Storyline Lee Simon, unsuccessful journalist and wanna-be novelist, tries to get a foot into the door with celebrities. After divorcing his wife Robin, Lee gets to meet a lot folks of the rich and / or beautiful, partly through journalism, partly because he has a script to offer. But life among those from out-of-this-world is hard, and his putative success always results in defeat. Meanwhile Robin meets a very desirable TV-producer and takes the first steps in the world of celebrities herself.
Cast: Greg Mottola
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Director
Jeff Mazzola
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Assistant Director
Dick Mingalone
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Camera Operator
Vladimir Bibic
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Director of Photography
Melanie Griffith
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Nicole Oliver
Francisco Quidjada
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Erno Delucca
Aleksa Palladino
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Production Assistant
Dan Moran
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Jackhammer Operator
Peter Castellotti
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Sound Recordist
(as Pete Castellotti)
A. Lee Morris
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Second Assistant Cameraperson
Douglas McGrath
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Bill Gaines
Kenneth Branagh
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Lee Simon
Maurice Sonnenberg
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Dalton Freed
Winona Ryder
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Nola
Craig Ulmschneider
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Daniel - Production Assistant
Taglines:
A funny look at people who will do anything to get famous... or stay famous.
Release Date: 20 November 1998
Filming Locations: Barbetta Restaurant - 321 W. 46th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Box Office Details
Budget: $12,000,000
(estimated)
Opening Weekend: $1,588,013
(USA)
(22 November 1998)
(493 Screens)
Gross: $5,032,496
(USA)
(3 January 1999)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
Only Kenneth Branagh and 'Judy Davis' were privy to the complete script.
Goofs:
Crew or equipment visible:
When Frederique Van Der Wal turns around in the first bar scene, the wireless microphone transmitter around her waist is in view.
Quotes: TV Reporter at Premiere:
What's your next project? Dalton Freed:
Birth Of A Nation, an all-black version.
User Review
Not bad, not great either
Rating: 7/10
The problem with Woody Allen is that he has made great films, a lot,
and that expectations for his work are always high. With 'Celebrity' it
was not different and therefore it is a little disappointing. If
another writer director would have made this film I think I would have
liked it better. Maybe that is strange, to compare it with his other
films simply happens.
In 'Celebrity' we follow Kenneth Branagh who plays Woody Allen,
although he is named Lee Simon. A movie without Woody Allen himself is
nice, but with a character that basically is Allen, why not play it
yourself? On the other hand, Branagh does a terrific job. We see how
Branagh divorces his wife and after that we have single episodes of his
life where he meets women, tries to make them his, fails or succeeds,
only to enter the next episode. At the same time we follow his ex-wife,
Robin (Judy Davis), who meets a new man Tony (Joe Mantegna) and does
settle.
Branagh is a writer. He writes a novel, has written two novels with bad
reviews and now he finished a screenplay. In the episodes he tries to
offer his script or new novel to people who can change it into a movie
or book. We have Melanie Griffith and Leonardo DiCaprio as spoiled
actors, Famke Janssen as a girl who really likes him and could help get
his story into a book, Winona Ryder as the girl he has some real
chemistry with and Charlize Theron as a supermodel.
The problem is that every episode feels like an episode instead of
everything combined as a movie. The Theron and DiCaprio episodes are
great, the Winona Ryder episode is sweet, the others are pretty
standard. The intercuts of the ex-wife's life are pretty good as well,
but still feel as single episodes.
Although the film as a whole is not that great there are enough moments
to enjoy it. You will not be bored. The black and white photography
looks terrific and that is something that makes the movie more
pleasant. It is well acted and of course directed, but for a Woody
Allen comedy it is not my first choice.
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