Swimming with Sharks
Encyclopedia
Swimming With Sharks is a 1994 American comedy drama film, directed and written by George Huang
.
Unfortunately, Buddy turns out to be the boss from hell; he treats Guy like a slave, subjects him to sadistic
(and public) verbal abuse, and has him bending over backwards to do meaningless errands. Guy is humiliated and forced to bear the brunt of his insults. Guy's only solace is his girlfriend, Dawn, a producer at Buddy's firm. When Buddy apparently fires Guy in a phone call, Guy snaps and kidnaps Buddy in order to exact some revenge, which results in tying up Buddy and subjecting him to severe beatings, torture and mind games. It is later revealed that due to a botched call waiting function on Buddy's home phone, Guy hears Buddy and Dawn arranging a rendezvous at Buddy's house.
Once in Guy's power, Buddy reveals for the first time a human, vulnerable side, telling a tragic story about his wife's death and revealing that he too was once a bullied assistant to powerful, tyrannical men. He also reveals his reasons for treating Guy so badly; it turns out that right from the start of the story-before he'd even met Buddy-Guy had secretly felt that he shouldn't have to work for anything because he was too good for that and that he, in Buddy's words, "thought he deserved (to have everything he wanted) just because he wanted it." Buddy had picked up on this the day they met, however, and realized that this attitude would lead to Guy trying to take advantage of him; abusing Guy was Buddy's way of making sure he knew he could never do this, showing him that he can't just have anything he wants simply because he wants it-he has to earn it, first-and making sure that Guy did deserve to have the good life when he earned it by working hard. Guy also learns a few secrets about Dawn, and must confront what he really wants from life and to what lengths he'll go to get it. Dawn arrives at the scene to find Guy aiming a gun at Buddy's face, and Buddy tells Guy that he has to pull the trigger in order to get ahead in the business.
The climax of the film reveals that Guy killed Dawn (who is blamed for kidnapping and torturing Buddy), and was subsequently promoted. In the final scene, Guy, who seems to have come out from under Buddy's reign a much hardened human being, tells a former colleague to find out what he really wants and then do anything to get it; during this speech, Buddy stands by, smiling as he calls Guy into his office for a meeting.
. Rodriguez was in Los Angeles
after his film El Mariachi
brought him to the attention of Sony Pictures, where he befriended Huang. Huang told Rodriguez of his frustrations with filmmaking when the director encouraged him to quit his post at Sony and pursue writing full time so Huang could produce a script to direct himself.
Huang's resultant script, "Reel Life", was picked up by Cineville executive Frank Evers
, who brought in financing from independent investors, and significant production support from Sony Pictures Entertainment. The film was subsequently sold to Trimark Pictures (later assumed by Lionsgate in 2000). Cineville produced the film with Steve Alexander overseeing production.
Many rumors circulate about whom Buddy is based on. One is that the character was inspired by real life movie mogul Scott Rudin
, while another is that he is based on producer Joel Silver
and Guy is based on Silver's assistant in the early 90's, Alan Schechter. George Huang used to work as an assistant for Barry Josephson, who was the Senior Vice President of Development at Sony Pictures.
The director Buddy hires in the film, Foster Kane, is named after Orson Welles
' character in the 1941 film Citizen Kane
, Charles Foster Kane
's Vaudeville Theatre
in October, 2007. The play starred Christian Slater
as Buddy, Matt Smith
as Guy, Arthur Darvill
as Rex and Helen Baxendale
as Dawn. Smith and Darvill would reunite from 2010 to 2011 as the Doctor and recurring (later regular) character Rory Williams
, respectively, in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who
.
George Huang (director)
George Huang is a Taiwanese-American film-maker. In addition to working on his own films, he also frequently contributes work to other independent film-makers, especially Robert Rodríguez.-Early life:...
.
Plot
Buddy Ackerman, an influential movie mogul, hires Guy, a naïve young writer, as his assistant. Guy, who has just graduated from film school, believes that his new job is a golden opportunity. Despite warnings from Rex, the outgoing assistant who has become hardened under Buddy's reign, Guy remains optimistic.Unfortunately, Buddy turns out to be the boss from hell; he treats Guy like a slave, subjects him to sadistic
Sadistic personality disorder
Sadistic personality disorder is a diagnosis which appeared only in an appendix of the revised third edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . The current version of the DSM does not include it, so it is no longer considered a valid...
(and public) verbal abuse, and has him bending over backwards to do meaningless errands. Guy is humiliated and forced to bear the brunt of his insults. Guy's only solace is his girlfriend, Dawn, a producer at Buddy's firm. When Buddy apparently fires Guy in a phone call, Guy snaps and kidnaps Buddy in order to exact some revenge, which results in tying up Buddy and subjecting him to severe beatings, torture and mind games. It is later revealed that due to a botched call waiting function on Buddy's home phone, Guy hears Buddy and Dawn arranging a rendezvous at Buddy's house.
Once in Guy's power, Buddy reveals for the first time a human, vulnerable side, telling a tragic story about his wife's death and revealing that he too was once a bullied assistant to powerful, tyrannical men. He also reveals his reasons for treating Guy so badly; it turns out that right from the start of the story-before he'd even met Buddy-Guy had secretly felt that he shouldn't have to work for anything because he was too good for that and that he, in Buddy's words, "thought he deserved (to have everything he wanted) just because he wanted it." Buddy had picked up on this the day they met, however, and realized that this attitude would lead to Guy trying to take advantage of him; abusing Guy was Buddy's way of making sure he knew he could never do this, showing him that he can't just have anything he wants simply because he wants it-he has to earn it, first-and making sure that Guy did deserve to have the good life when he earned it by working hard. Guy also learns a few secrets about Dawn, and must confront what he really wants from life and to what lengths he'll go to get it. Dawn arrives at the scene to find Guy aiming a gun at Buddy's face, and Buddy tells Guy that he has to pull the trigger in order to get ahead in the business.
The climax of the film reveals that Guy killed Dawn (who is blamed for kidnapping and torturing Buddy), and was subsequently promoted. In the final scene, Guy, who seems to have come out from under Buddy's reign a much hardened human being, tells a former colleague to find out what he really wants and then do anything to get it; during this speech, Buddy stands by, smiling as he calls Guy into his office for a meeting.
Cast
- Kevin SpaceyKevin SpaceyKevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
as Buddy Ackerman - Frank WhaleyFrank WhaleyFrank Joseph Whaley is an American film and television actor known for his roles in independent films.-Personal life:Whaley was born in Syracuse, New York, the son of Josephine and Robert W. Whaley, Sr. He is half-Irish and half-Sicilian and grew up in Syracuse. He has two sisters and an older...
as Guy - Michelle ForbesMichelle ForbesMichelle Renee Forbes Guajardo , known professionally as Michelle Forbes, is an American actress who has built a career of work in television and independent film and has acted in productions in both the United States and in the United Kingdom...
as Dawn Lockard - Benicio del ToroBenicio del ToroBenicio Monserrate Rafael del Toro Sánchez is a Puerto Rican and Spanish actor and film producer. He won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a BAFTA Award for his role as Javier Rodríguez in Traffic . He is also known for his roles as Fred Fenster in The Usual...
as Rex - T.E. Russell as Foster Kane
- Roy DotriceRoy DotriceRoy Dotrice, OBE is a British actor known for his Tony Award-winning Broadway performance in the revival of A Moon for the Misbegotten.-Life and career:...
as Cyrus Miles - Matthew Flynt as Manny
- Patrick FischlerPatrick FischlerPatrick Fischler is an American actor best known for his roles as Jimmy Barrett on the drama series Mad Men, Dharma Initiative worker Phil on the drama series Lost and Detective Kenny No-Gun on the police drama Southland...
as Moe - Jerry LevineJerry LevineJerry Levine is an American actor and director, perhaps best known for his role as Rupert 'Stiles' Stilinski in the feature film Teen Wolf.-Career:...
as Jack
Production
Huang decided to write the script after having a conversation with Robert RodriguezRobert Rodriguez
Robert Anthony Rodríguez is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician. He shoots and produces many of his films in his native Texas and Mexico. He has directed such films as Desperado, From Dusk till Dawn, The Faculty, Spy Kids, Sin City, Planet...
. Rodriguez was in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
after his film El Mariachi
El Mariachi
El Mariachi is a 1992 Mexican-American action film that is the debut of writer/director Robert Rodriguez. The Spanish language film was shot in the northern Mexican bordertown of Ciudad Acuña with a mainly amateur cast...
brought him to the attention of Sony Pictures, where he befriended Huang. Huang told Rodriguez of his frustrations with filmmaking when the director encouraged him to quit his post at Sony and pursue writing full time so Huang could produce a script to direct himself.
Huang's resultant script, "Reel Life", was picked up by Cineville executive Frank Evers
Frank Evers (NYPH)
Frank Evers is the CEO of Institute for Artist Management . Founded in 2009, INSTITUTE is an artist management and multi-platform production company focused on editorial, cultural and commercial clients. INSTITUTE represents filmmakers and photographers, and operates out of New York, Los Angeles...
, who brought in financing from independent investors, and significant production support from Sony Pictures Entertainment. The film was subsequently sold to Trimark Pictures (later assumed by Lionsgate in 2000). Cineville produced the film with Steve Alexander overseeing production.
Many rumors circulate about whom Buddy is based on. One is that the character was inspired by real life movie mogul Scott Rudin
Scott Rudin
Scott Rudin is an American film producer and a theatrical producer.-Early life and work:Scott Rudin was born in New York City, NY, on July 14, 1958, and raised in the town of Baldwin on Long Island. At the age of sixteen, he started working as an assistant to theatre producer Kermit Bloomgarden...
, while another is that he is based on producer Joel Silver
Joel Silver
Joel Silver is an American Hollywood film producer, co-creator of the sport of Ultimate, co-founder of Dark Castle Entertainment and owner of Silver Pictures.-Life and career:...
and Guy is based on Silver's assistant in the early 90's, Alan Schechter. George Huang used to work as an assistant for Barry Josephson, who was the Senior Vice President of Development at Sony Pictures.
The director Buddy hires in the film, Foster Kane, is named after Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
' character in the 1941 film Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film, directed by and starring Orson Welles. Many critics consider it the greatest American film of all time, especially for its innovative cinematography, music and narrative structure. Citizen Kane was Welles' first feature film...
, Charles Foster Kane
Stage adaptation
A stage adaptation penned by Michael Lesslie had its world premiere at LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Vaudeville Theatre
Vaudeville Theatre
The Vaudeville Theatre is a West End theatre on The Strand in the City of Westminster. As the name suggests, the theatre held mostly vaudeville shows and musical revues in its early days. It opened in 1870 and was rebuilt twice, although each new building retained elements of the previous...
in October, 2007. The play starred Christian Slater
Christian Slater
Christian Michael Leonard Slater is an American actor. He made his film debut with a small role in The Postman Always Rings Twice before playing a leading role in the 1985 film The Legend of Billie Jean...
as Buddy, Matt Smith
Matt Smith (British actor)
Matthew Robert Smith is an English stage and television actor. He is known for his role as the eleventh incarnation of the Doctor in the British television series Doctor Who, for which he received a BAFTA Award nomination in 2011....
as Guy, Arthur Darvill
Arthur Darvill
Thomas Arthur Darvill is an English actor, known professionally as Arthur Darvill. He is noted for his work in the plays Terre Haute and Swimming with Sharks , but is probably best known for his role as the Eleventh Doctor's Companion Rory Williams in the television series Doctor Who.-Early and...
as Rex and Helen Baxendale
Helen Baxendale
Helen Victoria Baxendale is an English actress of stage and television, possibly best-known for her roles in Cold Feet, Friends and Cardiac Arrest.-Early life:...
as Dawn. Smith and Darvill would reunite from 2010 to 2011 as the Doctor and recurring (later regular) character Rory Williams
Rory Williams
Rory Williams is a fictional character portrayed by Arthur Darvill in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Having been introduced at the start of the 5th series, Rory joins the Eleventh Doctor as a companion in the middle of Series 5...
, respectively, in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
.