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‘Sleeping With the Enemy’ With Bill Simmons and Van Lathan
February 16, 2021 · Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) · Drama · Thriller · 1:24:54 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
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Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes: the boat conversation scene with neighbor, the dinner scene with chess-like dialogue, the sailing accident through flashback escape sequence, and the YWCA phone call scene▶ 27:22
Van LathanAgrees with and analyzes the dinner scene and boat conversation, focusing on character development and the cowardly nature of the abuser▶ 30:04
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsJane Fonda — Discusses that Julia's role was originally written for Jane Fonda, Kim Basinger turned it down, and Patrick Bergen suggested the Berlioz song. Questions how anyone could marry Bergen after this movie.▶ 52:39
Van LathanPatrick Bergin — Notes that Patrick Bergen didn't have a 'get back role' like Danny Glover did with Lethal Weapon after The Color Purple, which hurt Bergen's career recovery.▶ 54:04
Dion Waiters Award
Bill SimmonsInitially gives it to the casting director for having no black people in the movie, then says no winner and suggests the lady with the apple▶ 55:16
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsMultiple trivia facts including: film based on 1987 Nancy Price novel, Julia Roberts controversy over racist treatment at South Carolina restaurant, Roberts got real black eye hitting marble floor, film initially rated NC-17 for sex scene, symphony fantastique song about opium dream of killing girlfriend, grueling shoot with Roberts in freezing ocean water▶ 58:52
Van LathanProvided commentary and reactions to the trivia, praising Roberts for standing up against racism in 1991, noting it took courage during that era, and criticizing the production for making the biggest star in the world shoot in actual ocean instead of water tank▶ 1:01:28
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsJulia Roberts — Discussed Julia Roberts - acknowledged Pretty Woman as previous choice but suggested this movie could be her apex due to $175M box office, though her career got spotty after. Also gave definitive picks for fake Cape Cod houses, from hell movies, Cedar Falls Iowa, and Yager haircut▶ 1:05:23
Van LathanMy Best Friend's Wedding — My Best Friend's Wedding for hot Julia Roberts - thinks that's the best she ever looked, more mature and curvier▶ 1:05:49
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsWeather reports should have predicted the storm (not a surprise in 1991), all characters huddled on front of boat (basic boat safety violation), and sailing at night makes no sense - why would anyone accept that invitation▶ 1:08:31
Van LathanThe timeline doesn't work - she still has a visible scar from Patrick Bergen hitting her when dining with Mullet Hero, meaning her entire escape, travel to Iowa, house setup, and meeting him happened in just 10 days to 2 weeks▶ 1:09:40
Movies Referenced (35)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From Hell (2001) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 17 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 6:10 |
| The Ring (2002) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 34:56 |
| Fatal Attraction (1987) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 6:16 |
| Robin Hood (2010) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 11:57 |
| The Beach (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 3:05 |
| My Best Friend's Wedding (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:05:43 |
| American Psycho (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan | ▶ 1:13:46 |
| Pretty Woman (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 3:50 |
| West Side Story (1961) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 49:42 |
| Batman (1989) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 11:35 |
| Fargo (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 59:09 |
| Home Alone (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 3:09 |
Directors Referenced (4)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Clooney | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | The Ides of March, Michael Clayton | ▶ 58:24 |
| David Duke | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:02:17 | |
| Kevin Costner | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Van Lathan | Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves | ▶ 12:11 |
| Mel Gibson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Van Lathan | Braveheart, Lethal Weapon 3, Conspiracy Theory | ▶ 47:04 |
Actors Referenced (55)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julia Roberts | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 29 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Pretty Woman, My Best Friend's Wedding | ▶ 2:00 |
| LeBron James | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 44:21 | |
| Vin Diesel | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | The Fast and the Furious, Guardians of the Galaxy | ▶ 3:22 |
| Jermaine Fowler | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Van Lathan | Sorry to Bother You | ▶ 1:22:20 |
| Evander Holyfield | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Van Lathan | ▶ 44:35 | |
| Barry White | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | Mean Streets | ▶ 6:38 |
| Brad Pitt | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Fight Club, 12 Monkeys, Mr. & Mrs. Smith | ▶ 58:10 |
| Christopher Reeve | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan | ▶ 24:18 | |
| Glenn Close | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Fatal Attraction, Guardians of the Galaxy | ▶ 9:46 |
| Kevin Anderson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | Sleeping with the Enemy | ▶ 42:19 |
| Michael Ealy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 15:48 | |
| Mike Yager | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 45:27 |
Writers Referenced (2)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hector Berlioz | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 53:02 | |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 25:15 |