 
  Popularity: 3 (history)
| Director: | Doug Liman | 
|---|---|
| Writer: | Jon Favreau | 
| Staring: | 
| After 6 years together, Mike's girlfriend leaves him, so he travels to LA to be a star. Six months on, he's still not doing very well— so a few of his friends try to reconnect him to the social scene and hopefully help him forget his failed relationship. | |
| Release Date: | Oct 18, 1996 | 
|---|---|
| Director: | Doug Liman | 
| Writer: | Jon Favreau | 
| Genres: | Comedy, Drama | 
| Keywords | stuffed animal, hollywood, drink, swinger, producer, name calling, aspiring actor | 
| Production Companies | Miramax, Independent Pictures, The Alfred Shay Company Inc. | 
| Box Office | Revenue: $4,505,922 Budget: $200,000 | 
| Updates | Updated: Aug 03, 2025 Entered: Apr 13, 2024 | 
| Name | Character | 
|---|---|
| Jon Favreau | Mike Peters | 
| Vince Vaughn | Trent Walker | 
| Ron Livingston | Rob | 
| Patrick Van Horn | Sue | 
| Alex Désert | Charles | 
| Heather Graham | Lorraine | 
| Deena Martin | Christy | 
| Katherine Kendall | Lisa | 
| Brooke Langton | Nikki | 
| Blake Lindsley | Girl with Cigar | 
| Kevin James Kelly | Vegas Dealer | 
| Stephanie Ittleson | Vegas Waitress | 
| Vernon Vaughn | $100 Gambler | 
| Joan Favreau | $5 Winner | 
| Rio Hackford | Skully | 
| Jan Dykstra | Girl at Party | 
| Maddie Corman | Peek-a-boo Girl | 
| Marty & Elayne | Dresden Lounge Act | 
| Sheri Rosenblum | $100 Gambler | 
| Stasea Rosenblum | $100 Gambler | 
| Pamela Shaw | $5 Gambler | 
| Tom Alley | Pit Boss | 
| Reverend Phil Dixon | Lounge Lizard | 
| Ashley M. Rogers | Bartender | 
| Jay Diola | Skully's Crew / Derby Dancer | 
| Nicholas Gagliarducci | Skully's Crew | 
| David Gould | Skully's Crew | 
| Bill Phillips | Skully's Crew | 
| Mansur Hamud | Pink Dot Guy | 
| Ahmed Ahmed | Party Mystery Guy | 
| Eufemia Plimpton | Derby Lady | 
| Melinda Starr | Derby Lady | 
| Samantha Lemole | Dresden Lady | 
| Jessica Buchman | Dresden Lady | 
| Caroline O'Meara | Diner Waitress | 
| Gary Auerbach | Derby Doorman | 
| Brad Halvorson | Derby Doorman | 
| Christopher R. Joyce | Diner Patron | 
| Edward Rissien | Diner Patron | 
| Jenna Rissien | Diner Patron | 
| Mark Smith | Diner Patron | 
| John Abrham | Derby Dancer | 
| Rachel Gallaghan | Derby Dancer | 
| Lisa Guerriero | Derby Dancer | 
| Thomas Hall | Derby Dancer | 
| Damiana Kamishin | Derby Dancer | 
| Curtis Lindersmith | Derby Dancer | 
| Jennifer Lucero | Derby Dancer | 
| Pinki Marsolek | Derby Dancer | 
| Rhonda Martin | Derby Dancer | 
| Martina Migenes | Derby Dancer | 
| Paul Mojica | Derby Dancer | 
| Sam Mollo | Derby Dancer | 
| Jacob Morris | Derby Dancer | 
| Michael Scott | Derby Dancer | 
| Bernard Serrano | Derby Dancer | 
| Rosalind Smith | Derby Dancer | 
| Molly Stern | Derby Dancer | 
| Johnny Walker | Derby Dancer | 
| Lisa Wolstein | Derby Dancer | 
| Stephen Gaghan | Onlooker at Model Party Entrance (uncredited) | 
| Name | Job | 
|---|---|
| Stephen Mirrione | Editor | 
| Justin Reinhardt | Original Music Composer | 
| Genevieve Tyrrell | Costume Design | 
| Alan B. Samuels | Sound Mixer | 
| Linda Francis | Casting | 
| Paul S. Alcus | Script Supervisor | 
| Ross Davis | Sound Re-Recording Mixer | 
| Brad Halvorson | Production Design | 
| Eden Wurmfeld | Production Manager | 
| Julianne Jordan | Music Supervisor | 
| Renee Sabath | Sound Editor | 
| Nicole LaLoggia | Line Producer | 
| Jon Favreau | Screenplay | 
| Larry Benjamin | Sound Re-Recording Mixer | 
| Doug Liman | Director of Photography, Director | 
| Name | Title | 
|---|---|
| Victor Simpkins | Producer | 
| Bradford L. Schlei | Associate Producer | 
| Avram Ludwig | Associate Producer | 
| Cary Woods | Executive Producer | 
| Jon Favreau | Co-Producer | 
| Organization | Category | Person | 
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 29 | 47 | 19 | 
| 2024 | 5 | 35 | 78 | 21 | 
| 2024 | 6 | 25 | 38 | 17 | 
| 2024 | 7 | 29 | 47 | 17 | 
| 2024 | 8 | 46 | 143 | 20 | 
| 2024 | 9 | 21 | 42 | 15 | 
| 2024 | 10 | 25 | 45 | 15 | 
| 2024 | 11 | 25 | 75 | 11 | 
| 2024 | 12 | 19 | 36 | 11 | 
| 2025 | 1 | 19 | 26 | 14 | 
| 2025 | 2 | 14 | 29 | 3 | 
| 2025 | 3 | 7 | 19 | 1 | 
| 2025 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 
| 2025 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 
| 2025 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 
| 2025 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 
| 2025 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 
| 2025 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 
| 2025 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 
Trending Position
| Year | Month | High | Avg | 
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | 773 | 793 | 
| Year | Month | High | Avg | 
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 503 | 726 | 
**A film about characters and dialogue, made by men and for (some) men.** Watching films with a lot of dialogue allows us, sometimes, to find some very good works in terms of the construction of lines and development of characters. In these films, these elements become the essence that justifies ... their existence. And we can think of several examples, such as “Before Sunrise”. This film isn't bad either, but it targets a niche audience that I don't find myself in: single men, somewhat bitter and dissatisfied, misogynists and womanizers. I am single, and I feel peacefully satisfied, without a hint of misogyny and never closing doors to love, but also without any despair. And in fact, I haven't set foot in a bar since my college days. As you can see, I'm not the kind of man who could identify with these characters. The plot revolves around three friends, aspiring actors, who seek to make it in challenging Los Angeles. One of them is depressed due to the end of a long-term relationship, and the other two friends decide to take him to bars, to drink and flirt as much as possible. From drink to drink, from one flirtation to another, the conversation between the various characters reveal a lot about themselves, and the way they see the world. It's not a narrative film, it doesn't have a very solid story, but it has good characters and an excellent collection of dialogues. Directed by Doug Liman, the film has simple, but effective and credible cinematography, sets and costumes. Being an independent film, made outside the multimillion-dollar studios, the production had several budget problems that forced practical and functional choices. This may have been positive, allowing for greater verisimilitude and the choice of realistic locations and situations. Being a film so focused on the male mentality, and a world of bars and flirting, it is likely that the female audience would prefer to see something else. Screenwriter and actor John Favreau plays the main character, supported by two longtime friends, Vince Vaughn and Ron Livingstone. Each of them does a good job and explores their character very well, expressing a lot of themselves, which turns these characters into “alter egos” of the actors who play them. This is unusual in cinema, but not unheard of. The film also features the participation of other actors and friends of those involved, in smaller and less well-crafted characters.