Swimming with Sharks (1994)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

George Huang

Writer:

George Huang (writer)

Release Date:

21 March 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Back Stabbing - Two Faced - Revenge

Plot:

A young, naive Hollywood studio assistant finally turns the tables on his incredibly abusive producer boss.

Plot Keywords:

Hollywood | Boss | Assistant | Movie Producer | Torture

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Kevin Spacey	...	Buddy Ackerman
Frank Whaley	...	Guy
Michelle Forbes	...	Dawn Lockard
Benicio Del Toro	...	Rex
T.E. Russell	...	Foster Kane
Roy Dotrice	...	Cyrus Miles
Matthew Flint	...	Manny
Patrick Fischler	...	Moe
Jerry Levine	...	Jack

Also Known As:

The Boss
The Buddy Factor

MPAA:

Rated R for some scenes of psychological/physical torture and pervasive strong language.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:MA | Argentina:13 | South Korea:15 | Germany:16 | Singapore:R(A) | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:PG (re-rating) | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Culver Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Cineville

Trivia:

The oft-referenced Foster Kane is an obvious reference to Citizen Kane (1941).

Goofs:

Continuity: Guy's head is alternately up/down between cuts when he is holding Buddy at gunpoint.

Quotes:

Dawn: Lose the smile. It makes you look like a schmuck.

Movie Connections:

References Big Top Pee-wee (1988)

Soundtrack:

THE SPOKEN WORD

Why is this so enjoyable?

Swimming with Sharks sees Guy (Frank Whaley) attempt to "turn the tables" on his abusive boss Buddy (Kevin Spacey), and while this makes the film simple and unoriginal in terms of plot, it is a cut above the rest thanks to the performances of its small cast.

One would assume that we would root for Guy, the innocent graduate demeaned by his aggressive boss, but the way the film tells the story prevents us from empathizing with him (as does his awful haircut); knowing that he tortures Buddy physically for his mental abuse complicates our response, and puts us on Buddy's side, allowing us to enjoy the games Buddy plays with Guy. This is something that's made very easy to do by the acting. Kevin Spacey is typically excellent as Buddy Ackerman and is the most engaging character in the film, remaining funny and manipulative throughout, even while being tortured and held hostage, as well as handling the more serious emotional aspects of his character expertly. Frank Whaley is also brilliant, playing the overwhelmed lapdog who is eventually pushed over the edge by Buddy's abuse. Importantly however, despite his plans for revenge, he remains under Buddy's spell right up until the end, and is eventually broken.

The film's conclusion further complicates our responses to both characters. The hostage situation revelations pull the audience between the impassioned-now-heartless Buddy and the desperate and confused Guy, but ultimately good does not prevail, and the shooting and Buddy's manipulation of the situation remove us from both characters as the film ends.

All in all, Swimming with Sharks is an enjoyable film. The simple plot and small cast are compensated for by some fine performances; it's funny , well-acted, and definitely worth watching.