| Neo Ned | |
|---|---|
 Original DVD Artwork | |
| Directed by | Van Fischer |
| Written by | Tim Boughn |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Chris Manley |
| Edited by | Bipasha Shom |
| Music by |
|
| Distributed by |
|
Release date |
|
Running time | 97 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Neo Ned is a 2005 American independent romance comedy film starring Jeremy Renner, Gabrielle Union, Sally Kirkland, Cary Elwes, Eddie Kaye Thomas, and Ethan Suplee. It was written by Tim Boughn and directed by Van Fischer. [1]
The film stars Jeremy Renner as Ned Nelson, a white power skinhead who ends up in a mental institution where he meets Rachael (Gabrielle Union), a black woman claiming to be the reincarnation of Adolf Hitler. The unlikely couple's hookup leads them down a shocking road to recovery.
Mark Olsen gave the film 3.5 out of five in his Los Angeles Times review, where he wrote, "It's a little rough around the edges, to be sure, but with such strong lead performances there is something irresistible in the film's audaciously straight-faced portrayal of such an unlikely relationship." [2] Variety reviewer John Anderson also reviewed the film favorably, writing, "Neo Ned may be ludicrous on paper, but it has what fans of independent film are looking for -- atmosphere, humanity and just a dash of fantastic drama." [2] Film Threat writer Mark Bell gave the film 4.5 out of 5, writing, "Never boring, never pretentious, never preachy, Neo Ned could find its place alongside some of the great independent romance films of all time, if enough people are able to catch a glimpse of it." [2]
The film's treatment of its subject matter and tone was criticized, with Jasmyne Keimig writing that "The disgust over Neo Ned is rightfully deserved. The movie carelessly throws around the n-word and other acts of violence for humor" [3] and L.A. Weekly writer Matthew Duersten stating, "The problem lies in the film's inability to decide whether such loaded images are funny in a Farrelly Brothers/Dave Chapelle [ sic ] kind of way or if they mean something deeper." [2]
Gabrielle Union expressed dissatisfaction with her performance in this film over Twitter. [3]
To date, the film has won 10 film awards, out of 10 total nominations.
After three years of festival screenings (from 2005's Tribeca Film Festival premiere to 2008's Suppository Films Reelblack Festival), the film premiered on Starz on August 19, 2008. It was picked up for distribution by CodeBlack Entertainment, which released the film on DVD on December 2, 2008.
Ivan Simon Cary Elwes is an English actor. He starred as Westley in The Princess Bride (1987), and also had lead roles in films such as Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) and the Saw series. The accolades he has received include nominations for a Screen Actors Guild Award and two Satellite Awards. Elwes' other performances in films include Glory (1989), Days of Thunder (1990), Hot Shots! (1991), Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), Twister (1996), Kiss the Girls (1997), Liar Liar (1997), Shadow of the Vampire (2000), The Cat's Meow (2001), Ella Enchanted (2004), Pope John Paul II (2005), No Strings Attached (2011), BlackBerry, and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023).
Joel Daniel Coen and Ethan Jesse Coen, together known as the Coen brothers, are an American filmmaking duo. Their films span many genres and styles, which they frequently subvert or parody. Among their most acclaimed works are Blood Simple (1984), Raising Arizona (1987), Miller's Crossing (1990), Barton Fink (1991), Fargo (1996), The Big Lebowski (1998), O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), No Country for Old Men (2007), A Serious Man (2009), True Grit (2010) and Inside Llewyn Davis (2013).
The Princess Bride is a 1987 American fantasy adventure comedy film directed and co-produced by Rob Reiner and starring Robin Wright, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, and André the Giant. Adapted by William Goldman from his 1973 novel, it tells the story of a swashbuckling farmhand named Westley, accompanied by companions befriended along the way, who must rescue his true love Princess Buttercup from the odious Prince Humperdinck. The film preserves the novel's metafictional narrative style by presenting the story as a book being read by a grandfather to his sick grandson.
American History X is a 1998 American crime drama film directed by Tony Kaye and written by David McKenna. The film stars Edward Norton and Edward Furlong as two brothers from Los Angeles who are involved in the white power skinhead and neo-Nazi movements. The older brother (Norton) serves three years in prison for voluntary manslaughter, is rehabilitated during this time, and then tries to prevent his brother (Furlong) from being indoctrinated further. The supporting cast includes Fairuza Balk, Stacy Keach, Elliott Gould, Avery Brooks, Ethan Suplee and Beverly D'Angelo.
Gabrielle Monique Union-Wade is an American actress. Her career began in the 1990s, when she made dozens of appearances on television sitcoms, prior to landing supporting roles in 1999 teen films She's All That and 10 Things I Hate About You. She rose to greater prominence the following year, after she landed her breakthrough role in the teen film Bring It On.
Ethan Suplee is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in the films American History X, Blow, Remember the Titans, John Q, The Wolf of Wall Street, Cold Mountain, Without a Paddle, Unstoppable, and several of Kevin Smith's films as well as Frankie in Boy Meets World and Randy Hickey in My Name Is Earl.
Tony Kaye is an English director of films, music videos, advertisements, and documentaries. He directed the 1998 film American History X.
Cassian Cary Elwes is a British independent film producer and talent agent.
Richard III is a 2007 crime drama film written and directed by Scott M. Anderson, set in contemporary Hollywood as a modern-day retelling of William Shakespeare's Richard III.
Jeremy Lee Renner is an American actor. He began his career by appearing in independent films such as Dahmer (2002) and Neo Ned (2005), then supporting roles in bigger films, such as S.W.A.T. (2003) and 28 Weeks Later (2007). Renner gained Academy Award nominations for Best Actor for his performance as a soldier in The Hurt Locker (2009) and for Best Supporting Actor for playing a hot-headed robber in The Town (2010).
Jesus Camp is a 2006 American documentary film directed by Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing about a charismatic Christian summer camp, where children spend their summers being taught that they have "prophetic gifts" and can "take back America for Christ". According to the distributor, it "doesn't come with any prepackaged point of view" and attempts to be "an honest and impartial depiction of one faction of the evangelical Christian community".
Daniel R. Adams is an American feature film director. He is best known for directing and writing the films The Lightkeepers, starring Richard Dreyfuss and Blythe Danner, and The Golden Boys, starring David Carradine, Bruce Dern, Rip Torn, Charles Durning, and Mariel Hemingway.
The Woodstock Film Festival is an American film festival launched in 2000 by filmmakers Meira Blaustein and Laurent Rejto in the Hudson Valley region of New York. The festival takes place each fall in the towns of Woodstock, Rosendale and Saugerties and the city of Kingston.
Greetings From The Shore is a 2007 American coming-of-age romantic comedy film directed by Greg Chwerchak. The movie has played over 60 festivals, winning over 20 awards. It had its American theatrical release on September 12, 2008, on a limited basis.
The Dry Land is a 2010 American drama film written and directed by Ryan Piers Williams. The film stars Ryan O’Nan, America Ferrara, Wilmer Valderrama, Jason Ritter, and Melissa Leo. It premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and opened in limited release on July 30, 2010.
The Story of Luke is a 2012 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Alonso Mayo. It is Mayo's first feature-length film and tells the story of Luke, a young man with autism who embarks on a quest for a job and a girlfriend. It stars Lou Taylor Pucci, Seth Green, Cary Elwes and Kristin Bauer.
The Citizen is a 2013 American drama independent film directed by Sam Kadi, written by Sam Kadi, Samir Younis, Jazmen Darnell Brown, and starring Khaled El Nabawy, Agnes Bruckner, Rizwan Manji, William Atherton, and Cary Elwes. The Citizen was filmed in New York City, Detroit Masonic Temple in Detroit Michigan, and the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Michigan. The film premiered on September 20, 2012, at the Boston Film Festival.
Sweetwater is a 2023 American biographical sports film about Nat Clifton, the first African-American to sign a contract with the National Basketball Association (NBA). Written and directed by Martin Guigui, it stars Everett Osborne as Clifton, with Cary Elwes, Jeremy Piven, Richard Dreyfuss, and Kevin Pollak in supporting roles.