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‘Cocktail’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan

September 1, 2020 · Cocktail (1988) · Comedy · Drama · Romance · 1:24:26 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill SimmonsCoughlin giving tips to Cruz, including Coughlin's law scene and Flanagan's first good bartending night, plus Cruz bartending with 'Addicted to Love' playing as one of the most 80s moments in film▶ 29:33
Chris RyanLikes the TGI Fridays sections overall, finds the whole part of their rise and fall within the Fridays ecosystem delightful, including daytime shots and night shifts▶ 31:33
Sean FennesseyAgrees the TGI Fridays part is his favorite part of the movie, though notes it wouldn't work as a full movie by itself▶ 31:51

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill SimmonsDiscusses various Tom Cruise behavioral questions - drinking beer incorrectly, never having played basketball, and general awkwardness with activities he's never done before▶ 34:34
Chris RyanWas that the first time Tom Cruise had heard 'Addicted to Love'?▶ 33:43
Sean FennesseyDid Coughlin go seek out where Flanagan was for his honeymoon?▶ 42:22

What's Aged the Best

Bill SimmonsUncle Pat's philosophy of never buying drinks if you own a bar, Elizabeth Shue as an 80s goddess transitioning to more adult roles, the scene where Cruise diagnoses the passed-out friend, director Roger Donaldson's late 80s run, and Cruise playing basketball/his athletic abilities across movies▶ 47:14
Chris RyanDiscussed Uncle Pat's business practices critically, pointed out Elizabeth Shue abandoning her friend, and critiqued the unrealistic basketball scene as part of a broader pattern in movies▶ 48:44
Sean FennesseyDiscussed bar buyback culture and Uncle Pat's philosophy, praised director Roger Donaldson particularly for 'No Way Out', and agreed that Tom Cruise was undeniably a good athlete despite lacking coordination▶ 47:24

Casting What-Ifs

Bill SimmonsCharlie Sheen — Discussed Charlie Sheen making sense for Brian Flanagan, Robin Williams feeling weird for the role, and prefers Elizabeth Shue over Heather Graham for Jordan Mooney▶ 1:03:35

Joey Pants Award

Bill SimmonsRon Dean — Proposed Uncle Pat (Ron Dean) and Jordan's dad (Lawrence Luckenbill) as candidates▶ 1:03:46
Chris RyanGary Bannon — Gary Bannon (Kevin McAllister's uncle from Home Alone) - the guy with the tracking shot at the bar▶ 1:04:03
Sean FennesseyJames Eckhouse — Expressed enthusiasm for seeing James Eckhouse on screen but didn't give a definitive pick▶ 1:04:25

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill SimmonsPresented multiple trivia facts including: bottle tossing added at Cruise's request, Kokomo Grammy/Golden Globe nominations, flare bartending term, Andrew Shue cameo, Cruise's Scientology conversion during filming, Louis Trey brandy worth $3,600 in 2020, plastic bottles used on set, and deleted yacht scene details▶ 1:05:21

Apex Mountain

Bill SimmonsTom Cruise — Argues case for Tom Cruise (Rain Man/Cocktail era) but accepts Sean's 1996 Jerry Maguire counter; gives definitive picks for Brian Brown (FX), Kelly Lynch (Three of Hearts, 1992), and various other topics▶ 1:07:26
Chris RyanBelly — Jamaica's cinematic Apex Mountain is Belly; Bartending Apex Mountain is Cheers over Cocktail▶ 1:08:33
Sean FennesseyTom Cruise — Tom Cruise: 1996 Jerry Maguire/Mission Impossible▶ 1:07:51

Who Won the Movie

Bill SimmonsTom Cruise — Cruise, but gives credit to Coughlin for an incredible performance as sidekick▶ 1:21:08

Movies Referenced (34)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
Rain Man (1988)IMDb ↗Lb ↗10Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 7:41
Jerry Maguire (1996)IMDb ↗Lb ↗6Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 6:09
A Few Good Men (1992)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 11:55
Born on the Fourth of July (1989)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 8:30
Wall Street (1987)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons▶ 18:07
Frozen (2013)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 28:52
Alien (1979)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:16
All the Right Moves (1983)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 44:35
Falling Down (1993)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 35:07
Magnolia (1999)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 24:51
The Rock (1996)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 38:50
Top Gun (1986)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 6:10

Directors Referenced (4)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Roger DonaldsonIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris RyanNo Way Out, Species▶ 31:11
Mel GibsonIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Sean Fennessey, Chris RyanBraveheart, Lethal Weapon 3, Conspiracy Theory▶ 1:05:33
Chris CornerIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsThe Saint, Open Your Eyes▶ 1:20:25
David LynchIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris Ryan▶ 37:59

Actors Referenced (40)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Tom CruiseIMDb ↗Lb ↗74Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris RyanTop Gun, Minority Report▶ 2:14
Andrew ShueIMDb ↗Lb ↗16Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 38:45
Kelly LynchIMDb ↗Lb ↗15Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean FennesseyRoad House, Charlie's Angels▶ 4:18
Brian BrownIMDb ↗Lb ↗9Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris RyanIron Man▶ 5:37
James EckhouseIMDb ↗Lb ↗9Bill SimmonsBig▶ 29:04
Bobby McFerrinIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill SimmonsCocktail, Dawn of the Dead▶ 55:37
Gina GershonIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons▶ 37:25
Vincent HannaIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 6:46
Charlie SheenIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill SimmonsWall Street▶ 1:02:53
George ForemanIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill SimmonsThe Fighter▶ 57:30
Heather GrahamIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill SimmonsBoogie Nights, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me▶ 1:03:19
Natasha HenstridgeIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill SimmonsSpecies▶ 1:21:59

Writers Referenced (4)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Andy GreenwaldIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 5:37
Taylor WorstIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 23:41
Michael CrichtonIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Sean FennesseyJurassic Park, Twister▶ 3:05
Roger EbertIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 27:48

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Michael GrantlandIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsThe Other Guys▶ 35:36