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Stats
- Episodes featuring their films
- 12
- Movies in this archive
- 12
Rewatchables episodes featuring Denzel Washington’s films
The Pelican Brief
1993 film
Bill Simmons · Chris Ryan · Sean Fennessey · Amanda Dobbins
Aired December 12, 2023
Displaying all 12 episodes
Mentioned in discussions
In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:13:40Read transcript
- Flight is the initial damaged-Denzel double-feature choice. — Bill Simmons
- Proof of Life is accepted as an alternative. — Bill Simmons
- Proof of Life is the other explicit double-feature choice. — Chris Ryan
In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:09:31Read transcript
- Denzel is the initial hypothetical Oscar choice. — Bill Simmons
- Fanning is proposed for supporting actress instead. — Bill Simmons
- The full discussed field is Blanchett for The Aviator, Linney for Kinsey, Okonedo for Hotel Rwanda, Portman for Closer and Madsen for Sideways. — Bill Simmons
- Portman is the proposed replacement, with the final preference remaining Fanning. — Bill Simmons
Apex Mountain
Fanning (qualified); children’s swim meets; Man on Fire as kidnapping film (qualified); Mexico City action locale
In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 01:00:55Read transcript
- Denzel is rejected for Apex. — Bill Simmons
- Tony Scott is rejected for Apex. — Bill Simmons
- Walken is rejected for Apex. — Bill Simmons
- Fanning receives an affirmative but qualified Apex argument for meeting Denzel at a generational-child-star moment. — Bill Simmons
- Children's swim meets receive emphatic Apex, with an imagined swim documentary series. — Bill Simmons
- Taken initially gets kidnapping-film Apex for sequels, commercial success and making Neeson an action star. — Bill Simmons
- Man on Fire is the preferred kidnapping film personally, with Proof of Life close behind. — Bill Simmons
- The discussion ends favoring Man on Fire, with Denzel’s importance tipping the comparison. — Bill Simmons
- Ticotin's Apex goes to Total Recall. — Bill Simmons
- Mexico City as action locale receives affirmative Apex. — Bill Simmons
Half-Assed Internet Research
Rourke friction; missing teeth; weapons training; crew danger; deleted ending and romance
In the discussion (18)
Approx. transcript time · 00:16:00Read transcript
- The novel and Scott Glenn film predate this version. — Bill Simmons
- Brian Helgeland reportedly discovered the earlier film through video-store clerk Tarantino’s recommendation. — Bill Simmons
- Denzel reportedly told Blackfilm that Scott's long passion for the material and desire to follow The Hunger with it persuaded him. — Bill Simmons
- Rourke and Denzel reportedly did not get along. — Bill Simmons
- Imagined Rourke resentment about the lead role is a joke, not sourced motivation. — Bill Simmons
- Fanning's missing front teeth reportedly were nearly replaced with fakes before filmmakers chose the natural look, which the hosts favor. — Bill Simmons
- Denzel reportedly trained with a weapons specialist for ten days. — Bill Simmons
- Police reportedly warned the filmmakers about being targeted. — Bill Simmons
- Crew members reportedly were robbed. — Bill Simmons
- The kidnappers reportedly were modeled on the Arizmendi gang, with 300 million in ransom attributed to it by the podcast. — Bill Simmons
- The deleted ending has Creasy detonate his own internal bomb at the Voice’s house. — Chris Ryan
- Scott reportedly cut that revenge ending for tone, but the hosts question the explanation given earlier violence. — Bill Simmons
- A deleted adult Lisa/Creasy sex scene is discussed. — Chris Ryan
- Remaining dialogue is said to lack context after the scene’s removal. — Chris Ryan
- The deleted romance is compared with Proof of Life. — Bill Simmons
- The deleted romance would shift the film’s tone and is opposed. — Chris Ryan
- Another connecting scene between Lisa and Creasy is desired. — Chris Ryan
- A prior-bodyguard relationship and marital problems are speculative interpretations of Lisa’s dialogue. — Chris Ryan
Casting What-Ifs
Crowe; De Niro; Cruise; Willis; Smith; Brando; Walken role change; Fuqua/Bay
This discussion recalls a choice from an earlier episode.
In the discussion (9)
Approx. transcript time · 00:50:15Read transcript
- Scott reportedly offered Creasy to Crowe, who declined because he had made Proof of Life. — Bill Simmons
- De Niro is a reported casting possibility, treated skeptically. — Bill Simmons
- Cruise is a reported possibility from the project’s long history. — Bill Simmons
- Willis is a reported possibility from the project’s long history. — Bill Simmons
- Smith is intriguing, but would not match Denzel. — Bill Simmons
- Brando as Rayburn is treated as a doubtful casting report. — Bill Simmons
- Walken reportedly switched from the lawyer because he was tired of villains. — Bill Simmons
- Fuqua reportedly was offered directing. — Bill Simmons
- Bay reportedly was offered directing. — Bill Simmons
The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Favorite Denzel film; kidnapping as business plan (joke)
In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 00:46:37Read transcript
- Hottest take: this is the host's favorite Denzel film. — Chris Ryan
- Samuel’s father’s gambling prompts jokes about following sports picks. — Chris Ryan
- A deliberately provocative joke floats the kidnapping as a business plan. — Chris Ryan
What’s Aged the Worst?
Fanning’s unfulfilled megastar expectations; violence; accents; rave outfit
In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 00:43:46Read transcript
- Aged worst: the expectation that Fanning would become the world's biggest actress did not materialize, with difficulty sustaining childhood fame acknowledged. — Bill Simmons
- Some violence is an aged-worst possibility, but it was already extreme at release. — Bill Simmons
- Mitchell’s emerging Southern accent is criticized. — Bill Simmons
- Denzel’s inconsistent, mumbled Spanish is criticized.
- His reported three-month language training is treated skeptically.
- Creasy's uncomfortable rave bandana is an aged-worst choice; the club and indestructible-avenger elements are seen as precedents for John Wick. — Bill Simmons
What’s Aged the Best?
Mexico City; score; Marc Anthony; swimming; The Voice; La Hermandad; weapons; memory camera; golf simulator
In the discussion (19)
Approx. transcript time · 00:34:34Read transcript
- Aged best: the alarming opening kidnapping statistics immediately hook a viewer; these are film graphics, not independently verified statistics. — Bill Simmons
- The opening kidnapping card is compared with Sicario and Den of Thieves cards. — Chris Ryan
- Mexico City is praised as an action setting, compared with Brazil in Fast Five and City of God. — Bill Simmons
- The score discussion corrects the implication that Reznor composed all of it: Harry Gregson-Williams handles much of the score. — Bill Simmons
- Marc Anthony makes the interview with Creasy believable. — Chris Ryan
- Samuel being pushed by his wife and lawyer is praised. — Chris Ryan
- Samuel initially seeming likable makes his betrayal more painful. — Chris Ryan
- Fanning’s swimming is an aged-best choice. — Bill Simmons
- Scott films the children’s meet with unusually intense sports coverage. — Chris Ryan
- A niece’s swim meet reportedly inspired Scott to include one. — Chris Ryan
- The Voice is admired as a kidnapping antagonist’s name. — Bill Simmons
- A Dallas/book-depository kidnapping film is jokingly proposed. — Bill Simmons
- La Hermandad is admired as an evil-organization name, while translating it as brotherhood makes the explanation redundant.
- The weapons-shopping list and warning about war are admired. — Chris Ryan
- Watching Denzel choose weapons remains enjoyable despite real-world gun concerns. — Chris Ryan
- Giving Samuel one bullet and telling him to do the right thing is admired as a grim movie moment, not personal advice. — Chris Ryan
- Camera work represents Creasy’s memory and threat perception. — Chris Ryan
- Reconstructing the kidnapping by revisiting the site is compared with Blow Out. — Bill Simmons
- Samuel's golf simulator is an admired prop, with its short physical ball travel explained. — Bill Simmons
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bridge reunion; Fuentes; swimming practice
In the discussion (21)
Approx. transcript time · 00:25:23Read transcript
- The first two Denzel/Walken conversations are grouped as a scene candidate.
- A Yellowstone-style ongoing series featuring the pair is imagined. — Bill Simmons
- Walken’s restrained eccentricity and half-speed line are admired. — Bill Simmons
- The first car argument and Pita moving to the backseat show her defiance rather than passive hurt.
- The first smile, girlfriend question, swimming training and meet are grouped as a ten-minute emotional revival; Denzel brings light back to Creasy's eyes. — Bill Simmons
- The kidnapping is a scene favorite for its suspenseful staging. — Bill Simmons
- The dog and reversed frame are admired in the kidnapping sequence. — Chris Ryan
- The police arrival escalates the kidnapping sequence. — Bill Simmons
- Surviving four gunshots prompts a plausibility objection. — Bill Simmons
- Creasy’s vow to kill everyone involved is a scene candidate.
- The driver’s finger-removal torture is a scene candidate. — Chris Ryan
- The torture scenes are enumerated as fingers, rave and Fuentes.
- Walken’s death-as-art monologue is admired. — Bill Simmons
- Killing attackers and stealing a car is an enjoyable scene. — Bill Simmons
- Blowing up Fuentes is an enjoyable scene. — Bill Simmons
- Confronting Samuel and Lisa is an enjoyable scene. — Bill Simmons
- Shooting off a hand is another enjoyed scene. — Bill Simmons
- The bridge reunion and last fourteen minutes are the host's final scene choice. — Bill Simmons
- Fuentes is a final scene choice, beginning with the rocket-launcher visit and arranging-the-meeting line. — Chris Ryan
- The older couple’s calm response during the Fuentes sequence is amusing. — Chris Ryan
- Swimming practice is the final scene choice; it could sustain hours of viewing. — Craig Horlbeck
In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 00:22:12Read transcript
- Ebert’s actual score is two-and-a-half stars; no scale is spoken. — Bill Simmons
- The hosts imagine Ebert privately liked it at three-and-a-half but lowered it to preserve critical credibility. — Bill Simmons
- Ebert’s praise for craft and Denzel contrasts with his objections to action repetition and a gimmicky ending; the hosts disagree. — Bill Simmons
Casting What-Ifs
Allen Payne; Denzel Washington (disputed)
In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:15:01Read transcript
- Allen Payne was reportedly the original Kyle choice.
- Leon reportedly said Washington was offered Shep; the panel doubts he was realistically in contention, but cites Ricochet and other unconventional roles as possible counterexamples. — Bill Simmons
Recasting Couch
Denzel Washington as David Ferrie or Mr. X; Sally Field; Madeleine Stowe; Gary Sinise as David Ferrie
In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:39:48Read transcript
- Since the movie makes things up anyway, Denzel Washington as David Ferry is suggested; Denzel as Mr. X is called insanely great, with doubt about him as Ferry.
- Recast Sissy Spacek because she is too good an actress for a crummy part, freeing her for a better role.
- Sally Field is suggested for the part; pushback says Costner and Spacek do not fit together. — Bill Simmons
- Madeline Stowe is suggested for 'Renee Rousseau' (character name as transcribed) and called perfect.
- Gary Sinise would have killed as Ferry; whether Oldman and Sinise ever had a showdown is asked.
Displaying discussions 37 - 48 of 101 in total
Films in the archive
American Gangster
2007
Crimson Tide
1995
Flight
2012
He Got Game
1998
Inside Man
2006
Man on Fire
2004
Philadelphia
1993
Remember the Titans
2000
The Equalizer
2014
The Pelican Brief
1993
Training Day
2001
Unstoppable
2010