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‘The Perfect Storm’ With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan

July 2, 2020 · The Perfect Storm (2000) · Action · Adventure · Drama · 1:07:33 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill SimmonsRoger Ebert gave The Perfect Storm 3.5 stars, calling it 'a well-crafted example of a film of pure sensation'▶ 25:07
Chris RyanReferenced Wikipedia page about issues actual people connected to the Andrea Gail had with the movie's storytelling, and discussed Wolfgang Peterson's filmography including In the Line of Fire▶ 21:18

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes including: Clooney goes to crow's nest telling crew to go back out, Clooney's speech to Linda about being a swordboat captain, when the boat sets sail with Wahlberg/Clooney scenes, Riley goes overboard scene, Clooney driving boat like maniac in storm, blowtorch anchor scene, guys falling in water when Wahlberg saves John Hawks, and the 360 flip scene where they think they survived▶ 29:00
Chris RyanAgrees with and adds commentary to SPEAKER_00's picks, particularly noting the unrealistic joyous bar atmosphere and discussing how it doesn't match real North Shore bars▶ 30:36

Casting What-Ifs

Bill SimmonsNicolas CageDiscusses multiple casting alternatives including Ben Affleck, Nick Cage, Clooney for Bobby role; Harrison Ford and Mel Gibson for Billy role. States 'Nick Cage needed to be in this movie' and suggests he 'should have been the old guy at the bar'▶ 49:02
Chris RyanNicolas CageNick Cage would have been a good Billy▶ 49:19

Joey Pants Award

Apex Mountain

Bill SimmonsThe Perfect StormGloucester - calls this the best Gloucester movie▶ 56:09
Bill SimmonsNo apex mountain for John C. Reilly, Wahlberg, or Clooney - only biggest wave in a movie▶ 56:31
Chris RyanThe Perfect StormApex mountain for Gloucester▶ 56:14
Chris RyanGeorge ClooneyCould make the case for apex mountain for traditional movie star Clooney▶ 56:24

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill SimmonsWhat would you do when underneath the waves, and acknowledges they would dump the fish immediately to survive▶ 1:03:49
Chris RyanQuestions what you would do under the waves and whether they would dump the fish, noting the ocean calls the shots at a certain point▶ 1:03:58

Who Won the Movie

Bill SimmonsMark WahlbergMark Wahlberg - best character and performance, sets up the next 20 years of his career, went toe-to-toe with Clooney▶ 1:05:04
Chris RyanWolfgang PetersenWolfgang Peterson (director) - for the set pieces and how he builds the movie, saving it from accent work and sappiness▶ 1:04:32

Movies Referenced (47)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
Boogie Nights (1997)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 14:45
Armageddon (1998)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 18:38
From Hell (2001)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 24:13
Out of Sight (1998)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 7:13
The Descendants (2011)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 3:53
Three Kings (1999)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 8:30
Apollo 13 (1995)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris Ryan▶ 21:50
Batman (1989)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 6:58
Dead Man (1995)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 40:51
Michael Clayton (2007)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 3:51
Moneyball (2011)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 12:29
The Batman (2022)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 6:56

Directors Referenced (10)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
George ClooneyIMDb ↗Lb ↗48Bill Simmons, Chris RyanThe Ides of March, Michael Clayton▶ 2:53
Tony ScottIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Chris Ryan, Bill SimmonsUnstoppable, True Romance▶ 26:02
Ben AffleckIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Chris RyanArgo, Gone Girl, The Town▶ 49:02
Mel GibsonIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill SimmonsBraveheart, Lethal Weapon 3, Conspiracy Theory▶ 49:40
Alexander PayneIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris RyanThe Descendants▶ 9:14
Kevin CostnerIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Chris RyanDances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves▶ 44:54
Molly DedhamIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill SimmonsThe Day After Tomorrow, National Treasure▶ 36:56
Clint EastwoodIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris RyanMillion Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven▶ 25:34
Joel SchumacherIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsThe Phantom of the Opera, 8MM▶ 1:07:00
Peter BergIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris RyanVery Bad Things▶ 17:08

Actors Referenced (39)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Mark WahlbergIMDb ↗Lb ↗31Bill Simmons, Chris RyanThe Fighter, Boogie Nights, The Departed▶ 3:09
Diane LaneIMDb ↗Lb ↗20Bill Simmons, Chris RyanUnfaithful, Under the Tuscan Sun▶ 2:48
Bobby BonillaIMDb ↗Lb ↗15Bill Simmons, Chris RyanRookie of the Year▶ 0:26
Billy Bob ThorntonIMDb ↗Lb ↗12Chris Ryan, Bill SimmonsSling Blade▶ 0:41
William FichtnerIMDb ↗Lb ↗9Bill SimmonsCrash, Drive Angry, Black Hawk Down▶ 17:41
Bob GuntonIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Bill Simmons, Chris RyanThe Shawshank Redemption▶ 17:42
Brad PittIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Bill Simmons, Chris RyanFight Club, 12 Monkeys, Mr. & Mrs. Smith▶ 8:56
Harrison FordIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Bill Simmons, Chris RyanRaiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, The Fugitive▶ 5:48
Michael IronsideIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Chris RyanStarship Troopers, Total Recall▶ 18:00
Tyne SteckleinIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Chris Ryan, Bill SimmonsNo Strings Attached▶ 0:41
Christopher McDonaldIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill SimmonsQuiz Show, Happy Gilmore▶ 39:12
Mike LupicaIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 2:09

Writers Referenced (3)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Bo GoldmanIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill SimmonsOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Scent of a Woman▶ 39:07
Elmore LeonardIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris RyanOut of Sight, Get Shorty▶ 8:02
Roger EbertIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 25:07