Full Frontal (film)

Last updated

Full Frontal
Full Frontal (movie poster).jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Written byColeman Hough
Produced by Gregory Jacobs
Scott Kramer
Starring
Edited by Sarah Flack
Music byJacques Davidovici
Distributed by Miramax Films
Release date
  • August 2, 2002 (2002-08-02)
Running time
101 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2 million [1]
Box office$3.4 million [1]

Full Frontal is a 2002 American comedy-drama film by Steven Soderbergh about a day in the life of a handful of characters in Hollywood. It stars Catherine Keener, Blair Underwood, David Duchovny, Julia Roberts, Mary McCormack, Nicky Katt, Brad Pitt, and David Hyde Pierce. The film was shot on digital video using the Canon XL-1s in under a month. The film blurs the line between what is real and what is fiction in its depiction of a film within a film (and possibly within another).

Contents

Cast

Production

The film was announced in 2001 and Catherine Keener was the first actor attached to the project, named How to Survive a Hotel Room Fire. [2] It was billed by Miramax as "an unofficial sequel of sorts" to Sex, Lies, and Videotape . [3] In October, Julia Roberts, David Hyde Pierce, and David Duchovny were announced as leads in the project, and after the September 11 attacks, the film title was changed to The Art of Negotiating a Turn. [4]

After a phone call with Harvey Weinstein because he did not like the new movie title, Soderbergh suggested the title Full Frontal. [5] Production on the film began on November 6, 2001. [6]

The character named Harvey (played by Jeff Garlin) is a reference to Weinstein himself. [7]

Release

Box office

Full Frontal had a limited release in the United States on August 2, 2002, opening in 208 theaters, and earning $739,834 its first weekend. [1] The film was released in the United Kingdom on May 23, 2003, and failed to reach the Top 10. [8]

Critical response

Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 39% based on reviews from 145 critics. The site's consensus reads: "An [ sic ] confusing movie made worse by the poor camera work." [9]

Writing for the Chicago Sun-Times , Roger Ebert called Full Frontal "a film so amateurish that only the professionalism of some of the actors makes it watchable". [10] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "When a set of pre-shooting guidelines a director came up with for his actors turns out to be cleverer, better written and of considerable more interest than the finished film, that's a bad sign. A very bad sign." [11]

Other critics praised Soderbergh for his experimental approach. [12] [13] Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post gave an overall positive review, but wrote, "Full Frontal is a movie about people making movies about movies, and Soderbergh edits so quickly and effortlessly between those layers of reality that a concentrically ordered universe similar to nesting Russian dolls quickly begins to feel more like a hall of mirrors. Watching Full Frontal is a vertiginous, disorienting experience, one that reflects its characters with grotesque, funny and sometimes horrifying exaggeration. No matter how much fun it is to watch – and for hard-core movie fans, it is often enormous fun – there's a certain relief when it stops and we're popped back out to our banal, one-track lives." [14]

USA Today gave the film three out of four stars, recommending it for its "humor and talented cast". [15]

Retrospective reviews

In 2016, Lawrence Garcia wrote in an essay for Mubi that the film’s amateurish filming techniques were precisely Soderbergh’s point, saying Full Frontal "is a film about aesthetics, or more specifically the phoniness of it; that is, it’s concerned mainly with the gulf between an object, its presentation, and interpretation, with the L.A. lifestyle (which includes a neighbor that perpetually wears a Dracula costume) providing the perfect backdrop." [16] Garcia did say the film’s "major flaw is that while individual scenes are often amusing, the film as a whole never quite coheres." [16]

For the 20th anniversary of the film, writer Craig J. Clark noted "the parallels between [the behavior of the character Gus]…and the accusations leveled at executive producer Harvey Weinstein, one of the handful of sexual predators ensnared by the #MeToo movement whose punishment appears to be sticking. What makes the film especially curious as a cultural artifact is Gus is not its only Weinstein stand-in", referring to Garlin’s character, as well. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Soderbergh</span> American filmmaker

Steven Andrew Soderbergh is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer and editor. A pioneer of modern independent cinema, Soderbergh is an acclaimed and prolific filmmaker.

Miramax LLC, also known as Miramax Films, is an American film and television production and distribution company founded on December 19, 1979, by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, and based in Los Angeles, California.

<i>Shakespeare in Love</i> 1998 film by John Madden

Shakespeare in Love is a 1998 period romantic comedy film directed by John Madden, written by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard, and produced by Harvey Weinstein. It stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, Colin Firth, Ben Affleck and Judi Dench.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merkin</span> Pubic wig

A merkin is a pubic wig. Merkins were worn by prostitutes after shaving their mons pubis, and are now used as decorative items or erotic devices by both men and women.

<i>Sex, Lies, and Videotape</i> 1989 film by Steven Soderbergh

Sex, Lies, and Videotape is a 1989 American independent drama film written and directed by Steven Soderbergh. The plot tells the story of a troubled man who videotapes women discussing their sexuality and fantasies, and his impact on the relationships of a troubled married couple and the wife's younger sister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Hyde Pierce</span> American actor (born 1959)

David Hyde Pierce is an American actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen he found acclaim portraying psychiatrist Dr. Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom Frasier from 1993 to 2004, where he received four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series as well as two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Pierce also received a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Lieutenant Frank Cioffi in the Broadway musical Curtains (2007).

<i>Out of Sight</i> 1998 US crime comedy film by Steven Soderbergh

Out of Sight is a 1998 American crime comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Scott Frank, adapted from Elmore Leonard's 1996 novel of the same name. The first of several collaborations between Soderbergh and actor George Clooney, it was released on June 26, 1998.

<i>Frida</i> (film) 2002 film directed by Julie Taymor

Frida is a 2002 American biographical drama film directed by Julie Taymor which depicts the professional and private life of the surrealist Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

<i>Kids</i> (film) 1995 film by Larry Clark

Kids is a 1995 American coming-of-age drama film directed by Larry Clark in his directorial debut and written by Harmony Korine in his screenwriting debut. It stars Leo Fitzpatrick, Justin Pierce, Chloë Sevigny, and Rosario Dawson, all in their film debuts. Set in 1995, Fitzpatrick, Pierce, Sevigny, Dawson, and other newcomers portray a group of teenagers in New York City. They are characterized as hedonists, who engage in sexual acts and substance abuse, over the course of a single day.

Dimension Films is an American film production and distribution company owned by Lantern Entertainment. It was formerly used as Harvey and Bob Weinstein's label within Miramax, which was acquired by The Walt Disney Company on June 30, 1993, and it later became a part of The Weinstein Company until 2017. The company produces and releases independent films and genre titles, specifically horror and science fiction films.

<i>Confessions of a Dangerous Mind</i> (film) 2002 film directed by George Clooney

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is a 2002 American biographical spy film depicting the fictional life of game show host and producer Chuck Barris. The film was George Clooney's directorial debut, was written by Charlie Kaufman and starred Sam Rockwell as Barris, as well as Julia Roberts, Drew Barrymore, and Clooney. It is based on Barris's 1984 "unauthorized autobiography" of the same name, in which he claimed to have been an assassin for the CIA in addition to his show business career. These allegations have been denied by the CIA, while Barris throughout his life generally refused to say whether the claim was true or not.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catherine Keener</span> American actress (born 1959)

Catherine Ann Keener is an American actress. She has portrayed disgruntled and melancholic yet sympathetic women in independent films, as well as supporting roles in studio films. She has been nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, for Being John Malkovich (1999) and for her portrayal of author Harper Lee in Capote (2005).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Garlin</span> American stand-up comedian and actor

Jeffrey Garlin is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He is best known for playing Murray Goldberg, patriarch of the eponymous family in the ABC sitcom The Goldbergs, and Jeff Greene on the HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm. He also played Marvin on Mad About You and Mort Meyers on Arrested Development for Fox and Netflix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harvey Weinstein</span> American film producer and sex offender (born 1952)

Harvey Weinstein is an American former film producer and convicted sex offender. He and his brother, Bob Weinstein, co-founded the entertainment company Miramax, which produced several successful independent films including Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989); The Crying Game (1992); Pulp Fiction (1994); Heavenly Creatures (1994); Flirting with Disaster (1996); and Shakespeare in Love (1998). Weinstein won an Academy Award for producing Shakespeare in Love and also won seven Tony Awards for plays and musicals including The Producers, Billy Elliot the Musical, and August: Osage County. After leaving Miramax, Weinstein and his brother Bob founded The Weinstein Company (TWC), a mini-major film studio. He was co-chairman, alongside Bob, from 2005 to 2017.

<i>Nightwatch</i> (1997 film) 1997 American horror-thriller film directed by Ole Bornedal

Nightwatch is a 1997 American horror thriller film directed by Ole Bornedal and starring Ewan McGregor, Patricia Arquette, Josh Brolin and Nick Nolte. It was written by Bornedal and Steven Soderbergh. It is a remake of the 1994 Danish film of the same name, which was also directed by Bornedal.

Robert Weinstein is an American film producer. He is the founder and head of Dimension Films, former co-chairman of Miramax Films and The Weinstein Company (TWC), all of which he co-founded with his older brother, Harvey. He has focused on making action and horror films.

Nicky Katt is an American actor. Katt often plays unsympathetic characters, such as a murderous cop on the take in Monk, an irascible motorhead in Dazed and Confused, an ill-fated white supremacist child rapist in A Time to Kill, and an embittered business rival in Boiler Room.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AFI Docs</span> Annual documentary film festival

The AFI Docs documentary film festival was an American international film festival. Created by the American Film Institute and the Discovery Channel, it was held annually in Silver Spring, Maryland and Washington, D.C., from 2003 to 2022, when it was merged into AFI Fest, a Los Angeles-based film festival.

<i>She Said</i> (film) 2022 U.S. film by Maria Schrader

She Said is a 2022 American biographical drama film directed by Maria Schrader and written by Rebecca Lenkiewicz, based on the 2019 book of the same title by reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey. The film stars Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan as Twohey and Kantor, respectively, and follows their New York Times investigation that exposed Harvey Weinstein's history of abuse and sexual misconduct against women. Patricia Clarkson, Andre Braugher, Jennifer Ehle, and Samantha Morton co-star, with Ashley Judd appearing as herself.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Full Frontal (2002)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved June 10, 2009.
  2. ↑ "Duchovny May Join Julia Roberts in Soderbergh's 'How to Survive a Hotel Room Fire'". The Hollywood Reporter . September 10, 2001. Archived from the original on November 1, 2001. Retrieved September 21, 2019– via hive4media.com.
  3. ↑ "Casting under way for sex, lies and videotape sequel". The Guardian. July 13, 2001. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Film Entitled How To Survive A Hotel Room Fire May Be Changed". October 3, 2001. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  5. ↑ Mitchell, Elvis (July 28, 2002). "FILM; Sketching, For a Change, On Screen". The New York Times. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Steven Soderbergh Begins Production on 'Full Frontal,' A Contemporary Comedy for Miramax Films". PR Newswire . Cision. November 14, 2001. Archived from the original on November 15, 2001. Retrieved June 9, 2019– via Yahoo.com.
  7. 1 2 Clark, Craig J. (August 1, 2022). "Soderbergh Lets It All Hang Out: Full Frontal at 20". Crooked Marquee. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  8. ↑ "UK Weekend Box Office 23rd May 2003 - 25th May 2003". www.25thframe.co.uk. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Full Frontal". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  10. ↑ Ebert, Roger (August 2, 2002). "Full Frontal". Chicago Sun-Times . Retrieved June 10, 2009.
  11. ↑ Turan, Kenneth (August 2, 2002). "'Full Frontal': Less Overhead, and Drama". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  12. ↑ LaSalle, Mick (August 2, 2002). "Fun, just not profound / Unusual 'Full Frontal' shows Soderbergh's true colors". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  13. ↑ Taylor, Ella (August 2, 2002). "Lost and Found". LA Weekly. Archived from the original on August 2, 2002. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  14. ↑ Hornaday, Ann (August 2, 2002). "'Full Frontal': Modest Takeoff". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  15. ↑ Puig, Claudia (August 2, 2002). "Full Frontal exposes humor, not much skin". USA Today . Retrieved June 10, 2009.
  16. 1 2 Garcia, Lawrence (September 9, 2016). "Digital Release: Steven Soderbergh's "Full Frontal"". Mubi. September 9, 2016. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.