Ryan Phillippe – This Had Oscar Buzz

Playing by Heart (1998) Directed by Willard Carroll Shown: Angelina Jolie, Ryan Phillippe

In the bygone moviegoing trend of “interconnected stories of Angelenos,” this week’s episode is a forgotten entry with a loaded cast. Playing By Heart from writer/director Willard Carroll follows multiple stories of romantic struggles, with Gena Rowlands and Sean Connery as a TV chef and her producer husband as the film’s epicenter. With themes of infidelity and HIV/AIDS throughout, the ensemble’s standout was a pre-Oscar Angelina Jolie as a manic actress chasing after a blue-haired Ryan Phillippe. While Miramax put its full weight into Shakespeare in Love, this film fell by the wayside in their awards lineup after mixed reviews.

This week, we talk about Jolie’s breakthrough years with Gia and her NBR prize for this film. We also discuss Gillian Anderson’s rare film performances, Ellen Burstyn serving Hannah Pitt, and Dennis Quaid’s deranged plot line of hoaxing strangers with sob stories at various L.A. bars.

Topics also include the original title “Dancing About Architecture,” AIDS onscreen post-Rent, and being haunted by April Grace.

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1998 was a brief moment in time of Studio 54 nostalgia, thanks in part to this week’s film. Starring Mike Myers chasing prestige in a dramatic role as clubowner Steve Rubell, 54 took an inside look at the notorious, celeb-packed New York City nightclub from the eyes of a fictional bartender played by Ryan Phillippe. But no amount of modern day stars could transcend the film’s poor reviews and box office, leaving Myers’ awards hopes forgotten before the season ultimately started.

One of the many films retooled by Harvey Scissorhands, the film suffered extensive reshoots and resulted in a final film that removed its queer content and failed to capture what made this disco such a cultural flashpoint. This episode, we discuss the differences between the theatrical version and the director’s cut, along with the 1998 Best Supporting Actor race that resulted in a surprise win for James Coburn and the period’s other cases for comic actors going dramatic.

Topics also include rapping grandma Ellen Albertini Dow, the impact of Phillippe’s onscreen butt flashings, and Behind the Music.

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Tag: Ryan Phillippe

401 – Playing By Heart

116 – 54