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The Rewatchables · September 3, 2018

Taken

host Bill Simmons host Shea Serrano

What aged best: Liam Neeson’s action-star reinvention and the phone speech lead several praised elements
Casting what-if: Jeff Bridges (reportedly cast first)
What aged worst: Foreign-villain stereotyping and the U2 premise lead a larger set of objections

All 14 categories

“That Guy” Award Jean-Claude
Overacting Award The sex-trafficking club manager

Most Rewatchable Scene · 23:42

Split: Kim being taken

Kim being taken through the phone-call instructions is one preferred scene

Bill Simmons: The dinner at Jean-Claude’s house became the other preferred scene after repeated viewings

The Neil McCauley “A Book about Metals” Award for Best Line from the Movie · 1:01:53

The loaded-gun weight line

Bill Simmons: The loaded-versus-unloaded gun line is selected

The film

Taken (2008)

Directed by Pierre Morel · Action

93 minutes

IMDb Find on JustWatch Find on Rotten Tomatoes

Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Liam Neeson Bryan Mills

Maggie Grace Kimberly "Kim" Mills, Bryan's daughter

Famke Janssen Lenore "Lenny" Mills-St John, Bryan's former wife

Leland Orser Sam Gilroy

Jon Gries Mark Casey

David Warshofsky Bernie Harris

Holly Valance Sheerah

Katie Cassidy Amanda, Kim's friend

Xander Berkeley Stuart St

Olivier Rabourdin Jean-Claude Pitrel

Gérard Watkins Patrice Saint-Clair

Arben Bajraktaraj Marko Hoxha, terrorist leader of a sex trafficking ring responsible for Kim's abduction

Camille Japy Isabelle

Nicolas Giraud Peter

Goran Kostić Gregor

Everything from the episode

In the order the hosts got to it. Open a row for the discussion.

43:38

Casting What-Ifs

Jeff Bridges (reportedly cast first)

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 00:43:38Read transcript

Jeff Bridges is reported as the first choice for the lead before dropping out over the physical demands — Shea Serrano
The alternate casting is viewed as plausible, though perhaps less effective than Liam Neeson — Bill Simmons

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47:10

Half-Assed Internet Research

Jeff Bridges casting, Liam Neeson preparation, Famke Janssen advocacy, map continuity, travel warnings, Maggie Grace’...

Jeff Bridges casting, Liam Neeson preparation, Famke Janssen advocacy, map continuity, travel warnings, Maggie Grace’s running, and body count

In the discussion (6)

Approx. transcript time · 00:47:10Read transcript

Liam Neeson is reported to have expected a straight-to-video release and trained in Paris for four months — Bill Simmons
Famke Janssen is reported to have become a UN anti-corruption goodwill ambassador — Bill Simmons
The airport map is reported to show dissolved European states — Bill Simmons
Liam Neeson is reported to discourage parents from treating the film’s danger as realistic travel guidance — Bill Simmons
Maggie Grace is reportedly said to have trained with Alberto Salazar to run younger, though the hosts explicitly doubt the claim — Bill Simmons
Bryan is first said to kill 31 people, then corrected to 35 — Bill Simmons

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58:30

Picking Nits

Apartment wealth, discarded phone, voice recognition, failed execution, baguette shorthand, and improvised phone-rout...

Apartment wealth, discarded phone, voice recognition, failed execution, baguette shorthand, and improvised phone-routing technology

In the discussion (7)

Approx. transcript time · 00:58:30Read transcript

The unusually luxurious fifth-floor apartment is questioned — Bill Simmons
Leaving the destroyed phone behind and then locking the door is questioned — Bill Simmons
Recognizing Marco from a repeated two-word phrase is challenged — Bill Simmons
The captors’ failure to shoot their captive after questioning him is challenged — Bill Simmons
Jean-Claude’s wife’s survival and later life are questioned — Bill Simmons
Jean-Claude carrying an unwrapped baguette is mocked as generic French shorthand — Shea Serrano
The ease of buying a transmitter and sending a phone signal to another location is questioned — Bill Simmons

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1:02:54

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Kim’s lesson, the auction’s realism, and Jean-Claude’s wife

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 01:02:54Read transcript

Whether Kim learned to trust her father is asked and answered by reference to the sequels — Bill Simmons
Whether the elaborate auction exists as portrayed is debated and rejected — Bill Simmons

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