The Player Movie Review 1992

Clever, entertaining, and biting satire of the movie industry and the greed that controls it. Robbins is dead-on as Griffin Mill, a young studio exec who becomes the chief suspect in a murder investigation. He personifies Hollywood's ethics (or lack thereof) in a performance both cold and vulnerable, as he looks for the right buttons to push and the proper back to stab. Strong leading performances are supplemented by 65 star cameos. Some viewers may be put off by the inside-Hollywood jokes, but Altman fans will love it.

Distribution

Baker & Taylor Inc., 2709 Water Ridge Pkwy., Ste. 500, Charlotte, NC 28217, Phone: (704)357-3500, Toll-free: 800-775-1800, Email: btinfo@btol.com, URL: http://www.btol.com

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 123 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Blackmail, Behind the Scenes, Filmmaking, L.A., Satire & Parody, Corporate Shenanigans, Screen Teams: Cusack & Robbins, Mistaken Identity, Showbiz Dramas

Screenplay

Michael Tolkin

Cast

Michael Tolkin, Louise Fletcher, Dennis Franz, Malcolm McDowell, Ray Walston, Rene Auberjonois, David Alan Grier, Jayne Meadows, Michael Bowen, Steve James, Brian Tochi, Natalie Strong, Tim Robbins, Greta Scacchi, Fred Ward, Whoopi Goldberg, Peter Gallagher, Brion James, Cynthia Stevenson, Vincent D'Onofrio, Dean Stockwell, Richard E. Grant, Dina Merrill, Sydney Pollack, Lyle Lovett, Randall Batinkoff, Gina Gershon, Nick Nolte, Jack Lemmon, Lily Tomlin, Marlee Matlin, Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis, Anjelica Huston, Elliott Gould, Sally Kellerman, Steve Allen, Richard Anderson, Harry Belafonte, Shari Belafonte, Karen Black, Gary Busey, Robert Carradine, James Coburn, Cathy Lee Crosby, John Cusack, Brad Davis, Peter Falk, Teri Garr, Leeza Gibbons, Scott Glenn, Jeff Goldblum, Joel Grey, Buck Henry, Kathy Ireland, Sally Kirkland, Andie MacDowell, Martin Mull, Mimi Rogers, Jill St. John, Susan Sarandon, Rod Steiger, Joan Tewkesbury, Robert Wagner

Cinematography

Jean Lepine

Director

Robert Altman

Music

Thomas Newman

Other

Burt Reynolds, Cher

Producer

David Brown, Nick Wechsler, Michael Tolkin, Fine Line Features

Awards

British Acad. 1992: Adapt. Screenplay; Cannes 1992: Actor (Robbins), Director (Altman); Golden Globes 1993: Actor--Mus./Comedy (Robbins), Film--Mus./Comedy; Ind. Spirit 1993: Film; N.Y. Film Critics 1992: Cinematog., Director (Altman), Film; Writers Guild 1992: Adapt. Screenplay.