Movies:
The Business of Strangers
DVD Release
- Release Date: 2002
- cc
- Original theatrical trailer
- English 5.1 Surround
- English & Spanish language subtitles
- Rating:
- Genre: Drama
- Movie Type: Psychological Drama
- Themes: Mind Games, Work Ethics, Boardroom Jungle
- Director: Patrick Stettner
- Main Cast: Stockard Channing, Julia Stiles, Frederick Weller
- Release Year: 2001
- Country: US
- Run Time: 84 minutes
- MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Two women on different ends of the spectrum of corporate power come together with explosive results in this drama. Julie Styron (Stockard Channing) is a successful executive with a major international corporation who is starting to feel the pressure of her position; she has few friends and no family to buffer her from the responsibilities of her work, and she suspects that the company's CEO is thinking about replacing her. Trying to get one step ahead, she meets with headhunter Nick Harris (Frederick Weller). Julie's anxieties come to a head when she has to give a major out-of-town presentation without the help of her assistant Paula Murphy (Julia Stiles), who failed to show up on time. Furious, Julie gives Paula a severe dressing down before firing her, but then Julie is called into a meeting with Nick in which she gets some unexpected news -- she's going to be taking over his job. Eager to celebrate, Julie runs into Paula, and tries to apologize for their earlier encounter by offering her a hotel room for the night and a few drinks. As they talk, Paula shares a secret with Julie -- Nick raped one of her friends while they were in college, and since then Paula has pondered taking revenge against him. Julie is eventually drawn into Paula's plan when they encounter Nick later that evening. The Business of Strangers was the first feature from writer and director Patrick Stettner; the film was shown in competition at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie GuideReview
Widely dubbed "In the Company of Women" (in reference to Neil LaBute's ode to the dysfunctional psyche of corporate men), Patrick Stettner's debut feature offers up some interesting queries about the nature of women in such positions. But the filmmaking is less assured than LaBute's acidic, often darkly humorous look at the coldness in men's hearts, and despite the film's intriguing intentions, it doesn't take them anywhere terribly inventive. The film's success coasts on the bright, resourceful performances by Stockard Channing and Julia Stiles as, respectively, the frigidly emotional boss and her haughty protégé, and they make some of the screenplay's more unsuccessful passages seem more believable than they should be. The film is further hampered by an overabundance of obvious metaphoric imagery regarding men and women, none of which leaves much of an impression. Business is not without interest, but the promising source material is never as provocative or insightful as it purports to be. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie GuideCast
- Stockard Channing - Julie Styron
- Julia Stiles - Paula Murphy
- Frederick Weller - Nick Harris
Marcus Giamatti - Robert
Jack Hallett - Mr. Fostwick
Salem Ludwig - Man At Pool
Mary Testa - Receptionist
Buddy Fitzpatrick - Waiter
Shelagh Ratner - Airport Announcer
