:
Richard E. Grant,
Richard E. Grant,
Rachel Ward,
more...
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Bruce Robinson,
Bruce Robinson
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: Criterion
: Comedies, Foreign, Black Comedy, British Comedy, UK, Criterion Collection
: 94 min.
: English
: English
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This title is currently out of print.
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After years of capitalizing on the weaknesses of a gullible public, a London advertising executive finds that his worst qualities have literally taken on a life of their own in this scathing satire. Successful copywriter Dennis Bagley (Richard E. Grant) lives a posh life with his lovely wife, Julia (Rachel Ward), in the London suburbs. Pushed to distraction by a bothersome new pimple-ointment account, he flirts with renouncing his career and becoming socially aware. Immediately thereafter, Bagley discovers that he's developed a zit of his own -- a monstrous boil on his neck that begins whispering evil things in his ear. Convinced that he's being taken over by his dark half, Bagley soon finds his "good" self relegated to the boil while his malevolent alter ego returns to the world of advertising with a vengeance. At first, Julia is relieved that her husband seems to have bounced back from the abyss of mental illness, but soon she realizes that she prefers the gentle but crazy Dennis to the poisonous professional. Written and directed by Withnail & I's Bruce Robinson, How to Get Ahead in Advertising reunites the director with that film's leading man Richard E. Grant. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
The Criterion Edition of this film is out of print. We have a different release of this title MGM version.
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| Brilliant! Manic! Boils!
by Misshaped
June 5, 2004 - 11:35 PM PDT
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3 out of 3 members found this review helpful
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This film is so underrated. It's been on my list of movies-to-watch since it came out, and 15 years later I was impressed with the spot-on relevant storyline. Today, we continue to be sick mass consumers buying into almost anything PR/advertising throws at us.
This film drips of 1980's British satire and has garnered comparisons of Withnail and I, Fight Club, Network, American Beauty, Wall Street, and Swimming with Sharks.
George Harrison was Executive Producer of this film. He had his hand in other projects as well (Mona Lisa, Rutles, A Private Function, Monty Python's Life of Brian, Time Bandits, and Black and Blue by Robert Altman) |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 7.29)
84 Votes
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