Hurlyburly (film)


Hurlyburly is a 1998 independent film, based on the acclaimed 1984 play of the same name by David Rabe, who adapted it into a screenplay for the film. The film was directed by Anthony Drazan.

Synopsis

The film is an adaptation of David Rabe's play, directed and produced by Tony Drazan, about the intersecting lives of several Hollywood players and wannabes, whose :wikt:dysfunction|dysfunctional personal lives are more interesting than anything they're peddling to the studios. Rabe wrote the screenplay for the film, condensing the action of the three-hour plus play into two hours and updated the setting from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s.

Cast

Box office

The film was described as opening "strong" upon its limited release. Opening in 16 theaters, the film grossed $164,826 in its opening weekend; the widest release the film ever got was in 84 theaters. As of now, the film has grossed a total of $1,798,862.

Reviews/awards

The film received mixed reception from critics; it has a 69% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 37 reviews.
Penn's performance won him the Volpi Cup and Drazan was nominated for the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. Penn also was nominated Best Male Lead at the Independent Spirit Awards.

Promotion

and Garry Shandling gave this film a plug during the final episode of The Larry Sanders Show, in which Sean Penn tells Larry "off camera" that Garry Shandling was an insecure and awful actor who was always trying to get into his wife's trailer.