storyline
Simon is an aging actor who suffers from bouts of dementia. He is institutionalized after an incident during a Broadway play, then returns home, where he contemplates suicide in Hemingway style. When he embarks upon an affair with an ex-girlfriend's amoral bisexual daughter, Pegeen, his world starts to fall apart. It ends on stage, with even Axler's audience and fellow actors unsure what's real and what's not. —Anonymous
- Taglines
- Suicide is the role you write for yourself.
- Genres
- Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
- Rated R for sexual material, language and brief violence
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaIt was Al Pacino's idea to make the book into a movie, to the point of convincing Barry Levinson to direct it and approaching together Buck Henry to adapt it.
- Quotes
Simon Axler: Three quarters of the things we do in life are mistakes!
- ConnectionsReferenced in Evening Urgant: Vyacheslav Krikunov/Elizaveta Nilova/Polina Gagarina (2015)
Top review
Can Be Quite Funny But Quite Weird As Well
This film can be quite funny but also quite weird, as it had a certain appeal to me and I ended up liking it. Not everything works here, and I would venture to say it's not for everyone, but I felt the parts of the movie that do work, work well and make it worthwhile.
Al Pacino and Greta Gerwig are exceptional here, in the lead roles, and play off each other quite well. Pacino portrays Simon, an aging actor who sees his mental capabilities diminishing before his eyes, thus markedly affecting his ability to perform. Following an intentional leap from a stage into an empty orchestra pit, landing face first, followed by a botched suicide attempt, He ends up in a rest and rehab home for 30 days, before being released into the outpatient care of his therapist (Dylan Baker), whom he has sessions with on Skype.
Gerwig plays Pegeen, who shows up at Simon's front door, one day, and is the daughter of former friends and co-performers of his, many years before. She tells Simon, whom she hasn't seen in many years, that as a child she used to have an enormous crush on him when he would visit their home. Despite declaring she's an avowed lesbian, she begins to boldly seduce Simon and they soon begin a May-December relationship.
All kinds of quirky characters will come and go throughout the film, such as Sybil (Nina Arianda) who met Simon in rehab and now is stalking him to kill her vile husband. Also, Prince (Billy Porter), who used to be Priscilla and in a relationship with Pegeen before the operation. It's fun to see some veteran screen notables make varying screen time appearances, including Charles Grodin, Dianne Wiest, Dan Hedaya, Kyra Sedgwick, and Mary Louis Wilson.
It's nice to see the acclaimed filmmaker Barry Levinson (Rain Man, The Natural) back with a movie on screen, with a screenplay from the great Buck Henry (The Graduate), and Mechal Zebede.
All in all, this film offers something different but, as mentioned it will not appeal to everyone. With the performances of Pacino and Gerwig, as well as solid support, plus some quirky humor, I felt there was enough here for me to enjoy.
Al Pacino and Greta Gerwig are exceptional here, in the lead roles, and play off each other quite well. Pacino portrays Simon, an aging actor who sees his mental capabilities diminishing before his eyes, thus markedly affecting his ability to perform. Following an intentional leap from a stage into an empty orchestra pit, landing face first, followed by a botched suicide attempt, He ends up in a rest and rehab home for 30 days, before being released into the outpatient care of his therapist (Dylan Baker), whom he has sessions with on Skype.
Gerwig plays Pegeen, who shows up at Simon's front door, one day, and is the daughter of former friends and co-performers of his, many years before. She tells Simon, whom she hasn't seen in many years, that as a child she used to have an enormous crush on him when he would visit their home. Despite declaring she's an avowed lesbian, she begins to boldly seduce Simon and they soon begin a May-December relationship.
All kinds of quirky characters will come and go throughout the film, such as Sybil (Nina Arianda) who met Simon in rehab and now is stalking him to kill her vile husband. Also, Prince (Billy Porter), who used to be Priscilla and in a relationship with Pegeen before the operation. It's fun to see some veteran screen notables make varying screen time appearances, including Charles Grodin, Dianne Wiest, Dan Hedaya, Kyra Sedgwick, and Mary Louis Wilson.
It's nice to see the acclaimed filmmaker Barry Levinson (Rain Man, The Natural) back with a movie on screen, with a screenplay from the great Buck Henry (The Graduate), and Mechal Zebede.
All in all, this film offers something different but, as mentioned it will not appeal to everyone. With the performances of Pacino and Gerwig, as well as solid support, plus some quirky humor, I felt there was enough here for me to enjoy.
helpful•112
- larrys3
- Mar 7, 2015
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Một Thời Chóng Qua
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $2,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross worldwide
- $399,666
- Runtime1 hour 52 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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