the robert downey jr film guide

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The Outsider (2005)

Tags: Supporting Role, Minimal Screentime, Documentary, Independent, Suffer Through, Career Trajectory: Making a Comeback, Playing a Real Guy, Fails the Bechdel Test, On DVD in Region 1, On DVD in Region 2, Unrated

Summary

Documentary follows director James Toback as he shoots the improvised film When Will I Be Loved.

Director

Nicholas Jarecki

Downey Factor

Low.

Character

Himself.

Performance

He’s interviewed about his experiences with director James Toback (including clips of his performances in Toback’s movies).

Cast

Neve Campbell, Brooke Shields, Harvey Keitel

Connection

Harvey Keitel in The Pickup Artist. Brooke Shields and Mike Tyson in Black and White. James Toback’s Two Girls and a Guy, Black and White and The Pickup Artist.

Availability

Released on 22 January 2005. On DVD in Region 1.

Rotten Tomatoes

69% Fresh | 16 Reviews

Critical View

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: Robert Downey Jr., who has made three Toback films, could almost be called Toback’s screen alter ego. Asked how he felt after first reading one of Toback’s scripts, Downey says, “I felt like Shakespeare didn’t die.”

2 Reasons to See It

1. For some reason, James Toback is actually relevant to you.
2. Like, for example, you're doing research on some of the worst #MeToo offenders.

Overall

Okay. So this is a documentary about a guy who's been accused of sexual harrassment by literally hundreds of women. He is exactly as much of an insufferable creep as you'd expect. Even though it's oddly satisfying to watch him fail in real time, ultimately I don't recommend it because insufferable creep.

If You Like It

You might also like Black and White (2000), The Last Party (1993), self-important creeps

Photos

Video