A loner befriends a local celebrity, Billy Magic, but he soon begins to tell lies in order to maintain the friendship and the newfound status.A loner befriends a local celebrity, Billy Magic, but he soon begins to tell lies in order to maintain the friendship and the newfound status.A loner befriends a local celebrity, Billy Magic, but he soon begins to tell lies in order to maintain the friendship and the newfound status.
- Awards
- 1 win
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis is one of the first seven films that the Screen Actors Guild foreclosed on due to non-payment of wages and residuals to SAG members. The rights were sold at auction on July 13, 2004.
- GoofsWhen Karchy picks up his girlfriend from the store where she works, they walk down a wheelchair ramp, which didn't exist in the 1960's.
- Quotes
Kevin Boyle: [Karchy is hidden in a confessionary pretending to be a priest] Bless me, father, for I have sinned. It's been three days since my last confession. The reason I'm here today, father... you know what it is. I just can't stop doing it. I get these thoughts and I can't keep my hands off of it. Father? Are you there, father? I know you said I was gonna go blind, father. I don't wanna go blind. Last night I did it three times. I'm doing so much that it hurts when I touch it. I wanna kill my dad again. I can't take it anymore. I hate him. I hate him, father. I just can't stand him hitting on my mom anymore.
Father Norton: Mr. Jonas! Get out of here. Gimme that! How dare you? Out! Out! You went too far this time. Too far!
- SoundtracksLet's Go Let's Go Let's Go
Performed by Hank Ballard & The Midnighters (as Hank Ballard and The Midnighters)
Written by Hank Ballard (as Henry Ballard)
Courtesy of Highland Music
By Arrangement with Source/Q
The two main characters (Renfro and Bacon) do *nothing* but lie. They are balanced by the purity of the other characters (Flockhart and Schell).
Schell's character was a little underwhelming and the work by Renfro was, at times, uneven, but both were generally excellent. My only other quibble was with the settings of the film. As a Clevelander (where the story takes place and the film was shot), it's easy to understand the where the scenes took place and how the story was built around them, but I'm not sure that an "outsider" would understand the implications to the story of those different locations (the neighborhoods, the market, etc.).
The real find is Calista Flockhart. She gives a wonderfully nuanced performance, sweeter and deeper than anything you'll see on Ally McBeal. Interestingly, Flockhart spent time working on stage at the Cleveland Playhouse, so was well-suited for the role in a way.
Joe Eszterhas is not exactly known for his subtlety, but this movie is a small triumph for him and portends better things from his pen in the future.
- williamecook
- Nov 23, 2001
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Details
Box office
- Budget
- $4,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $318,809
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $11,470
- Oct 19, 1997
- Gross worldwide
- $318,809
- Runtime1 hour 41 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1