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The Rewatchables ·

What Lies Beneath

year 2000decade 00sdirector Robert Zemeckisgenre Horrorgenre Thrillergenre Fantasy
host Bill Simmonshost Chris Ryanhost Mallory Rubin format Netflix video launch tie-in
All 37 categories

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award · 1:07:31

Luke Wilson as Norman

Mallory Rubin: Luke Wilson is proposed as an interesting Norman whose ordinary attractiveness would create less confidence in him.

Claire is imagined forgiving Norman after seeing him sail and reconsidering the benefits of their life.

The film

What Lies Beneath (2000)

Directed by Robert Zemeckis · Horror

130 minutes

IMDb Letterboxd Find on JustWatch Rotten Tomatoes
Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Harrison Ford Norman Spencer
Michelle Pfeiffer Claire Spencer
Joe Morton Dr. Drayton
James Remar Warren Feur
Miranda Otto Mary Feur
Ray Baker Dr. Stan Powell
Micole Mercurio Mrs. Frank
Amber Valletta Madison Elizabeth Frank
Katharine Towne Caitlin Spencer
Sloane Shelton Mrs. Templeton
Dennison Samaroo PhD student #1
Jennifer Tung PhD student #2
Rachel Singer PhD student #3
Daniel Zeeman PhD student #4
Tom Dahlgren Dean Templeton
Donald Taylor Male EMT worker

Everything from the episode

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

8:20

What’s Aged the Worst?

Spoiler-heavy trailer; Claire staying in the house; Norman missing the possession; limited eroticism; student-attract...

Spoiler-heavy trailer; Claire staying in the house; Norman missing the possession; limited eroticism; student-attraction premise; empty-nester framing.

In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 00:08:20Read transcript
  • The trailer is condemned for revealing that Norman is suspicious and showing Claire’s possession, which drains suspense from the twist.
  • Remaining in the house after repeated frightening events is called reckless enough to make Claire responsible for her danger. — Mallory Rubin
  • Norman is criticized for taking too long to recognize that his wife is possessed. — Mallory Rubin
  • The film is considered too unerotic to function as the erotic thriller suggested by its marketing. — Mallory Rubin
  • The idea that a student’s attraction to Norman would be rare is rejected because Harrison Ford’s appeal makes that premise implausible. — Bill Simmons
  • The script’s treatment of Claire as an empty nester without an identity is called insufficiently delicate. — Chris Ryan
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30:12

The Craig Century Club

Cut about 15 minutes; roughly 1:54 suggested.

Cut about 15 minutes; roughly 1:54 suggested.

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 00:30:12Read transcript
  • The episode reports a $100 million budget, $291 million gross, and rank as the tenth-biggest film of 2000. — Bill Simmons
  • The first hour is considered slow, especially on rewatch, and repeated binocular and stair-walking beats are cited as places to trim.
  • The movie is also defended as demanding close attention because clues, camera movement, and dialogue-free sequences matter.
  • The trip to Adamant for the jewelry-box key is proposed as an unnecessary excursion that could be cut. — Mallory Rubin
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32:30

Best Setting for a Watch or Rewatch Party

Safe-scary family viewing; late-summer vacation near water.

Safe-scary family viewing; late-summer vacation near water.

The panel proposes a new category here.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 00:32:30Read transcript
  • The proposed settings include first date, date night, established couple, family, proxy vacation, theater, airplane, solo, peanut gallery, ladies’ night, pregame, and five-o’clock viewing. — Bill Simmons
  • Safe-scary family viewing is selected because children can watch the movie. — Bill Simmons
  • A late-summer vacation near a body of water is proposed as another good setting. — Bill Simmons
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33:20

Roger Ebert's review
In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 00:33:20Read transcript
  • The episode reports a two-star Roger Ebert rating. — Bill Simmons
  • His review is summarized as arguing that the film wastes its cast and director and becomes absurd and more laughable than scary at the end. — Bill Simmons
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34:03

Most Rewatchable Scene

Possessed Claire at Norman’s desk (two choices); double-date dinner (one choice).

Possessed Claire at Norman’s desk (two choices); double-date dinner (one choice).

In the discussion (14)
Approx. transcript time · 00:34:03Read transcript
  • The double-date dinner is praised for cross-talk, couple analysis, clues, and Norman’s nervous reaction to a disappearance. — Bill Simmons
  • Claire and Norman trying to match the neighbors’ sexual energy is called memorable and rewatchable. — Bill Simmons
  • The full bathtub, steam, and reflected waterlogged ghost are singled out as a strong scare and a reason to leave the house. — Mallory Rubin
  • The Ouija-board sequence is praised, including the lights, candle, dog interruption, and Cooper’s intuition.
  • Claire confronting Warren at the party is praised as payoff to the red herring.
  • The party realization connects Madison’s identity with Claire’s missing memories. — Mallory Rubin
  • Possessed Claire’s desk encounter is selected as the most rewatchable scene and praised for Pfeiffer’s performance, the apple, candle, dress, whisper, and green-eye reveal. — Bill Simmons
  • Claire diving into the lake is proposed as a brief cinematic beat. — Chris Ryan
  • The buried chest and Norman’s crying confession are proposed, though his crying is criticized. — Bill Simmons
  • The redial, paralytic drug, bathtub drowning attempt, and car-crash ending form another proposed sequence. — Mallory Rubin
  • The corpse physically pulling Norman underwater is criticized as breaking the ghost’s previously suggestive rules.
  • One final choice is the dinner scene; another ranks it second and selects possessed Claire.
  • Pfeiffer’s possessed performance is compared with the erotic intensity available to her in Basic Instinct, Scarface, and Dangerous Minds. — Bill Simmons
  • A participant recalls a Catwoman take in which Pfeiffer hit five targets in sequence with a whip and the crew applauded. — Bill Simmons
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39:18

Brandy Booth Award for Best Performance by a Pet

Cooper mentioned; no new selection.

Cooper mentioned; no new selection.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 00:39:18Read transcript
  • Cooper is praised for sensing danger, reacting to the Ouija scene, and retaining complicated loyalty to Norman.
  • Dogs’ intuition about evil is praised with Cooper as the example. — Mallory Rubin
  • A Brandy Booth discussion is proposed, but they move to the most gifable moment. — Chris Ryan
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46:52

The most 2000 thing

Slow modems, no cell-phone camera, driving for reception, and landline redial.

Slow modems, no cell-phone camera, driving for reception, and landline redial.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 00:46:52Read transcript
  • Slow modem speeds and lacking a cell-phone camera are nominated. — Bill Simmons
  • Driving to find cell reception is nominated. — Bill Simmons
  • Using landline redial to discover the prior call is nominated.
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47:12

The Amanda Dobbins Award for Best Piece of Real Estate

The Spencers’ house on Lake Champlain.

The Spencers’ house on Lake Champlain.

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 00:47:12Read transcript
  • The Addison, Vermont lake house is identified as the category answer and described as a purpose-built 3,500-square-foot Nantucket-style property.
  • The production is reported to have built five bathrooms for the extensive bathroom filming. — Chris Ryan
  • The master bathroom’s hallway entrance and lock are questioned. — Chris Ryan
  • The house is reported to have been a filming shell that was torn down afterward, with some filming in Los Angeles.
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48:14

What’s Aged the Best?

Ford’s casting; camera movement; planted payoffs; symbolism; star pairing; Vermont; bathroom danger; Cooper; still-ph...

Ford’s casting; camera movement; planted payoffs; symbolism; star pairing; Vermont; bathroom danger; Cooper; still-photo anecdote.

In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 00:48:14Read transcript
  • Casting Harrison Ford as a man who tries to kill his wife after The Fugitive is praised as inspired against-type casting. — Bill Simmons
  • The camera’s subtle following movement is praised for creating the sense of a ghost watching Claire. — Bill Simmons
  • The paralytic agent, key, clipping, missing cell service, and hitched boat are praised as planted details that pay off in the climax. — Bill Simmons
  • The Adamant shop name, pendant design, and Celtic-knot key are described as obvious but effective symbols. — Mallory Rubin
  • Pairing major stars in a polished film, using Vermont as a scary setting, and showing an attractive cellist are praised.
  • Dangerous bathroom scenes and a mysteriously full bathtub are praised as effective fears. — Mallory Rubin
  • Dogs sensing evil is praised, with Cooper cited as intuitive. — Mallory Rubin
  • A participant reports that high-school friend Scott Carino appears as Claire’s late husband in two photographs; friend Jeff Gallo treated the appearance as a highlight of 2000. — Mallory Rubin
  • A participant recounts returning from vacation to find a bathtub filled by a clog and a dripping fixture. — Mallory Rubin
  • A participant recalls being told that the person rendered as “Vanessa Marcel” was very attractive during the friend’s Melrose Place work; the identity rendering remains transcript-uncertain. — Bill Simmons
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54:02

The Great Shot Gordo Award for Most Cinematic Shot

The eye appearing through the fence.

The eye appearing through the fence.

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 00:54:02Read transcript
  • The fence-eye jump scare is praised as a visual device that reliably works. — Bill Simmons
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54:18

Dr. Richard Kimble Inappropriate Body Award

Harrison Ford as Dr. Norman Spencer.

Harrison Ford as Dr. Norman Spencer.

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 00:54:18Read transcript
  • The award is given to Harrison Ford, who is reported to be 57 and exceptionally lean and muscular. — Bill Simmons
  • Norman’s age, laboratory workload, and rainy Vermont life are cited as reasons his body seems implausible. — Bill Simmons
  • Boating, sailing, drives, sexual activity, and lifelong fitness are offered as defenses. — Bill Simmons
  • Shirtless Sam Elliott in Landman is described as carved from a tree trunk and compared with Ford’s body at age 57. — Bill Simmons
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56:27

Sean Fennessey Award for Stealth Homage That Gives Every Movie Nerd a Criterion Orgasm

Rear Window, Vertigo, and Bernard Herrmann-style scoring.

Rear Window, Vertigo, and Bernard Herrmann-style scoring.

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 00:56:27Read transcript
  • The neighbors-and-binoculars plot is identified as a Rear Window homage. — Chris Ryan
  • Claire and Madison’s resemblance is identified as a Vertigo homage. — Chris Ryan
  • Alan Silvestri’s score is described as a Bernard Herrmann homage. — Chris Ryan
  • The repeated foot imagery is jokingly called a Tarantino homage.
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56:50

Mallory Rubin Award: Did This Movie Need a Better Sex Scene?

Possessed-desk scene praised; more explicit material or a Madison flashback proposed.

Possessed-desk scene praised; more explicit material or a Madison flashback proposed.

In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 00:56:50Read transcript
  • Pulling away from the couple’s early sexual encounters is defended as adding anticipation.
  • The neighbors’ sounds, Claire’s leg over Norman’s shoulder, and their established-marriage routine are praised as useful glimpses.
  • The possessed desk scene’s lip bite and torn shirt are called nearly perfect.
  • They propose showing Claire masturbating while Norman watches.
  • A Madison flashback is proposed as a contrast that could initially be mistaken for Claire and Norman. — Chris Ryan
  • Frantic is cited as an earlier Ford film with stronger sexual energy. — Mallory Rubin
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59:39

The Dennis Peck Relationship Test

Easy to disrupt; seducing Norman is the harder challenge.

Easy to disrupt; seducing Norman is the harder challenge.

The panel proposes a new category here.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 00:59:39Read transcript
  • The category is defined as whether Dennis Peck could destabilize the central relationship after fifteen minutes alone with a spouse. — Mallory Rubin
  • Claire’s interest in Warren and lingering injury from Norman’s affair are cited as making her susceptible. — Mallory Rubin
  • The marriage is called an easy target, while seducing Norman is proposed as the greater challenge.
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1:01:25

The Butch’s Girlfriend Award for the Weakest Link in the Film

Jody’s characterization; Norman cheating on Claire.

Jody’s characterization; Norman cheating on Claire.

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:01:25Read transcript
  • The friend is criticized for lacking a witchier or more dangerous quality, with Laura Sangiacomo and Linda Fiorentino proposed as alternatives.
  • Her yearlong knowledge of the affair without telling her friend is called disloyal and unacceptable, especially after she is asked for help.
  • She says she bought the car to pick up men, and the hosts wish the movie had suggested something between her and Norman.
  • The premise that anyone would cheat on Michelle Pfeiffer is proposed as the weak link.
  • The star couple’s marital trouble is reframed as potentially reassuring because even exceptionally attractive people struggle.
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1:06:48

The most GIFable moment

Norman recoiling from Madison’s corpse, hitting the mirror, and falling.

Norman recoiling from Madison’s corpse, hitting the mirror, and falling.

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:06:48Read transcript
  • The transformation from Claire to Madison’s corpse and Norman’s exaggerated recoil and fall are selected. — Chris Ryan
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1:07:31

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Luke Wilson as Norman; Claire forgiving him; a different murder method; stronger anti-affair film than Fatal Attraction.

Luke Wilson as Norman; Claire forgiving him; a different murder method; stronger anti-affair film than Fatal Attraction.

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:07:31Read transcript
  • Luke Wilson is proposed as an interesting Norman whose ordinary attractiveness would create less confidence in him. — Mallory Rubin
  • Claire is imagined forgiving Norman after seeing him sail and reconsidering the benefits of their life.
  • Repeating the exact method used to kill his mistress is called an insulting way for Norman to try to kill Claire. — Mallory Rubin
  • Using cello strings is proposed as a more character-specific hypothetical murder method. — Chris Ryan
  • The film is called an even stronger warning against affairs than Fatal Attraction because supernatural revenge destroys Norman’s life and kills him. — Mallory Rubin
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1:09:54

Murdering Consigliere: Could the Killer Have Chosen a Better Method?

Norman’s repeated bathtub plan is sloppy.

Norman’s repeated bathtub plan is sloppy.

The panel proposes a new category here.

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:09:54Read transcript
  • A category about whether a murderer selected the best available method is proposed. — Chris Ryan
  • Norman is criticized for reusing the bathtub immediately after drawing paramedic attention to it. — Chris Ryan
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1:11:24

Casting What-Ifs

No replacement leads; Ford in The Perfect Storm discussed instead.

No replacement leads; Ford in The Perfect Storm discussed instead.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:11:24Read transcript
  • The original stars are said to have been specifically wanted, leaving no conventional casting what-if for this movie. — Bill Simmons
  • The episode reports that Ford turned down The Perfect Storm to make What Lies Beneath. — Mallory Rubin
  • That choice is welcomed because a Boston accent is considered a poor fit for Ford. — Bill Simmons
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1:11:53

The Joey Pants “That Guy” Award

Ray Baker; James Remar receives a namesake-award joke.

Ray Baker; James Remar receives a namesake-award joke.

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:11:53Read transcript
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1:12:04

The Dion Waiters Award for Best Heat Check Performance

Joe Morton, Jody, and Madison considered; no final winner.

Joe Morton, Jody, and Madison considered; no final winner.

In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 01:12:04Read transcript
  • Joe Morton’s therapist is nominated. — Bill Simmons
  • Jody is proposed and debated as possibly too substantial because she is effectively the fourth lead. — Bill Simmons
  • Madison is proposed because the ghost has no spoken lines. — Bill Simmons
  • Miranda Otto’s Lord of the Rings role makes her recognizable to franchise viewers, while one participant says the reference means nothing to him. — Bill Simmons
  • A participant reports watching the regular Lord of the Rings trilogy one film per day with Liz’s two brothers. — Chris Ryan
  • Another participant recommends watching only the extended editions and calls the series one of the three best trilogies. — Bill Simmons
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1:13:14

Recasting Couch

Directors: De Palma, Fincher, or Lyne. Norman: Richard Gere. Cellist: unresolved.

Directors: De Palma, Fincher, or Lyne. Norman: Richard Gere. Cellist: unresolved.

In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 01:13:14Read transcript
  • Laura Sangiacomo is proposed for Jody. — Chris Ryan
  • The director rendered as BDP is proposed for a more sexual version with longer camera moves.
  • David Fincher is proposed, with Panic Room cited as a nearby version of the material. — Mallory Rubin
  • The director rendered as Adrian Line is proposed for a hornier supernatural version. — Mallory Rubin
  • The actor rendered as Richard Gear is proposed as Norman. — Mallory Rubin
  • Kelly Preston is considered and rejected; the discussion cannot settle on a replacement cellist.
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1:14:37

Half-Assed Internet Research

Michelle Pfeiffer’s fear of water and long bathtub shoots.

Michelle Pfeiffer’s fear of water and long bathtub shoots.

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:14:37Read transcript
  • The episode reports that Pfeiffer feared water and said she had to lie in the bathtub for five hours at a time.
  • They ask how warm the bathtub had to be and whether it needed repeated reheating.
  • A participant says she listens to The Watch in the bath and prefers its opening eight minutes. — Chris Ryan
  • The discussion spins into what podcast Claire might hear in a modern version. — Bill Simmons
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1:16:42

Apex Mountain

Cinematic Vermont, tentatively; no firm consensus.

Cinematic Vermont, tentatively; no firm consensus.

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:16:42Read transcript
  • Pfeiffer, Ford, ghost movies, cheating-husband comeuppance movies, haunted-house movies, Zemeckis, and the waterlogged corpse are considered and rejected or questioned. — Bill Simmons
  • Cinematic Vermont is proposed and receives tentative approval. — Bill Simmons
  • Grown Ups 2 is jokingly offered as a competing Vermont answer. — Bill Simmons
  • Grown Ups 2 is called good, and a participant says his children love it and the family owns it. — Bill Simmons
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1:17:46

Cruise or Hanks?

Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks tie, 2–2.

Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks tie, 2–2.

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:17:46Read transcript
  • Hanks is chosen for the value of playing against his trusted image in a Zemeckis movie. — Bill Simmons
  • Cruise is chosen for the evil turn, sex scene, possession reaction, and physical climax. — Mallory Rubin
  • Hanks is defended as stronger counter-programming, while Cruise’s Eyes Wide Shut role is used against repeating another troubled marriage.
  • Cruise is defended as likely to intensify the role and perform the water and vehicle stunts. — Bill Simmons
  • The final tally is explicitly called a rare two-to-two tie. — Bill Simmons
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1:20:13

Scorsese or Spielberg?

Steven Spielberg.

Steven Spielberg.

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:20:13Read transcript
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1:20:26

Best Hang / Worst Hang

Decent dinner or party guests; difficult double date.

Decent dinner or party guests; difficult double date.

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:20:26Read transcript
  • The couple is initially judged a good dinner date, especially if Claire has drinks. — Bill Simmons
  • A double date is rejected because Norman would discuss his father and Claire would fixate on the haunting.
  • A larger party is preferred because Claire’s blackout and car accident would create lasting conversation. — Chris Ryan
  • The couple is jokingly called a great hang only if they are swinging. — Chris Ryan
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1:22:07

Picking Nits

Disappearing neighbors; fence; dock evidence; Caitlin’s silence; initials; missing Cooper; traceable drug; toe-and-sh...

Disappearing neighbors; fence; dock evidence; Caitlin’s silence; initials; missing Cooper; traceable drug; toe-and-shower escape.

In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 01:22:07Read transcript
  • Warren and Mary disappearing after forty minutes is called an overextended red herring; one should have returned during the climax.
  • Peeking over the fence and cutting wrists is called unnecessary because the ungated lawns can be walked around.
  • Norman is mocked for dumping Madison’s belongings directly beside his own dock despite having a boat. — Bill Simmons
  • The locations and disposal method for Madison’s body, car, and jewelry box are questioned, including whether the car was backed into a boat entrance and why the evidence spans the dock and bridge area. — Chris Ryan
  • Caitlyn is criticized for never checking on her parents over the apparent weeks after starting college. — Bill Simmons
  • Madison repeatedly typing only her initials is called inefficient when she could name herself or accuse Norman directly.
  • Cooper’s disappearance during the final forty minutes is questioned because the dog might have interrupted the attack.
  • Norman’s use of a potentially traceable laboratory paralytic is called another sign of sloppy murder planning. — Mallory Rubin
  • Claire’s partly paralyzed foot pulling the cord and using the shower head to turn the hot-water knob is judged physically implausible.
  • One participant concludes that Claire should have drowned. — Bill Simmons
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1:28:40

Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake

All-Black cast, tentatively; prestige television with flashbacks.

All-Black cast, tentatively; prestige television with flashbacks.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:28:40Read transcript
  • An all-Black cast version is proposed and receives tentative interest as a Tubi movie. — Chris Ryan
  • A prestige television version is proposed, with the amount of flashback and supernatural material left as key choices. — Mallory Rubin
  • Fergie the Florist, Wayne, Buffalo Bill, Byron Mayo, Dan Orlovsky, and William Brimley are proposed in a joking cast. — Mallory Rubin
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1:30:00

Just One Oscar

Pfeiffer, Zemeckis, or cinematography considered; ultimately no Oscar case.

Pfeiffer, Zemeckis, or cinematography considered; ultimately no Oscar case.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:30:00Read transcript
  • Pfeiffer is proposed as the strongest Oscar choice.
  • Zemeckis and the cinematography are proposed as alternatives. — Bill Simmons
  • The film is ultimately described as outside Oscar territory. — Bill Simmons
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1:30:17

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Ouija board; Claire’s future; police; Adamant; mushroom tea; Madison’s delay and braid; haunting without a bathtub.

Ouija board; Claire’s future; police; Adamant; mushroom tea; Madison’s delay and braid; haunting without a bathtub.

In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 01:30:17Read transcript
  • Why anyone would use a Ouija board is asked again. — Bill Simmons
  • Claire is proposed as an unusually desirable widow despite severe trust issues. — Mallory Rubin
  • The absence of further law-enforcement questions after the climax is questioned. — Mallory Rubin
  • Whether Norman could have bought time by agreeing to visit Adamant is debated.
  • Whether Claire’s supernatural experience could be a side effect of Jody’s mushroom tea is asked. — Chris Ryan
  • Why Madison waited a year, whether Claire missed earlier signs, and what the braid changes are questioned. — Bill Simmons
  • How Madison could haunt the renovated house if Norman had removed the bathtub is asked. — Bill Simmons
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1:34:05

The Coach Finstock Award for Best Life Lesson

Dispose of incriminating belongings far from your own dock.

Dispose of incriminating belongings far from your own dock.

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:34:05Read transcript
  • Norman is used as the worst-life-lesson example for dumping incriminating belongings directly outside his house. — Chris Ryan
  • They note that Norman has a boat and could throw the evidence anywhere. — Mallory Rubin
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1:34:50

What Piece of Memorabilia Would You Want From This Movie?

Late-husband photographs; Norman’s boat or sailing outfit. Madison’s braid rejected.

Late-husband photographs; Norman’s boat or sailing outfit. Madison’s braid rejected.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:34:50Read transcript
  • A participant selects the photographs featuring his friend and would frame them as a gift. — Mallory Rubin
  • The boat is selected, with Norman’s sailing outfit as the fallback. — Bill Simmons
  • Madison’s braid is proposed and rejected. — Mallory Rubin
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1:36:03

Best Double Feature

The Fabulous Baker Boys; Panic Room; The Mosquito Coast; The Fugitive; Presumed Innocent.
What Lies Beneath
The Fabulous Baker Boys
Panic Room
The Mosquito Coast
The Fugitive
Presumed Innocent
In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:36:03Read transcript
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1:36:47

Who Lost the Movie?

Category rejected; Zemeckis suggested, then dismissed.

Category rejected; Zemeckis suggested, then dismissed.

The panel proposes a new category here.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:36:47Read transcript
  • A Who Lost the Movie category is proposed and rejected as too negative. — Bill Simmons
  • Zemeckis is briefly floated but dismissed because Cast Away followed. — Bill Simmons
  • The writer is also dismissed as a loser because the movie made nearly $300 million. — Bill Simmons
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1:37:14

Who Won the Movie?

Michelle Pfeiffer (three choices).

Michelle Pfeiffer (three choices).

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:37:14Read transcript
  • The three spoken choices are “Feifer,” “Feifer,” and “Michelle.” — Bill Simmons
Podcast choices
Speaker not identified
Michelle Pfeiffer
Speaker not identified
Michelle Pfeiffer
Speaker not identified
Michelle Pfeiffer
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1:37:56

Not Like This: Beloved Star in an Unwelcome Role

Evil Harrison Ford; disguised Colin Farrell; Roman J. Israel. Interview with the Vampire still praised.

Evil Harrison Ford; disguised Colin Farrell; Roman J. Israel. Interview with the Vampire still praised.

The panel proposes a new category here.

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:37:56Read transcript
  • Seeing Harrison Ford play a man who kills women is called upsetting because the viewer identifies him with heroic roles.
  • The category name “Not Like This” is proposed for beloved actors in unwelcome roles. — Bill Simmons
  • Interview with the Vampire is called a really good movie despite using Cruise in an unwelcome role. — Bill Simmons
  • The Penguin is described as difficult to watch because a participant wants favored actor Colin Farrell to remain beautiful, although his performance is praised. — Bill Simmons
  • Roman J. Israel is proposed as Denzel’s analogous title and is explicitly disliked. — Mallory Rubin
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More from the conversation

The episode is tied to the Rewatchables video move to Netflix and selects a Netflix-available film built around Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer.
Approx. transcript time · 00:02:22Read transcript
One participant says Harrison Ford is more precious to her than any other person and explicitly chooses him over everyone else.
Approx. transcript time · 00:03:26Read transcript
Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer are praised as a believable, highly attractive couple whose physical chemistry is central to the film’s appeal.
Approx. transcript time · 00:03:26Read transcript
A participant says Pfeiffer had lost some of his trust through a “broken” script picker before this film, while remaining open to a vehicle that used what he liked about her.
Approx. transcript time · 00:03:54Read transcript
The film is described as bridging 1990s erotic thrillers and 2000s high-concept movies while functioning mainly as an accessible haunted-house, family-horror, and troubled-marriage story.
Approx. transcript time · 00:04:22Read transcript
The hosts propose that this material could sustain a long director-recasting discussion because different contemporary filmmakers would push it in sharply different directions from Zemeckis.
Approx. transcript time · 00:06:45Read transcript
Pfeiffer’s performance and the sex scene are called restrained and PG-13 or TNT-like rather than Showtime-level erotic.
Approx. transcript time · 00:07:25Read transcript
First-time uncertainty about Norman, Claire’s missing memory, and the multiple twists is praised, while famous unspoiled twists in other films prompt personal viewing anecdotes.
Approx. transcript time · 00:08:20Read transcript
Zemeckis is reported to favor trailers revealing what is coming so viewers worry less; the hosts reject that philosophy and argue the trailer damages suspense.
Approx. transcript time · 00:09:00Read transcript
A participant reports watching the movie with Liz and her two brothers without seeing trailers; none knew the Harrison Ford twist and they remained unsure what would happen.
Approx. transcript time · 00:10:27Read transcript
A participant reports that his daughter recently watched The Sixth Sense with a boyfriend who did not know the twist.
Approx. transcript time · 00:10:50Read transcript
A participant recalls watching The Shawshank Redemption with Ben, who believed the apparent suicide and was surprised when the cell was empty.
Approx. transcript time · 00:10:58Read transcript
Michelle Pfeiffer’s looks, performance, fashion, career timing, chemistry with Ford, and the film’s importance after a run of weaker choices are praised.
Approx. transcript time · 00:12:25Read transcript
What Lies Beneath and Dangerous Minds are proposed as finalists for Pfeiffer’s best-looking performance, while The Fabulous Baker Boys is raised as an earlier-prime qualification.
Approx. transcript time · 00:12:25Read transcript
Pfeiffer’s performance, fashion, foot-focused shots, and physical work in the climax are praised, including the glass, Birkenstock, and toe-dexterity details.
Approx. transcript time · 00:13:11Read transcript
A participant’s wife compares Pfeiffer with the mother from The Good Son and remarks on how Pfeiffer overwhelms another attractive actor on screen.
Approx. transcript time · 00:13:57Read transcript
To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday is recommended as a Nantucket location movie.
Approx. transcript time · 00:14:14Read transcript
A participant lists One Fine Day, A Thousand Acres, The Prince of Egypt, The Deep End of the Ocean, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Story of Us while arguing that Pfeiffer needed this hit after a weaker run.
Approx. transcript time · 00:14:48Read transcript
Ford and Pfeiffer’s chemistry is scored conversationally at roughly 9.5 out of 10 or 10 out of 10; this is an opinion, not a formal episode rating.
Approx. transcript time · 00:15:06Read transcript
For Ford chemistry, Kelly McGillis in Witness is the first and continuing number-one choice; Helen Mirren in The Mosquito Coast and Annette Bening in Regarding Henry are also named.
Approx. transcript time · 00:15:31Read transcript
Ford’s chemistry across his career and What Lies Beneath as the end of an extended prime and an against-type heel turn are discussed.
Approx. transcript time · 00:15:31Read transcript
Ford is proposed as a top-five podcast guest, followed by discussion of his formerly curmudgeonly interview persona and his more recent self-aware engagement during Dial of Destiny, 1923, and Shrinking.
Approx. transcript time · 00:16:22Read transcript
Six Days Seven Nights is defended as a good movie whose reception was overshadowed by events involving Anne Heche.
Approx. transcript time · 00:17:18Read transcript
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is defended as not bad, with its first hour specifically praised.
Approx. transcript time · 00:18:16Read transcript
Dial of Destiny is repeatedly called good and praised for treating Indiana Jones’s age, legacy, and physical decline as part of the story.
Approx. transcript time · 00:18:26Read transcript
Shia LaBeouf is defended as well cast in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Approx. transcript time · 00:18:43Read transcript
Ford’s subtle evil performance is praised through his obsession with his father and research paper, muttering, heel turn, and the bathtub sequence.
Approx. transcript time · 00:19:48Read transcript
Ford’s hand acting is praised through the threatening first embrace, bloody hands on the tub, and the way a seemingly loving gesture reads differently in hindsight.
Approx. transcript time · 00:20:26Read transcript
For a desert-island actor filmography, Harrison Ford is one participant’s choice, while Hanks, Denzel, Stallone, and Cruise are named and Cruise is said likely to win the hypothetical bracket.
Approx. transcript time · 00:21:21Read transcript
Joey Pants is proposed as a deep-library bracket candidate because of many notable supporting roles, and Seth Rogen is proposed for his extensive twenty-first-century filmography.
Approx. transcript time · 00:21:56Read transcript
The supporting cast is celebrated as a deep collection of recognizable performers, with a personal James Remar neighborhood anecdote.
Approx. transcript time · 00:22:33Read transcript
The supporting-cast roll call names Wendy Crewson from The Good Son, Diana Scarwid with an Inside Moves recommendation, Joe Morton from Terminator 2, Ray Baker from Total Recall, and James Remar.
Approx. transcript time · 00:22:33Read transcript
Ray Baker is treated as a strong That Guy choice, while James Remar is called the number-one That Guy and a participant describes repeatedly seeing him in the neighborhood but avoiding an approach.
Approx. transcript time · 00:22:53Read transcript
The episode reports that Zemeckis filmed the movie with the Cast Away crew during the break for Hanks to lose weight and grow a beard, and that the house interiors were reconstructed on Los Angeles stages.
Approx. transcript time · 00:24:18Read transcript
A participant recalls recording the only solo Cast Away Rewatchables episode about five weeks into COVID.
Approx. transcript time · 00:24:18Read transcript
The stated director standings place Spielberg and Ridley Scott at nine, Mann and Scorsese at eight, Fincher and Reiner at seven, Zemeckis at six, and De Palma at five.
Approx. transcript time · 00:25:04Read transcript
The hosts express surprise that actor Clark Gregg rewrote the screenplay and discuss a report that he wants to revisit its universe.
Approx. transcript time · 00:25:47Read transcript
The episode reports that Clark Gregg also has a screenplay credit for Choke; the hosts express uncertainty about how much other writing work he has done.
Approx. transcript time · 00:26:35Read transcript
Vermont and nearby New England settings are compared with Vito and Johnny Cakes in The Sopranos, Diane Keaton meeting Sam Shepard as a veterinarian, and the uncertain recollection that Funny Farm is set in the region.
Approx. transcript time · 00:27:08Read transcript
Vermont and Lake Champlain are praised as beautiful, remote, safe-seeming but unsettling settings; the original story is reported to have been inspired by a paranormal experience.
Approx. transcript time · 00:27:08Read transcript
A participant recounts unexplained events in her own house, including a fallen frame, a moving door, and a dream followed by scratches, while declining a paranormal investigator.
Approx. transcript time · 00:27:50Read transcript
A participant recalls taking his future wife to see the film, then says it has improved with time into a pleasant throw-it-on hang.
Approx. transcript time · 00:33:49Read transcript
A participant says he and his spouse handled a Ravens–Broncos playoff game by watching in different places, including a trip to Baltimore to watch with a parent, and describes the loss as traumatic.
Approx. transcript time · 01:03:55Read transcript
The Claire-widow discussion detours into praise and curiosity about Tiger Woods’s ex-wife and her post-settlement life.
Approx. transcript time · 01:30:59Read transcript
A participant says he declined a “.025” psilocybin gummy on New Year’s Eve because he is no longer good at drugs; the dosage is retained as transcript-rendered and uncertain.
Approx. transcript time · 01:32:04Read transcript
Housemaid is called horrible, terrible, and shockingly bad.
Approx. transcript time · 01:35:38Read transcript
A participant says he watched every minute of Housemaid and that the viewing was on the PGA app.
Approx. transcript time · 01:36:01Read transcript
The final car-and-lake climax is said to lower the movie from an eight to a seven because the physically reanimated ghost goes too far.
Approx. transcript time · 01:37:29Read transcript
The rarity of pairing two A-list stars in a polished B-movie premise is lamented, with Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway proposed as a contemporary equivalent.
Approx. transcript time · 01:39:24Read transcript