Themes: Nothing Goes Right, Dangerous Friends, Cons and Scams
Main Cast: Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Sean Combs, Famke Janssen, Peter Falk, Faizon Love
Release Year: 2001
Country: US
Run Time: 94 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
In this reunion of Swingers co-stars Jon Favreau (making his feature directorial debut) and Vince Vaughn, the two star in a new Mob comedy set in the underbelly of New York City. Favreau plays Bobby, an aspiring boxer who has a lackluster record but refuses to give up his lifelong dream. Ricky (Vaughn) is a loose cannon hanger-on who dreams of breaking into the mob. When Bobby begins to get close to old-time Mob boss Max (Peter Falk), Ricky believes it is a way into organized crime. Max is more interested in Bobby carrying out orders, but he allows the two to perform a job In New York under the supervision of a smooth crime lord (music mogul Sean Combs). Ricky then is powered by the idea that he and Bobby are bigwigs in their new community of acquaintances and begins to assume the role of a high roller -- at the expense of his friend. Made, also written by Favreau, also features Sopranos regular Vincent Pastore, Famke Janssen, and Faizon Love in supporting roles. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide
Review
The stars of Doug Liman's buoyant male bonding comedy Swingers return for this similarly engaging Mob effort, this time under the surprisingly astute direction of first-timer Jon Favreau. In the age of The Sopranos, any film making comic light of the Mafia seems to have its work cut out for it, but this breezy, funny, appealingly cast feature still manages to seem fresh. Vince Vaughn strains for effect on occasion, but is well-matched with Favreau; the two play off each other with the ease of Laurel and Hardy in their heyday. Nearly everyone onscreen makes the most of their brief roles (save for Sean Combs, who fails to escape his notorious persona with a rather weak performance), especially Peter Falk, blessedly returning to a scene-stealing character role. Made isn't much food for thought, but it's a fun ride, filled with nicely idiosyncratic dialogue exchanges and an enviable energy that proves Favreau's talents might extend further than many would have ever predicted. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide
Roswell Hamrick - Art Director, Peter Billingsley - Co-producer, Laura Jean Shannon - Costume Designer, Jon Favreau - Director, Curtiss Clayton - Editor, John Starke - Executive Producer, John O'Brien - Composer (Music Score), Anne Stuhler - Production Designer, Christopher Doyle - Cinematographer, Jon Favreau - Producer, Vince Vaughn - Producer, Lisa Kent - Set Designer, Tom Nelson - Sound/Sound Designer, Jon Favreau - Screenwriter
The alternative pop/rock group known simply as Made formed in Toronto, Canada, around the beginning of the '90s. Members were lead singer and guitarist Jason Taylor, guitarist Simon Bedford-James, drummer Alison McLean, and bassist John Bowker. Keeping a bassist didn't prove an easy task for Made. Along the way Bowker was replaced by Scott Fairbrother, who was later replaced by Frank Guidoccio. Each of the members added backing vocals, and brought plenty of experience to the formation.
Made appeared on the club circuit in Toronto around 1994. Word of mouth quickly spread information about the group and resulted in a ready-made fan base. That same year members recorded two independent albums, Rumball and Big Bother. The efforts left Made deep in debt, but also landed it a deal with Universal Records. It was three long years before their next album, Bedazzler, hit the market. It was followed by the release of the lead track, "Hairdown," as both a single and a music video. A few of the other tunes from Made are "Smudge," "Hippies," "Half an Hour," "Joanne," and "On Fire." ~ Charlotte Dillon, All Music Guide
The Made soundtrack is almost as entertaining as the movie it accompanies. You get a groovy Dino opener and heaps of hip-hop hijinks ("making cabbage/living lavish"), but the instrumentals are as good as the singles this time around, especially the finger-popping airport atmospherics by J.O'B/Lyle (unfortunately, the awesome Ennio Morricone-type climax music didn't make the disc). Plus, a savage Monster Magnet cut (played during a too-brief Famke Janssen strip scene) can only be found here. Vince Vaughn might call this delicacy "stylistically strapped." Get it before it's gone. ~ Doug Stone, All Music Guide
Dean Martin (Performer), Monster Magnet (Performer), A Tribe Called Quest (Performer), DJ Quik (Performer), De La Soul (Performer), Kathy Flaherty (Artwork), Kathy Flaherty (Layout Concept), Tom Morello (Producer), Tom Morello (Mixing), David Schiffman (Mixing Engineer), Scott Storch (Producer), Scott Weiland (Executive Producer), Lyle Workman (Performer), Nightmares on Wax (Performer), Jon Favreau (Executive Producer), Gary Arnold (Producer), Karen Crawford (Artwork), Karen Crawford (Layout Concept), Tim Riley (Music Supervisor)
Bobby has ties to the local mafia boss, Max, but works as an honest mason for Max's construction projects. He fights in amateur boxing matches on the side, but his career is lackluster. Struggling to support his stripper girlfriend Jessica and her daughter Chloe, Bobby decides to do a mafia job for Max. Against his better judgment, he brings his ne'er-do-well friend Ricky along.
Bobby and Ricky go to New York to act as Max's representatives for a money laundering deal with his east coast partner, Ruiz. They meet Jimmy, who will be their driver, and Horrace, who is connected to both Max and Ruiz. Ricky and Bobby squabble throughout their trip as Ricky tries to live large while Bobby wants to keep cautious and stick to the letter of Max's instructions. Ruiz has a low opinion of the pair, but sends them off to show his criminal contact, the Welshman, a good time. Gaffing several times along the way, the pair eventually manages to arrange a deal between Ruiz and the Welshman's Westie contacts.
Ricky grows suspicious of Ruiz and insists that they bring a gun to their meeting with the Westies. Bobby adamantly refuses. On the day of the meet, Ricky has disappeared, but Jimmy insists that Bobby carry on with the meeting. As Bobby begins to grow suspicious of Jimmy, he meets with the Welshman and the Westies. The Westies doublecross Bobby and the Welshman, but Ricky arrives from a side entrance with a gun. A Westie recognizes Ricky's weapon as a starter pistol and a fight breaks out. Jimmy arrives with a real pistol and sends the boys away while he deals with the Westies.
Back in Los Angeles, Bobby severs all business ties with Max. Arriving home, he discovers Jessica in bed with a client and snorting cocaine. Bobby tries to convince Jessica to clean up her act for Chloe's sake, but Jessica refuses. Instead, she asks that Bobby take custody of Chloe and leave. In an epilogue set at Chuck E. Cheese's, we learn that Bobby and Ricky are now raising Chloe together -- although the two friends still bicker constantly.
Cast
Jon Favreau as Bobby Ricigliano. Though Bobby has ties to the mob, he tries to lead a normal life as a mason and aspiring boxer. He is cautious and usually mild-mannered, but Ricky's irresponsibility sometimes causes him to lose his temper.
Vince Vaughn as Ricky Slade. A loud, obnoxious, and arrogant loser, Ricky has known Bobby since high school. He got expelled from school for protecting Bobby after a stunt. Ever since, Bobby has tried to help him out in any way he can, though Ricky always finds a way to mess things up.
Famke Janssen as Jessica. A stripper with a child, Jessica is not as committed to her domestic and familial responsibilities as her boyfriend Bobby.
Peter Falk as Max. An elderly mafioso, Max is indebted to Bobby and supports him with work in his shady businesses. He cannot tolerate Ricky, but employs him as well at the insistence of Bobby.
Sean Combs as Ruiz. A powerful underworld boss and mogul in New York, Ruiz has style, wealth, and a very low opinion of Bobby and Ricky.
Faizon Love as Horrace. A go-between in the crime dealings of Max and Ruiz, Horrace divides his time between Los Angeles and New York.
Vincent Pastore as Jimmy. Bobby's and Ricky's driver in New York, Jimmy plays it cool with the boys from L.A. until their mistakes finally catch up with them.
David O'Hara as The Welshman. A Scottish criminal who protects his identity, the Welshman is interested in making a deal with Max and Ruiz.
Makenzie Vega as Chloe. Jessica's daughter from a previous relationship, Chloe is largely neglected by her mother and is much more fond of Bobby.
Movie connections
Because the film is written by Jon Favreau and stars Favreau and Vince Vaughn, it is commonly seen as a follow-up to Swingers. The license plate of Jimmy's Limo, "DBLDN11", is a reference to a blackjack strategy articulated in Swingers that one should "always double down on an 11."
The critical reception of the film was mildly positive, receiving a 67% "Fresh" rating at Rotten Tomatoes.[1] The film received a limited release in America and had almost no release overseas. It had a world box office gross of $5.3 million,[2] slightly lower than Swingers. Overall it was not as successful or as culturally influential as Swingers in spite of the increase in budget and star power.
