Bullets Over Broadway (1994)

★ 7.1 1h 38m 664 votes IMDb
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After young playwright, David Shayne obtains funding for his play from gangster Nick Valenti, Nick's girlfriend Olive miraculously lands the role of a psychiatrist—but not only is she a bimbo who could never pass for a psychiatrist—she's a dreadful actress. David puts up with the leading man who is a compulsive eater, the grand dame who wants her part jazzed up, and Olive's interfering hitman/bodyguard—but, eventually he must decide whether art or life is more important.

Bullets Over Broadway

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Cast

John Cusack
John Cusack as David Shayne Age 59 · Evanston, Illinois, USA John Paul Cusack (born June 28, 1966) is an American actor. Cusack began acting in films during the 1980s, starring in coming-of-age dramedies such as Sixteen Candles (1984), Better Off Dead (1985), T...
Chazz Palminteri
Chazz Palminteri as Cheech Age 73 · The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA Calogero Lorenzo "Chazz" Palminteri (born May 15, 1952) is an American actor and writer, best known for his performances in The Usual Suspects, A Bronx Tale, Mulholland Falls and his Academy Award nom...
Dianne Wiest
Dianne Wiest as Helen Sinclair Age 78 · Kansas City, Missouri, USA Dianne Evelyn Wiest (/wiːst/; born March 28, 1948) is an American actress. She has won two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress for 1986's Hannah and Her Sisters and 1994's Bullets Over Broadway...
Jennifer Tilly
Jennifer Tilly as Olive Neal Age 67 · Harbor City, California, USA Jennifer Tilly (born Jennifer Ellen Chan; September 16, 1958) is an American actress and poker player. She is most recognised as Tiffany Valentine in the Child's Play franchise (1998–), a role for whi...
Mary-Louise Parker
Mary-Louise Parker as Ellen Age 61 · Fort Jackson, South Carolina, USA Mary-Louise Parker (born August 2, 1964) is an American actress and writer. She is the recipient of two Tony Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award..
Tracey Ullman
Tracey Ullman as Eden Brent Age 66 · Slough, Berkshire, England, UK Tracey Ullman (born 30 December 1959) is a British-American actress, singer, dancer, screenwriter, director, and producer. Critics have lauded her ability to shift seamlessly in and out of character a...

Audience Reviews

CinemaSerf 7/10 Dec 07, 2024
Despite his obvious enthusiasm, "Shayne" (John Cusack) can't convince producer (Jack Warden) to raise the cash to put on his latest play. There's just no demand for it, especially as his first two efforts didn't exactly set the heather on fire. Then an opportunity presents itself. It's one with compromise, though. He can have the thing fully funded if he agrees to cast "Olive" (Jennfer Tilly). Snag? Well she couldn't act her way out of a paper bag and has one of those squeaky voices that killed so many a silent-film star! Her boyfriend, "Nick" (Joe Viterelli) is the local kingpin so it's a straight choice - cast her or no cash. Much to the chagrin of the uber-theatrical "Helen" (Dianne Wiest) he decides to sacrifice his honour for his art, and what now ensues sees this mix of thespians, crooks, amateurs and temper-tantrums try to get the play on the stage. Just to make sure she's OK, her boyfriend has sent his enforcer "Cheech" (Chazz Palminteri) as a bit of security for "Olive" and his no-nonsense approach to the production histrionics of the whole thing initially brings him into conflict with the director, but gradually "Shayne" begins to realise that "Cheech" has a bit of an aptitude for writing, and so a collaboration of sorts emerges that against all the odds might just give this thing a fighting chance. Wiest is at her best here delivering a sort of "Streisand" meets "Norma Desmond" character that epitomises that generation of film star who really did believe their own publicity machine. Cusack also does well, as does Palminteri and there's an engagingly (and annoyingly) lively effort from Tilly who plays the rather witless moll to a T. It's funny at times, especially if you've ever worked in the theatre and packs quite a lot of entertainment, and swipes at that very industry, into a ninety minutes that hits the ground running and rarely stops for breath. One of Woody Allen's more original concepts that takes him away from his routine man-with-neuroses comfort, is stylishly put together, and is well worth a watch.

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