Permanent Midnight (1998)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

David Veloz

Writers (WGA):

Jerry Stahl (book)
David Veloz (screenplay)

Release Date:

16 September 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Romance

Plot:

Comedy writer Jerry Stahl (Ben Stiller), whose $6000-a-week heroin habit had him taking his infant daughter...

Plot Keywords:

Habit | Flashback | Writer | Detox | Heroin

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Ben Stiller	...	Jerry Stahl
Maria Bello	...	Kitty
Jay Paulson	...	Phoenix Punk
Spencer Garrett	...	Brad / Tim from Mr. Chompers
Owen Wilson	...	Nicky
Elizabeth Hurley	...	Sandra
Lourdes Benedicto	...	Vola
Fred Willard	...	Craig Ziffer
Chauncey Leopardi	...	Jerry at 16
Mary Thompson	...	Grandma Whittle
Connie Nielsen	...	Dagmar
Charles Fleischer	...	Allen from Mr. Chompers
Liz Torres	...	Dita
Douglas Spain	...	Miguel
Janeane Garofalo	...	Jana Farmer

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive graphic drug use, strong sexuality and language.

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | UK:18 | USA:R | Australia:MA | New Zealand:R18

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

JD Productions

Trivia:

The fictional television show "Mr. Chompers" was based on author Jerry Stahl's experience writing for "ALF" (1986). The other television series was based on Stahl's experiences on "Twin Peaks" (1990) and "Moonlighting" (1985), and it's star was apparently based on Cybill Shepherd.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Jerry is at the methadone clinic, the doctor is checking boxes on a form he's filling out. The questions he asks Jerry do not match the boxes he checks.

Quotes:

Nicky: If I were Percodan where would I be?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Ben Stiller/Alanis Morrisette (#24.4)" (1998)

Soundtrack:

GODSPEED

Worth it for Ben Stiller

Not bad, though not particularly memorable or resonant. So-so script with terse, witty dialogue - David Veloz never wants for a good one-liner. I was never bored, but it would be an overstatement to say I cared about the character Jerry Stahl, either. It's hard to imagine, though, anyone bringing him to life more fully or entertainingly than Ben Stiller. He is compulsively watchable, and without him I think this one might've been DOA. I guess it boils down to this: Is it just me, or is a guy who scores prime writing jobs and prime women while he's a hopeless smack addict inherently unsympathetic? (And the impression I get from the writing and casting is that we are very much meant to feel in some way for Jerry.)