This is a Don Simpson-Jerry Bruckheimer movie, and the hosts say Simpson was unraveling with substance issues at the time.
The hosts say Dana Carvey and Lovitz were first wanted in a film written for them called Bulletproof Hearts; Carvey backed out after a Vegas trip with Simpson, and the project moved from Disney to Columbia.
Bay wanted Will Smith, and Arsenio Hall reportedly turned down Mike Lowry and calls it his worst mistake; nobody can picture Arsenio in the opening or the open-shirt run.
Martin Lawrence reportedly told a magazine that Fishburne also turned down Lowry; Fishburne is said to have turned down Jules in Pulp Fiction and Die Hard 3, about seven iconic roles in five years.
Fishburne would have made this a different movie; he was born to play Jules, a cold pill to swallow until Morpheus.

Halle Berry as Julie; Jennifer Aniston as Julie; Snipes and Eddie Murphy as the leads

In the discussion (4)

Approx. transcript time · 01:13:59Read transcript

If the film were recast, the picks would have been Snipes and Eddie Murphy. — Logan Murdock
Halle Berry in the Leoni part is an interesting world because her comedic side went untapped, as Wesley noted on the Boomerang episode, though brunette Leoni still works.
Berry's charisma would make Julie's mistakes forgivable, where the original Julie is just annoying.
Julie is also recast with Jennifer Aniston, citing her snide energy in She's the One; she would have been less grating, and 94 was the right time for her.

Dark cheap sets; improvised scenes; 'I love you too' argument; fake urine recipe; Bay-funded explosion; Leoni knocked out on set

In the discussion (6)

Approx. transcript time · 01:16:16Read transcript

An early step into research: Bay convinced Smith to run with his shirt open in the hotel lobby shootout, telling him it would make him a movie star, and later said he should get half of Smith's salary.
The research says the sets were cheap, with the heroin heist the biggest example, and anything dark in the movie was to save money.
The research reports improvisation: Smith unexpectedly calling Lawrence a bitch so Lawrence actually got mad, Leoni's gay-couple assumption, and the whole liquor store scene.
According to Bay, Smith didn't want to say 'I love you too' at the end; they argued for half a day until Bay guilt-tripped him into it.
For the Club Hell urinal gag, the research says Bay used Gatorade crossed with Coca-Cola as urine.
The big explosion reportedly cost $25,000 from Bay's pocket, and Leoni was accidentally knocked out by Martin Lawrence's stunt double and went to the hospital, slowing filming.

Julie not being told about the switch sooner; police malpractice; Martin jumping on a taxi; Julie missing obvious clues

In the discussion (6)

Approx. transcript time · 01:21:09Read transcript

All nits are Julie-related: why not tell her sooner that Mike was Marcus and Marcus was Mike? The subplot plays like a weird French comedy but makes no sense.
The misunderstanding is an homage to Three's Company, but the film is better if it ends 20 minutes earlier and lets Mike and Julie have sexual tension.
Police malpractice: entering the house with no warrant and shooting a fleeing dealer in the back without reading Miranda rights; Martin jumping on a taxi should have gotten him killed.
Julie sees photos of Mike throughout his life and he can't find his own light switch, yet she is only 40% there.
Why was Julie rooming with a call girl? A high-end Miami call girl wouldn't need a roommate; counterpoints say Julie is a broke out-of-work photographer staying with her friend, with calls to protect sex workers.
Julie wears the same clothes with no makeup for six days and still looks great; the counter is that she was chased out with no time to pack and grabbed her dogs.

Face/Off connection; Julie and the real Mike Lowry; the captain and internal affairs officer's past; Marcus's kids; Mike's trust fund

In the discussion (5)

Approx. transcript time · 01:27:29Read transcript

Did this premise lead to Face/Off? It is the same style of movie, and Lisa Boyle was also in Face/Off.
Did Julie ever get with the real Mike Lowry? It wasn't set up as a foregone conclusion; a knowing look or kiss would have helped.
Did the captain and the internal affairs officer have a past? The film hints they should get a room.
What happened to Marcus's kids in the sequels? The daughter comes back, but the boys are not remembered.
What did Mike's dad do to make so much money? The trust fund is only alluded to; either go all in on it or don't bring it up.