The Deal (2008)

Director:

Steven Schachter

Writers (WGA):

William H. Macy (screenplay) &
Steven Schachter (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

4 September 2008 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Cut To The Scam.

Plot:

A down-and-out film producer agrees to make his nephew's film about 19th century English statesman Benjamin Disraeli...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Kate Blumberg
Jeremy Crutchley	...	Ian Chadwick
Adrian Galley	...	Andrei
Fiona Glascott	...	Fiona Hicks
Elliott Gould	...	Rabbi Seth Gutterman
Brett Granstaff	...	Peter
Sydney Hall	...	Assisitant
Sean Higgs	...	Hans
David Hunt	...	Grier Clark
Aiden Lithgow	...	Skip Miller
LL Cool J	...	Bobby Mason
William H. Macy	...	Charlie Berns
Darron Meyer	...	Talent Agent
Tere Morris	...	Catherine Oxenmoor
Mudi Mudau	...	SA A Air hostess
Jeanne Neilson	...	Young British Actress (as Jeanne Wilhelm)
Sharon Raginiano	...	Levy Rosenwald
Natasha Rees-Davies	...	Maya
Jason Ritter	...	Lionel Travitz
Matthew Dylan Roberts	...	Vladimir (as Matthew Roberts)
Meg Ryan	...	Deidre Hearn
Shawn Tanaka	...	Brad's Assistant
Anton Voster	...	LA limo driver

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content and language.

Runtime:

USA:98 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Cape Town, South Africa

Company:

Berk/Lane Entertainment

Funny Movie on a Movie

The Deal is a wacky and frenetic Hollywood insider movie about a movie, in the spirit of Altman's The Player or Mamet's State and Main. Written by and starring the extremely talented William H. Macy and directed by his long-time friend and veteran TV movie director Steven Schachter, The Deal is part vanity piece, part industry insider self-indulgence and wholly funny.

Macy plays Charlie Berns, a one-hit wonder Hollywood producer with no money and no prospects and on the verge of suicide. Interrupting his plans is his nephew Lionel (Jason Ritter), who knocks on his door at the propitious moment, carrying his script about Benjamin Disraeli and looking for Uncle Charlie's help in Hollywood. Ignoring the script, Charlie returns to his morbid task, only to spot an article about a blockbuster action-hero movie star (L.L. Cool J) who has recently converted to Judaism and is looking for a Jewish film for his next project. Seeing a glimmer of hope, Charlie hatches an outrageous seat-of-your-pants scheme to coerce a studio into approving this preposterous pairing. Assigned to the project is Diedre Hearn, a second-tier studio exec (played by Meg Ryan, still trying to transition from her girl-next-door pedigree). Charlie is smitten, and resurrected, "Ben Disraeli – Freedom Fighter" gets green-lighted and the fun begins. There's even a role for Elliott Gould, playing a rabbi who serves as a technical adviser and "Assistant Producer" to the film! I guess Macy decided that at 57 if he was ever going to play a leading man, he was going to have to personally drive the project. And he has written himself a plum role—a multi-dimensional character with a lot of funny lines and Meg Ryan as a love interest! Charlie Berns has suffered all the indignities that Hollywood can dish out. But he's learned enough tricks, and developed enough chutzpah that with a little luck he can really work the system. Macy plays the role with unflappable charm and impeccable comic timing.

The script bounces around a bit, and probably bounces a couple of times too many. The "resolution" feels a little like an add-on, and perhaps could have been left out. So while I doubt this movie will do great things at the box office, it certainly entertained the Sundance crowd.

Sundance Moment: Macy told the long story of how difficult it was to get the project funded, which is a recurring Sundance (and Hollywood) theme. They passed out red yarmulkas to the crowd, and many wore them while watching the movie.