The Deal (2008)
Charlie Berns is a veteran Hollywood movie producer who has given up on his career and life. That is until his idealistic screenwriter nephew comes bearing the script of a lifetime and Charlie decides to give his career one final shot. The only thing standing in his way is Diedre Hearn, a sharp-witted studio executive brought in to keep Charlie in line.
Watch Trailer
Cast
Similar titles
Reviews
I have never met a Meg Ryan Movie that I didn't enjoy. Simply the best movie about making movies that I have seen. This movie is simply hilarious with pretty much NON STOP Hilarity! Another romantic comedy to add to my short list. Meg in You've Got Mail, French Kiss and the highly under-rated Addicted To Love. Macy plays to type. The only criticism I would render is that Jason Ritter could have had more lines and face-time, however when on screen he is a joy to watch. A cross between Val Kilmer and his dad of course, so cute! I have never seen too many movies with scenery from The South of Africa, now on my bucket list to visit. It was honest and showed the poverty mixed directly in with the wealth set with a landscape that only God could have created and only your wildest imagination could dream.
No, this movie was not vying for any major awards or trying to teach lessons about humanity. But if you want to get a mostly entertaining/mocking look at the making of a movie and the people involved you could do worse. Macy didn't quite pull off his witty, wise, and blithe (?) character but he is still fun. The rest of the cast hold their own as well(I've never seen much of LL but he was good). Along with the over-the-top characters(Soapdish comes to mind) you may enjoy the not so mainstream humor. I did and I'm sure I may have missed some of the jokes. So for a movie that I happened upon while surfing I was satisfied.
It's a good film for shots of Cape Town.I like the bit where they use the 'Five Flies' restaurant as a stand-in for London, by using on of the Rikki black taxis.The actors all clearly think they're terribly funny, so I have to assume that the overall intent is comedic, but the film is so badly acted and plotted that it's difficult to be certain.If you don't enjoy shots of Cape Town, then it's best avoided.They did use quite a number of different locations, so there is some variety. The poor old Rhodes Memorial scrubbed down badly, I fear.There's something essentially pointless, I think, in making films about making films - 'Extras' was a lot less interesting than 'The Office'.
What happens when a washed-up movie producer, a rookie screenwriter, a newly converted black Jewish action star, and a tightly wound studio executive decide to make a movie? Meet Charlie Berns (William H. Macy), a veteran Hollywood movie producer whose suicidal tendencies have shaped his brazen and nearly invincible attitude. When his rookie screenwriter nephew hands him a script about Benjamin Disraeli, he decides to green light a $100 million Jewish movie deal without ever reading it. Enter the sharp-witted studio executive Deidre Hearn (Meg Ryan) who sees through Charlie's antics while simultaneously admiring his indifferent personality. Despite their loathing attitudes toward each other, Berns and Hearn lock in the movie deal by signing Bobby Mason (LL Cool J), a newly converted black Jewish action star. In this smart screwball satire, Charlie brashly begins creating a movie that is perceivably successful by Hollywood, but in no way follows his nephew's script. During the movie shoot in South Africa, money hungry thugs kidnap their star Mason and seemingly destroy their chances of finishing the movie. In an attempt to avoid the studio from shutting them down, the mismatched pair conspires to keep the cameras rolling at the studio's expense, and reluctantly fall in love in the process. The mischievous charm in this satire that inconspicuously pokes fun at Hollywood by revealing its stereotypes hinges on the wonderfully crackly Tracy-Hepburn chemistry between William Macy and Meg Ryan. Based on Peter Lefcourt's novel "The Deal", the irrational conduct of the characters in this independent film merge together creating an inside comedic look at the absurdity of Hollywood. Macy's apathetic performance is the thread that weaves together a satirical mood and emotion, evolving the perfect balance of comedy and romance. Amidst the chaos of trying to pull off one of the biggest hustles in Hollywood history, Charlie and Deidre discover that there is more to life than making the deal.