Bright Lights, Big City (1988)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

James Bridges

Writers (WGA):

Jay McInerney (novel)
Jay McInerney (screenplay)

Release Date:

1 April 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A disillusioned young writer living in New York City turns to drugs and drinking to block out the memories of his dead mother and estranged wife.

Plot Keywords:

New York City | Writer | Estranged Wife | Magazine | Dead Mother

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Michael J. Fox	...	Jamie Conway
Kiefer Sutherland	...	Tad Allagash
Phoebe Cates	...	Amanda
Swoosie Kurtz	...	Megan
Frances Sternhagen	...	Clara
Tracy Pollan	...	Vicky
John Houseman	...	Mr. Vogel
Charlie Schlatter	...	Michael
David Warrilow	...	Rittenhouse
Dianne Wiest	...	Mother
Alec Mapa	...	Yasu Wade
William Hickey	...	Ferret Man
Gina Belafonte	...	Kathy
Sam Robards	...	Rich Vanier
Bernard Zette	...	Stevie (as Zette)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA | Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Color (DuArt)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | UK:15 (video re-rating) (2003) | UK:18 (original rating) | UK:18 (video rating) (1989) | Sweden:15 | Australia:R | France:-16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Finland:K-16 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Norway:15

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

CST Telecommunications

Trivia:

Tom Cruise turned down the part later played by 'Michael J. Fox' as he didn't like the idea of scenes involving him taking drugs.

Goofs:

Continuity: During Jamie's story of his relationship with Amanda to Megan his wineglass goes from half-full to empty in less than two seconds, while he's speaking.

Quotes:

Jamie Conway: [voice over] You are not the kind of guy who would be at a place like this at this time of the morning and, though the details are fuzzy, you cannot say that the terrain is entirely unfamiliar.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Freddy's Nightmares: The Light at the End of the Tunnel (#1.20)" (1989)

Soundtrack:

Vivaldi's Concerto in C Major For Guitar & Strings

very sad movie.

I saw this a long time ago and still remmeber how good it was. Who hasn't had a "jaime" in their life at some point? Michael J. Fox did an excellent job with tihs role and it's a movie that anybody who appreciates movies about the pitfalls of addictions and the destruction that living on the darkside can wreak would enjoy. It's not a happy movie and it is very 80's(it came out in the late 80's as I recall) but is still very well done and should be seen by anyone who appreciates movies of this genre.