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‘Broadcast News’ With Bill Simmons, Chuck Klosterman, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey

March 12, 2019 · Broadcast News (1987) · Comedy · Drama · Romance · 1:39:55 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 8:05Debra Winger — Debra Winger was originally cast as Jane but got pregnant and was replaced by Holly Hunter. The movie wouldn't work as well with Debra Winger because she had too much history and Holly Hunter's unknown quality was perfect for the role
Bill Simmons▶ 1:00:24Holly Hunter beat out Sigourney Weaver, Judy Davis, Elizabeth McGovern, Christine Lahti, and Elizabeth Perkins for the Jane role; his one take: 'Lahti would have been good.'
Chris Ryan▶ 8:55Harrison Ford — Harrison Ford could have done the William Hurt role, and jokingly suggests Luke Wilson might have made it a better movie
Chuck Klosterman▶ 8:34Debra Winger — Agrees Debra Winger could have been good but wouldn't have been Holly Hunter, and the movie is hard to imagine without Hunter's specific personality. Notes the well-written script could have supported various actors in most roles

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 24:34Holly Hunter character based on person Brooks met in '84 dating two TV guys; Brooks worked on Lou Grant and Mary Tyler Moore; movie budget $15M, made $67M; 98% Rotten Tomatoes; got 0 Oscars despite 7 nominations
Sean Fennessey▶ 28:21Brooks didn't get Best Director nomination despite 7 total nominations; Michael Ballhouse cinematographer who shot Raging Bull; Fatal Attraction was nominated for Best Picture that year

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 34:43Lists six nominees including first anchor scene, cabinet balcony scene, jacket trick teaching scene, Aaron's TV disaster, and the fight/confrontation scenes, but doesn't pick a definitive winner
Chris Ryan▶ 37:19Advocates strongly for the 'Bobby, Bobby, Bobby' scene with Joan Cusack running to get the tape, praising Holly Hunter's face acting and the chaotic energy
Chuck Klosterman▶ 38:30The scene where Jane confronts Tom about the video trick - specifically loves William Hurt's authentic reaction when he realizes what she's mad about
Sean Fennessey▶ 40:21The fight scene at Aaron's apartment after Jane leaves the correspondence dinner - calls it great authentic yelling

What's Aged the Best

Chris Ryan▶ 45:41The centrality of news as a daily rather than constant presence — the newsroom gathering around the TV for the Soldier Coming Home segment, families oriented around the national nightly news — which he says is simultaneously what's aged the best and the worst, given the film's ominous forecast of news-as-entertainment.

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 52:14Workplace romance dynamics - specifically how the almost hookup between Holly Hunter and William Hurt would be impossible now because she's technically his boss, whereas in the 80s this made the love triangle more interesting
Chuck Klosterman▶ 50:29Agrees that workplace dating norms have changed - notes that in newspapers/magazines, many colleagues were married to each other, but now you're not supposed to date anyone you work with
Sean Fennessey▶ 53:17Believes people still meet and get together at work due to proximity and time spent together, but there's much more sensitivity and requirement to put things out in the open now

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:13:43James L. Brooks — Yes for Jim Brooks, William Hurt, Holly Hunter, and all main players. No for Joan Cusack.
Chuck Klosterman▶ 1:14:01James L. Brooks — Yes for Jim Brooks, William Hurt, Holly Hunter, and all main players. Mentions Joan Cusack for 1989.
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:14:24William Hurt — Yes for William Hurt - indisputably his apex mountain.

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:17:37Christian Clemenson — Chris Proski
Chuck Klosterman▶ 1:16:47Christian Clemenson — Mentions the control room character who looks like Philip Seymour Hoffman (Christian Clemenson)
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:15:48Christian Clemenson — Discusses Chris Proski extensively, praising his performance and career transition from sinister roles to 'good grandpa', highlighting specific scenes

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 1:20:37Multiple quotes including 'congratulations on history's longest winning streak' (favorite), 'wouldn't this be a great world if desperation and security made us more attractive', 'what do you do when your real life exceeds your dreams keep it to yourself', and 'does anyone win these things'
Chris Ryan▶ 1:21:07except for socially you're my role model
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:21:12you can make it less brutal by knocking a million or so off your salary bad joke i'm sorry

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:24:43Did Holly Hunter die alone in this movie? Also discusses whether she's 'too crazy' and her behavior at the correspondence dinner
Chris Ryan▶ 1:28:13Engages in the best movie of the 80s discussion, mentions it's hard because he watched so many 80s movies repeatedly during the video store era
Chuck Klosterman▶ 1:24:55Disagrees that Holly Hunter would lie about having a guy - she's too honest. Also pushes back on her being 'too crazy'
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:26:23Shifts discussion to 'What do you think is the best movie of the 80s?' as an unanswerable question, suggesting this movie exemplifies the best of 80s films

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:38:56Holly Hunter — Holly Hunter - because it's a performance and character so unique to her, and her height really helps her in the movie
Chris Ryan▶ 1:35:55Holly Hunter — Holly Hunter - can't substitute anyone else in for this role, the movie wouldn't be as good without her
Chuck Klosterman▶ 1:36:10Albert Brooks — Discussed Albert Brooks extensively, noting he's irreplaceable in the role despite being the movie's biggest loser character-wise

Movies Referenced (66)

Raising Arizona (1987)

6 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 9:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Reality Bites (1994)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chuck Klosterman▶ 2:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Aliens (1986)

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:26:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fatal Attraction (1987)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 29:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Raging Bull (1980)

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chuck Klosterman▶ 28:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Say Anything (1989)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chuck Klosterman, Chris Ryan▶ 21:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Terms of Endearment (1983)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 7:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Back to the Future (1985)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:30:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Die Hard (1988)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:26:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Midnight Run (1988)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 33:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

3 mentions · Chuck Klosterman, Chris Ryan▶ 1:27:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Big Chill (1983)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 13:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (1)

Kevin Costner

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves▶ 13:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (35)

William Hurt

27 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Chuck Klosterman · Known for A History of Violence, Lost in Space, Broadcast News▶ 8:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Albert Brooks

21 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Drive, Broadcast News, Defending Your Life▶ 6:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Holly Hunter

19 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chuck Klosterman, Chris Ryan · Known for Broadcast News▶ 6:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sean Connery

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Dr. No, The Untouchables, The Rock▶ 0:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Debra Winger

6 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Terms of Endearment, An Officer and a Gentleman, Rachel Getting Married▶ 8:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jack Nicholson

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chuck Klosterman · Known for Chinatown, As Good as It Gets, The Departed▶ 7:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joan Cusack

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chuck Klosterman, Chris Ryan · Known for Working Girl, Grosse Pointe Blank▶ 10:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jeff Bridges

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chuck Klosterman · Known for The Big Lebowski, Crazy Heart, True Grit▶ 13:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Libya Pugh

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan, Chuck Klosterman▶ 19:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Douglas

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Wall Street, Behind the Candelabra, Romancing the Stone▶ 14:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Harrison Ford

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, The Fugitive▶ 8:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mary Tyler Moore

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Ordinary People▶ 20:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (2)

Roger Ebert

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 31:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Norman Lear

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Fried Green Tomatoes▶ 18:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Patricia Van Over

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Thin Red Line, L.A. Story, Practical Magic▶ 20:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗