The Hollywood Sign (2001)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Sönke Wortmann

Writers:

Leon de Winter (novel)
Leon de Winter (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 October 2001 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

Three ex-Hollywood legends are going to steal $10,000,000. If they can only keep their act together.

Plot:

Three washed-up actors must deliver the most convincing performances of their lives as part of a dangerous plot designed to finance their triumphant comeback. |

Plot Keywords:

Hollywood | Based On Novel

Cast

Tom Berenger	...	Tom Greener
Jacqueline Kim	...	Paula Carver
Rod Steiger	...	Floyd Benson
Burt Reynolds	...	Kage Mulligan
Al Sapienza	...	Rodney
Dominic Keating	...	Steve
Eric Bruskotter	...	Muscle
David Proval	...	Charlie
Kay E. Kuter	...	Robbie Kant
Raf Mauro	...	Lenny Lena
Kathleen Gati	...	Deb
Roz Witt	...	Deli Waitress
Adria Tennor	...	Kant's Receptionist
Amy Leland	...	Rocco Hostess
Mark Gantt	...	Party Boy

Also Known As:

Der Himmel von Hollywood (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some violence.

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

Germany | USA | Netherlands

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:12 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Company:

Senator Film Produktion

Goofs:

Continuity: The bottle of whiskey rotates between shots even though no one has touched it.

Quotes:

Kage Mulligan: Hello, I am Detective William... Barslow and I'm here to ask you some questions. Can I come in?
Paula Carver: You know, I think I'd like to see Mister Benson open.
Kage Mulligan: What?
Paula Carver: Would you mind giving it a shot?
Floyd Benson: Oh, not at all. I was born to be a leading man, you know.
Kage Mulligan: This is my part! This is my scene!
Tom Greener: Kage, Kage, ehm, just take it easy. We're, we're trying some things out here.
Kage Mulligan: Nothing ever changes.

Movie Connections:

Features Navajo Joe (1966)

Flawed, but still pretty funny.

If you can get past the far-fetched plot (full of weird schemes and big coincidences) this can be pretty funny movie. The three main actors (Tom Berenger, Burt Reynolds and Rod Steiger) are all pretty good. OK, so they overact sometimes, so the plot is flawed and the pace sometimes uneven--but I still found myself laughing throughout the film.

My mom was with me when I saw this film and we both got a huge kick out of the last portion of the movie--where these three bumbling has-been actors are trying to con a bunch of gangsters into believing that they (the actors) are cops. Each actor almost blows it, improvises, over-acts, acts badly, and it's all pretty hilarious.

In my opinion this film is worth seeing for the fun scenes between the three main stars. I think they played off each other well. I especially liked Rod Steiger (in one of his last roles) but I enjoyed the performances of all three.

I recommend this film if you are willing to look past the flaws, and allow yourself to be amused by the fun stuff. There are definitely laughs to be had in this film.