Chandor is credited with making the film quickly on a small budget while drawing exceptional performances from the ensemble. — Brian Koppelman
The film is described as an early simultaneous theatrical/VOD release, with reported theatrical sales of $5.4 million and VOD sales of $10 million; a first-ever claim is part of the discussion, not independently established here. — Bill Simmons
A same-day message from Chandor is reported: he wrote the script in four days after carrying its ideas for years. — Bill Simmons
Chandor reportedly barely edited the scenes; Spacey’s clapping was found on set while the speech text was already in the script. — Brian Koppelman
The shoot reportedly lasted seventeen days; Irons’s work-visa delay compressed his scenes into three days, and the resulting fatigue is thought to help the performances. — Bill Simmons
Quinto’s production company is credited with producing the film despite difficulty getting it made. — Brian Koppelman
Chandor’s investment-banker father and New York real-estate investments are offered as sources of familiarity with finance; direct paternal story-vetting is asked about but not established.
Tucci and Quinto’s characters reportedly drew on an MIT engineering graduate friend recruited into finance with a large signing bonus. — Brian Koppelman
The film received an original-screenplay nomination and is reported to have cost $3.5 million and earned $19 million. — Bill Simmons
The stoop exchange was reportedly the first scene shot, despite functioning as a culmination in the finished film.
More than eighty percent of the action was reportedly shot on One Penn Plaza’s forty-second floor, recently vacated by a trading firm. — Bill Simmons
Two U.S. senators reportedly helped resolve Irons’s visa during the July Fourth weekend; the credits thank a Jeremy Irons visa miracle team. — Bill Simmons
Confusing plot and villain motives; faxed fingerprints; glide-slope sabotage; uncharismatic Esperanza; no diversions to other airports; non-igniting jet fuel; villains' escape plan; blanks fired in an office; double agents on the detail
Faxing fingerprints from a corpse is questioned as flawed 1990 technology. — Chris Ryan
The plot is found confusing; Wikipedia's synopsis of Esperanza's extradition and Stuart's sympathizers raises the question of why anyone would kill hundreds for him. — Bill Simmons
Only two Justice Department officials meet the plane even though cable news covers the extradition constantly; who pays the villains, the anti-communist explanation, the extradition treaty and the destination all remain murky.
Internet sources say changing the glide-slope value would not crash a plane because instruments have safeguards. — Bill Simmons
Esperanza lacks the charisma of Rickman or Jeremy Irons, and splitting villainy among Sadler, Nero and Amos causes overload. — Bill Simmons
Circling planes are not diverted to nearby airports such as Baltimore or Philadelphia; the Christmas-week crowds are questioned. — Bill Simmons
Nobody recognizes McClane, and online sources say jet fuel at that temperature would not ignite from a thrown lighter. — Bill Simmons
Had McClane not ignited their plane, what was the villains' plan: would military planes not shoot them down, and did they really expect to retire to the tropics?
McClane proves the guns hold blanks by firing a clip at Lorenzo in an office full of armed people. — Chris Ryan
How John Amos's team of double agents got assigned to Dulles, and why the one loyal soldier was brought along only to be killed, go unexplained. — Sean Fennessey
Bruce Willis gets a thumbs up with doubts, and his Look Who's Talking voice work is praised. — Shea Serrano
Tim Allen has said Pixar wanted Jim Carrey for Buzz and Paul Newman for Woody but could not afford them, meant to reflect new Hollywood taking over old; Newman later voiced Doc Hudson in Cars. — Sean Fennessey
McDowell's defining roles vary: A Clockwork Orange, Terrence from Entourage, and a mix-up with Jeremy Irons in Die Hard 3.
Pick: Cam Gigandet as Micah, remembered as the outstanding bully in Never Back Down goading a fight at a party. — Shea Serrano
Gigandet is always one of the Twilight guys and a that guy in Twilight; the first Twilight is recommended to Juliet. — Amanda Dobbins
Gigandet is also Volcheck from The O.C., who leads to Marissa's death in season three; it is good to have a new generation of that guys rather than a famous name like McDowell.
Asked if all pick Cam, one says yes; another instead picks Dan Byrd as Brandon, recognized from the Chad Michael Murray Cinderella remake and many aughts roles. — Juliet Litman
Sidebar: The Duff is praised, including Mae Whitman and the monster-voice scene. — Juliet Litman
Gene Hackman co-owned the rights and planned to direct and possibly play Jack Crawford before backing out; Sean Connery and Jeremy Irons turned down Lecter; Ed Harris turned down Crawford because he wanted Lecter; Michelle Pfeiffer, the first choice for Clarice, and Meg Ryan turned it down; Redford, Hoffman and Robert Duvall are mentioned as Lecter possibilities
The book rights were originally bought 50-50 by Mike Medavoy at Orion and Gene Hackman, who was going to direct and maybe star or just play Jack Crawford; one host says Hackman still should have played Crawford, though Scott Glenn is amazing.
Ted Talley (as transcribed) was hired to write what is called one of the great screenplays of the last 30 or 40 years; after the controversial Mississippi Burning, Hackman's daughter told him the film was too violent, he backed out, Orion paid him back his half and brought on Jonathan Demme, who began looking for a Lecter.
Sean Connery reportedly refused outright, calling the role grotesque, and Jeremy Irons would not do it either, possibly because he did not want to play two villains in a row after Reversal of Fortune; the hosts try Connery's voice on the fava beans line and conclude it would not work.
Ed Harris turned down Jack Crawford because he wanted Lecter, which is jokingly called a heat check and a little Dion Waiters of him.
Michelle Pfeiffer, first choice for Clarice, turned it down as too violent after working with Demme on Married to the Mob, and one host thinks that would have been really cool; Meg Ryan also passed at a time she was offered everything, which led to her casting in The Doors.
With Gene Hackman as Lecter the film could have gone badly wrong, the hosts say, and it would now be stuck on a minor cable channel at two in the morning.
Later, during research, the hosts are happy with Scott Glenn as Crawford over Tommy Lee Jones, cannot see Jones as Lecter, are glad Lecter was not Redford, Hoffman or Robert Duvall, and wonder whether Daniel Day Lewis was too early for it.
