Swingers (1996)

Director:

Doug Liman

Writer:

Jon Favreau (written by)

Release Date:

18 October 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

cocktails first. questions later.

Plot:

Wannabe actors become regulars in the stylish neo-lounge scene; Trent teaches his friend Mike the unwritten rules of the scene.

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Actor | Baby | Swing Dancing | Bar

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Jon Favreau	...	Mike
Vince Vaughn	...	Trent
Ron Livingston	...	Rob
Patrick Van Horn	...	Sue
Alex Désert	...	Charles (as Alex Desert)
Heather Graham	...	Lorraine
Deena Martin	...	Christy
Katherine Kendall	...	Lisa
Brooke Langton	...	Nikki
Blake Lindsley	...	Girl with Cigar
Kevin James Kelly	...	Vegas Dealer
Stephanie Ittleson	...	Vegas Waitress
Vernon Vaughn	...	$100 Gambler
Joan Favreau	...	$5 Winner
Rio Hackford	...	Skully

MPAA:

Rated R for language throughout.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Australia:MA (original rating) | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Canada:14A | France:U | Spain:7 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

5874 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Independent Pictures (II)

Trivia:

The scene in which Trent angrily yells at Sue, after Sue insulted Mike, was written specifically at Vince Vaughn's request. Vaughn wanted to show that beneath Trent's bravado and swagger, he truly cared for Mike as a friend.

Goofs:

Continuity: The food and orange juice on the table during the diner scene.

Quotes:

Trent: I don't want you to be the guy in the PG-13 movie everyone's *really* hoping makes it happen. I want you to be like the guy in the rated R movie, you know, the guy you're not sure whether or not you like yet. You're not sure where he's coming from. Okay? You're a bad man. You're a bad man, Mikey. You're a bad man, bad man.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in No sos vos, soy yo (2004)

Soundtrack:

Magic Man

I wanted to call all of my friends after I first saw this film!

I chanced upon Swigers one evening after reading an article on writer/star Jon Favreau, and trying to figure out which character he played in Friends (it's Pete Becker by the way); don't you love it when you uncover a gem. From the opening credits, set to Dean Martin crooning "You're Nobody Until Somebody Loves You", I knew that this film was the very personification of cool, spawning one of the coolest characters in any film...ever, that being Trent Walker played by Vince Vaughn, with a swinging soundtrack and a real sense of fun which you don't often get in mainstream Hollywood; and this film is effortless in a way which Tarantino could only dream about.

The story centres around Favreau's loser-in-love Mikey, trying to make a living as an actor in L.A after leaving his long-term girlfriend behind in New York. His best buddy, Trent, tries incessantly to get Mikey back 'into the game' so to speak; cue a trawl around L.A's hippest night-spots, some hilarious insight into dating rituals (when is it cool to call? 2 days?), and a trip to Las Vegas in which Trent tries to 'pull a Fredo' (bedding cocktail waitresses two at a time). The central duo are ably supported by a cast of lovable rogues, all intent on getting laid.

Doug Liman directs in a laid-back manner, befitting of the film, and Favreau's script (based on Vaughn and himself) is full of witty insights and in-jokes, as well as enough movie references to keep everyone happy.

Although the characters are almost impossibly cool, they never appear obnoxious due to the over-riding sense that they are just a bunch of lovable losers trying to con their way into the beds of L.A's female population; sometimes succeeding, sometimes not, and there is a certain sweetness added by Favreau's predicament. The pay-off is cool, Favreau finally 'getting digits' and we are left with a role-reversal between the two main protagonists as Trent makes a fool of himself with a woman in the closing scene.

Altogether a classy, breezy, often hilarious film, a certain cult classic, and a fine addition to the date movie genre.