Other Titles • Full Frontal (2002) • The Art of Negotiating a Turn • How to Survive a Hotel Room Fire • more
Synopses for Full Frontal (2002)
1.
Director Steven Soderbergh brings a playful spirit and a touch of genius to this oddly gentle Hollywood exposé. Full Frontal follows the lives of several people connected by varying degrees to the production of Rendez Vous, the film within the film that itself contains a film within a film. This layering and teasing of movie-industry standbys happens throughout: L.A. Law star Blair Underwood plays an actor who plays an actor who is a TV star who is making the jump to the big screen, major stars pop up as bit players playing themselves, and even the opening credits are a sly, dead-on parody of opening credits. The actors are clearly having a terrific time skewering movie insiders and, like any members of a family, are allowed to be both more affectionate and more vicious to each other than outsiders. Standouts in a uniformly marvelous ensemble cast include David Hyde Pierce as one of the screenwriters, and Nicky Katt as an actor doing a truly wretched Hitler. Full Frontal is beautifully written, beautifully performed, and brilliantly realized. --Ali Davis
(15 votes)
2.
Director Steven Soderbergh follows up his highly impressive string of big budget smashes (ERIN BROCKOVICH, TRAFFIC, OCEAN'S ELEVEN) with this self-proclaimed "companion piece" to 1989's hugely influential SEX, LIES, AND VIDEOTAPE. Written by New York-based playwright Coleman Hough, FULL FRONTAL concerns a day in the life of a series of confused, depressed, and neurotic Los Angeles residents. Ed (Enrico Colantoni) is a writer with a script currently in production and a play that is about to open. Ivan's writing partner Carl (David Hyde Pierce) is married to Lee (Catherine Keener), an unhappy Human Resources VP. Lee is having an affair with superstar actor Calvin (Blair Underwood), who is costarring with Francesca (Julia Roberts) in Carl and Ed's film. Lee's sister Linda (Mary McCormack) is a masseuse who is looking forward to an upcoming weekend rendezvous with a stranger she met on the Internet. That man just so happens to be Ed. Using this dizzying framework to explore the dysfunctional characters who inhabit the entertainment industry, FULL FRONTAL also works as a bold technical experiment. Incorporating muddy digital video (to capture "real life") mixed with 35mm film (to capture "the movie within the movie"), Soderbergh shows that even with an Oscar on the shelf, he's still an indie-minded director at heart.
(15 votes)
3.
Carl Bright (DAVID HYDE PIERCE) is a writer at Los Angeles Magazine who writes screenplays on the side and thinks he understands the reasons for his wife’s unhappiness. His wife Lee (CATHERINE KEENER) is the VP of Human Resources at a large corporation who takes out her frustrations as she terminates company employees. Her sister Linda (MARY McCORMACK) works as a hotel masseuse and worries that she will never meet Mr. Right. Calvin (BLAIR UNDERWOOD) is the star of a successful television series who has just gotten his big film break playing Nicholas, the sidekick of a major movie star and, the subject of a celebrity profile being written by Catherine played by Francesca (JULIA ROBERTS). NICKY KATT is an actor playing Hitler in a stage play while Gus (DAVID DUCHOVNY) produces Nicholas’ movie. The day will culminate in Gus’ 40th birthday party being held at an exclusive Beverly Hills hotel.
Academy Award winner Julia Roberts (Best Actress, Erin Brockovich), David Duchovny (The X-Files) and Blair Underwood (Rules Of Engagement) star in another acclaimed triumph from Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh (Best Director, Traffic). It's a chaotic day for seven strangers from Hollywood who end up at the birthday party of a mutual friend. Before the night is over, relationships are tested, hearts are broken and passions are renewed! Also starring David Hyde Pierce (TV's Frasier), Catherine Keener (Being John Malkovich), Mary McCormack (K-Pax) and Nicky Katt (Insomnia).
(15 votes)
Mooviees.com is not the official site for this film.
All editorial views and opinions expressed here are for entertainment purposes only.
<>
Movie Database
In Theaters
