Movie 43

Movie 43
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Peter Farrelly Elizabeth Banks Steven Brill Steve Carr Rusty Cundieff James Duffy Griffin Dunne Patrik Forsberg James Gunn Bob Odenkirk Brett Ratner Jonathan van Tulleken
Written by	Will Carlough Tobias Carlson Jacob Fleisher Patrick Forsberg Will Graham James Gunn Claes Kjellstrom Jack Kukoda Bill O'Malley Matthew Portenoy Greg Pritikin Rocky Russo Olle Sarri Elizabeth Shapiro Jeremy Sosenko Jonathan van Tulleken Jonas Wittenmark
Produced by	Charles B. Wessler Peter Farrelly Ryan Kavanaugh John Penotti
Starring	Elizabeth Banks Kristen Bell Halle Berry Leslie Bibb Kate Bosworth Gerard Butler Josh Duhamel Anna Faris Richard Gere Terrence Howard Hugh Jackman Johnny Knoxville Justin Long Christopher Mintz-Plasse Chloë Grace Moretz Liev Schreiber Seann William Scott Emma Stone Jason Sudeikis Uma Thurman Naomi Watts Kate Winslet
Cinematography	Frank G. DeMarco Steve Gainer William Rexer Tim Suhrstedt
Edited by	Debra Chiate Jon Corn Patrick J. Don Vito James Duffy Craig Herring Jason Macdonald Sam Seig Cara Silverman Sandy S. Solowitz Håkan Wärn Paul Zucker
Music by	William Goodrum
Production companies	Virgin Produced GreeneStreet Films Inc. Wessler Entertainment Witness Protection Films
Distributed by	Relativity Media
Release date	January 25, 2013 (2013-01-25)
Running time	90 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$6 million
Box office	$5 million

Movie 43 is a 2013 American comedy film directed and produced by Peter Farrelly, and written by Steve Baker, Rocky Russo and Jeremy Sosenko. The film features 12 different storylines, each one done by a different director including Elizabeth Banks, Steven Brill, Steve Carr, Rusty Cundieff, James Duffy, Griffin Dunne, Patrik Forsberg, James Gunn, Bob Odenkirk, Brett Ratner, and Jonathan van Tulleken. It Carries a R Rating from the MPAA It stars one of the biggest ensemble casts ever in film, including Halle Berry, Gerard Butler, Anna Faris, Hugh Jackman, Johnny Knoxville, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Seann William Scott, Emma Stone, and Kate Winslet. The film was shot over a period of several years, and was released on January 25, 2013.

Plot

The Pitch

The film is composed of multiple comedy shorts presented through an overarching segment titled "The Pitch", in which Charlie Wessler (Dennis Quaid), a mad screenwriter, is attempting to pitch a script to film executive Griffin Schraeder (Greg Kinnear). After revealing several of the stories in his script, Wessler becomes agitated when Schraeder dismisses his outrageous ideas, and he pulls a gun on him and forces him to listen to multiple other stories before making Schraeder consult his manager, Bob Mone (Common), to purchase the film.

Alternate version

The structure of the film released in countries like the UK differs. Instead of a pitch, the films are connected by a group of three teenagers searching for the most banned film in the world, "movie 43", which will ultimately lead to the destruction of civilization.

The Catch

• Directed by Peter Farrelly

Beth (Kate Winslet) is a single businesswoman who goes on a blind date with Davis (Hugh Jackman), the city's most eligible bachelor. When the two arrive together at a restaurant, Beth is shocked when he removes his scarf, revealing a pair of testicles dangling from his neck. Over dinner, she attempts to discretely get the restaurant staff's attention over it, while Davis fails to acknowledge his anatomical abnormality.

Homeschooled

Having recently moved, Anna and Sean have coffee with their new neighbors, Robert (Liev Schreiber) and Samantha (Naomi Watts) have a teenaged son, Kevin, whom they have homeschooled. Anna and Sean begin inquiring about the homeschooling, and it is humorously revealed the numerous manners in which Robert and Samantha have replicated a high school environment within their home, going as far as hazing, bullying, and giving out detentions. They also throw high school parties, Samantha simulates Kevin's "first kiss" with him, and he also has a doll with Samantha's face on it, which he refers to as his girlfriend.

The Proposition

Vanessa (Anna Faris) and Jason (Chris Pratt) have been in a relationship for a year. When he attempts to propose to her, she reveals to him that she is a coprophiliac, and asks him to defecate on her in the bedroom. Urged by his friends to go along with it, he eats a large meal and drinks a bottle of laxative prior to the event. Wanting foreplay, Vanessa is angered when Jason wants to finish, and she runs into the street. Chasing after her, he is a hit by a car, and she cradles him and apologizes; surrounded by his excrement on the road, she exclaims that it is the "most beautiful thing" she has ever seen.

Veronica

Neil (Kieran Culkin) is working a night shift at a local grocery store. His ex-girlfriend, Veronica (Emma Stone) comes through his line and the two begin arguing, which soon turns into sexual discussion and flirtation as they humorously lament over their relationship; unbenknowst to them, Neil's intercom microphone broadcasts the entire explicit conversation throughout the store, where various elderly people and vagrants tune in.

iBabe

A developing company is having a meeting in their headquarters over their newly-released product, the "iBabe", which is a life-sized, realistic replica of a nude woman which functions as an MP3 player. The boss (Richard Gere), listens to his various workers (Kate Bosworth, Aasif Mandvi, and Jack McBrayer) argue over the placement of a fan that was built into the genital region of the iBabe, which is mangling the penises of teenage boys who attempt to have sex with them.

Superhero Speed Dating

Robin (Justin Long) and his cohort Batman (Jason Sudeikis) are in Gotham City at a speed dating establishment seeking out a bomb threat by their arch nemesis, Penguin. While Robin attempts to connect with various women through speed dating— including Lois Lane (Uma Thurman) and Supergirl (Kristen Bell), Batman encounters his ex, Wonder Woman (Leslie Bibb), and attempts to stop Penguin from detonating Supergirl.

Middleschool Date

• Directed by Elizabeth Banks

Nathan (Jimmy Bennett) and Amanda (Chloë Grace Moretz) are watching television after school at Nathan’s house. When they begin to kiss, his older brother (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) enters the living room and makes fun of them. Amanda then discovers she is menstruating and tries to hide it, and when Nathan sees blood on her pants, he panics and believes her to be bleeding to death, causing a debacle.

Happy Birthday

• Directed by Brett Ratner

Pete (Johnny Knoxville) captures a leprechaun (Gerard Butler) for his roommate Brian (Seann William Scott) as a birthday present. After tying the leprechaun up in the basement, they demand he give them a pot of gold. The obscene leprechaun threatens that his brother is coming to save him. When he arrives, Brian and Pete are shot at but ultimately kill both leprechauns. At the end of the segment, Pete reveals he has also caught a fairy who 69's for gold coins.

Truth or Dare

• Directed/Co-directed by Peter Farrelly

Donald (Stephen Merchant) and Emily (Halle Berry) are on a date together at a Mexican restaurant. Tired with typical first dates, Emily challenges Donald to a game of truth or dare. She dares him to grab a man’s buttocks, and he follows with daring her to blow out the birthday candles on a blind boy’s cake. The game slowly escalates to extremes, in which both of them get plastic surgery and tattoos, and humiliate themselves.

Victory’s Glory

• Directed by Rusty Cundieff

Set in 1959, Coach Jackson (Terrence Howard) is lecturing his basketball team before their first game against an all-white team. Worried about losing the game, the timid players are lectured by Coach Jackson about their superiority in the sport over their white counterparts, which he expresses vulgarly. When the game ensues, the all-white team loses miserably and rejoices in a single point they earn.

Beezel

• Directed by James Gunn

Amy (Elizabeth Banks) worries that her boyfriend Anson’s (Josh Duhamel) cat, Beezel (an animated cartoon) is coming between their relationship. Beezel seems to detest Amy and anyone who comes between him and Anson, but Anson only sees Beezel as innocent. One day, Amy witnesses Beezel masturbating to photos of Anson in a swimsuit, and Beezel attacks her and urinates on her. Anson still finds his pet innocent but Amy threatens to leave if he doesn't get rid of Beezel. Caring more about his relationship, Anson agrees to find a new home for him. That night, Beezel tearfully watches the couple make love from a closet. The next day when it comes time to take the Beezel away, he is nowhere to be found. Amy goes to look outside to look. Beezel then runs her over with a truck and attempts to shoot her to death, but she chases him into the street and begins beating him with a shovel, which is witnessed by a group of children attending a birthday party at a neighboring house. When Anson approaches to see what is happening, Amy tries to explain Beezel’s motives. Beezel acts innocent and Anson sides with his cat. The children of the party then attack Amy, stabbing her with plastic forks. Anson grabs Beezel as he again fantasizes about french kissing his owner.

Cast

The Pitch

• Dennis Quaid as Charlie Wessler
• Greg Kinnear as Griffin Schraeder
• Common as Bob Mone
• Charlie Saxton as Jay
• Will Sasso as Jerry
• Odessa Rae as Danita
• Seth MacFarlane as Himself
• Mike Meldman as Himself

The Catch

• Hugh Jackman as Davis
• Kate Winslet as Beth
• Julie Claire as Pamela
• Katie Finneran as Angie
• Roy Jenkins as Ray
• Rocky Russo as Waiter Jake
• Anna Madigan as Anna

Homeschooled

• Jeremy Allen White as Kevin
• Liev Schreiber as Robert
• Naomi Watts as Samantha
• Alex Cranmer as Sean
• Julie Ann Emery as Clare

The Proposition

• Anna Faris as Vanessa
• Chris Pratt as Jason
• J. B. Smoove as Larry
• Jarrad Paul as Bill
• Maria Arcé as Christine
• Aaron LaPlante as Friend

Veronica

• Kieran Culkin as Neil
• Emma Stone as Veronica
• Arthur French as Old Man
• Brooke Davis as Old Man
• Josh Shuman as Old Man

iBabe

• Cathy Cliften as iBabe #1
• Cherina Monteniques Scott as iBabe #2
• Richard Gere as Boss
• Kate Bosworth as Arlene
• Jack McBrayer as Brian
• Aasif Mandvi as Robert
• Zach Lasry as Boy
• Darby Lynn Totten as Woman
• Marc Ambrose as Chappy

Super Hero Speed Dating

• Justin Long as Robin
• Jason Sudeikis as Batman
• Uma Thurman as Lois Lane
• Bobby Cannavale as Superman
• Kristen Bell as Supergirl
• John Hodgman as The Penguin
• Leslie Bibb as Wonder Woman
• Will Carlough as Riddler
• Katrina Bowden as Woman

Middleschool Date

• Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Mikey
• Chloë Grace Moretz as Amanda
• Patrick Warburton as Dad
• Jimmy Bennett as Nathan
• Matt Walsh as Amanda's Dad

Happy Birthday

• Gerard Butler as Leprechaun 1 & 2
• Seann William Scott as Brian
• Johnny Knoxville as Pete
• Esti Ginzburg as Fairy

Truth or Dare

• Halle Berry as Emily
• Stephen Merchant as Donald
• Sayed Badreya as Large Man
• Snooki as Herself
• Caryl West as Waitress
• Ricki Noel Lander as Nurse Elizabeth
• Paloma Felisberto as Bachelorette Party Girl
• Jasper Grey as Patron
• Benny Harris as Blanco the Bartender
• Zen Gesner as Stripper

Victory's Glory

• Terrence Howard as Coach Jackson
• Aaron Jennings as Anthony
• Corey Brewer as Wallace
• Jared Dudley as Moses
• Larry Sanders as Bishop
• Jay Ellis as Lucious
• Brian Flaccus as White Guy 1
• Brett Davern as White Guy 2
• Evan Dumouchel as White Guy 3
• Sean Rosales as White Guy 4
• Logan Holladay as White Guy 5
• Mandy Kowalski as Cheerleader
• Eric Stuart as Narrator

Beezel

• Elizabeth Banks as Amy
• Josh Duhamel as Anson
• Emily Alyn Lind as Birthday Girl
• Michelle Gunn as Mommy
• Christina Linhardt as Party Clown

Production

Development

The film began shooting in March 2010 but due to having such a large cast, producer/director Peter Farrelly told Entertainment Weekly that "This movie was made over four years, and they just had to wait for a year or two years for different actors. They would shoot for a week, and shut down for several months. Same thing with the directors. It was the type of movie you could come back to."

The film has eleven directors, fifteen writers tied to it, each one writing and directing different segments of the 12 different storylines. Farrelly directed the parts of the movie with Halle Berry and Kate Winslet.

Promotion

A red-band trailer was released on October 3, 2012.

Reception

Movie 43 was not screened for critics, but the reaction has been overwhelmingly negative. It holds a 5% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 41 reviews with the consensus stating: "A star-studded turkey, Movie 43 is loaded with gleefully offensive and often scatological gags, but it's largely bereft of laughs." Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times completely panned the film, giving it zero out of four stars, calling it "aggressively tasteless", and going so far as to say "Movie 43 is the Citizen Kane of awful". He says the film has nothing in common with The Groove Tube and The Kentucky Fried Movie, which, according to him, are very funny and influential sketch-comedy films. He additionally criticizes Movie 43 for what he calls "female humiliation", saying that although the men are jerks and such, the women have it even worse. Peter Howell of the Toronto Star also gave the film zero out of four stars, calling it the worst film he has ever seen. However, Michael O'Sullivan of The Washington Post gave the film three and a half out of four stars, calling it "a near masterpiece of tastelessness".

External links

• Official website
• Movie 43 at IMDb
• Movie 43 at AllMovie
• Movie 43 at Box Office Mojo
• Movie 43 at Rotten Tomatoes
• Movie 43 at Metacritic
• Movie 43 Soundtrack