The Robert Downey Jr Film Guide
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The Robert Downey Jr Film Guide |
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Short Cuts (1993) |
Summary |
Acclaimed Altman film squeezes 9 short stories into a series of vaguely connected vignettes. |
Direction |
Robert Altman |
Downey Factor |
Low, compared to some of the other actors. |
Character |
Bill Bush, a womanizing special effects make-up artist |
Looks |
A little bit sloppy |
Performance |
Certainly sleazy |
Line |
How long are they gone? A month? I think we should move in here. |
Love & Sex |
He's with Lily Taylor |
Dies, Gay or Villain |
No, no, no. |
Other Actors |
Appearing on-screen with Downey: Chris Penn, Lily Taylor, Jennifer Jason Leigh. In other story lines: Tim Robbins, Julianne Moore, Matthew Modine, Lyle Lovett, Peter Gallagher, Lily Tomlin, Jack Lemmon, Frances McDormand, Andie MacDowell |
Connection |
Matthew Modine in Baby It's You. Robert Altman's The Gingerbread Man. Deborah Falconer (ex-wife) in The Last Party. Frances McDormand in Wonder Boys. |
RDJ Says |
I play this big bastard, a rat of the most clearest water. I have been living in Hollywood for many years now, so that part didn't need much research. After Chaplin it was nice to play such a rotten character ... Some people might watch the way that we're working on this--the way that [Robert Altman] set it up -- and say "Well, it seems kind of haphazard," but then by the end of the day we've touched on two or three things that wouldn't have been in subtexts, might not have even been discussed. Something that came up, just in trusting the moment. I think that really to me, it's fortified my belief that you have to trust the moment and that has to dictate. All the tech notes mumbo jumbo has to be secondary or terciary to that. |
Location |
Los Angeles |
Lit Reference |
Short Cuts: Selected Stories by Raymond Carver This movie tie-in features all the stories that were woven together in the script. |
Release |
October 3, 1993 |
Availability |
Somewhat common on video. Released on DVD by Criterion in Region 1, regular version on DVD in region 2. |
Foreign Titles |
Argentina: Ciudad de Ángeles (City of Angels) Brazil: Short Cuts, Cenas da Vida (Life Scenes) China: Life's Crossroads (English translation) Italy: America Oggi (America Today) Finland: Oikopolkuja (Shortcuts) Poland: Na Skróty (To Summaries) Spain: Vidas Cruzadas (Crossed Lives) |
Rotten Tomatoes |
94% Fresh | 36 Reviews |
Critical View |
Derek Malcolm, The Guardian: The film holds completely, both as a summation of Altman's unflattering but not unloving view of American society, in which the happiest people appear to be the alcoholics, and an epic piece of cinema of innate daring and imagination. |
2 Reasons to See It |
1. Robert Altman is your favorite director. 2. Raymond Carver is your favorite writer. |
Overall |
If the movie doesn't sound like something you're into, it's too long and he doesn't have enough relative screen time to be worth seeing just for him. If you like movies that have a lot of characters and different mildly connected story-lines, then go for it. |
If You Like It |
You might also like One Night Stand (1996), Game Six (2006) |
Photos |