Questions about Kelly’s mother relationship are answered through exploitation and blame for her father’s death; killing Sandra is proposed again. — Mallory Rubin
Sam’s college sport is guessed to be baseball; football positions are disputed.
Sandra’s possible responsibility for her husband’s death is assumed but unresolved, including whether a lover carried it out. — Bill Simmons
Questions ask who took the blackmail photographs and whether Susie poisoned Ken’s drink; a shared outsider bond is offered against the latter theory.
The tropical escape ending prompts a joking argument for fugitives choosing ski resorts instead. — Mallory Rubin
The hosts speculate about Bacon’s awareness and preparation for the nude shot; being seen by the crew is a counterargument. None of the bodily speculation establishes production facts. — Bill Simmons
The hosts question the reported Party of Five rationale for Campbell’s contract, compare Lisa Bonet, and correct confusion about the Jamie Walters song.
The pool-emergence apex is disputed between Richards and Phoebe Cates, with Cates’ cultural impact favored and Jessica Biel another example. — Mallory Rubin
Apex: Richards yes; Campbell qualified against Scream and her broader run; the threesome is called unusually publicized, not necessarily the best.
Apex: Bacon no, Dillon’s combined 1998 yes; fictional Blue Bay and the champagne-and-fake-gun threesome yes; Murray no; high-school sailing tentative. — Bill Simmons
Casting What-Ifs begins with Downey reportedly unable to obtain insurance for Sam; the next packet continues the discussion. — Van Lathan
Downey as Sam is disputed: too obviously untrustworthy versus charismatic enough; Bacon’s role is suggested instead, and Dillon is defended.
Casting alternatives include Lyonne for Susie and Reid for Kelly; Richards is defended as ideal. Natasha Gregson Wagner’s identity is corrected in the Two Girls and a Guy comparison.
Most-1998 choices include the soundtrack, teacher/student plots, cast, absent ballistics and Bacon’s bulky camcorder, the latter called the obvious winner.
Sailing, the Jeep ride and Van Ryan arrival are scene candidates. Third Eye Blind into Why Can’t We Be Friends is a needle-drop choice; the later shift to jazz may be thematic. — Bill Simmons
Sandra’s sexual dialogue and Teresa Russell’s exaggerated delivery are discussed as poor acting that suits the movie, with Black Widow and Whore career references.
The car wash and I Want What I Want cue are praised for deliberate excess, prompting a playful celebrity-attraction hall-of-fame digression.
Kelly telling Sandra and the police-station reaction are rewatchable for bad acting; Sandra’s self-centered response and dead-father line reveal character. A different-movie award is considered then rejected because the excess fits. — Bill Simmons
Susie’s police account and Murray’s second-day courtroom scene are candidates, with the sleazy brilliant-lawyer type admired.
Reported contractual and filming details of the motel scene are discussed alongside its unusual explicitness for the era; claims about alcohol need exact-source qualification. — Bill Simmons
The motel threesome is praised for revealing the conspiracy while serving the plot rather than merely adding sex, and is declared the leading scene.
The pool scene and Bacon’s filming reaction are runners-up; the shower reveal creates an expectation of a Dillon/Bacon relationship.
The ending and explanatory credits are candidates, but the motel threesome wins, with the pool scene second and the extended cut recommended.
Craig approves the 108-minute runtime but expected an extended pool scene; theatrical and unrated versions are distinguished, and Bacon filming the scene is singled out.
Nicholson is rejected, with Chinatown and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest preferred and the Broadcast News/Batman period considered for sheer stardom. — Bill Simmons
Code reds, the opening marching-band performance and Pollak receive affirmative nominations; Guantanamo Bay is rejected. — Bill Simmons
Sorkin and Walsh are rejected, with Blue Chips preferred for Walsh; Yoo-hoo receives a yes. — Chris Ryan
Bacon is rejected; Reiner receives a yes because of Seinfeld and Castle Rock’s success.
Cinematic softball practice and Bodison receive agreement. — Bill Simmons
Ross calling Jessup a profanity during the arrest is considered implausible. — Bill Simmons
Casting Christopher Guest as an entirely humorless doctor is questioned as a waste of his strengths, despite his friendship with Reiner.
Luther, the newsstand operator, is criticized as a contrived device for trading aphorisms and signaling Kaffee’s progressive attitudes. — Sean Fennessey
Concern that younger audiences would not understand the Clue reference is rejected by the others.
Downey’s inability to understand what he did wrong and his perjury are criticized. — Bill Simmons
Markinson closing his suicide letter with Always is considered an odd sign-off in the circumstances. — Bill Simmons
Kaffee failing to shake his Yoo-hoo and guzzling it immediately after softball are considered juvenile habits. — Bill Simmons
The early 1990s clothing and Kaffee’s shirts are criticized, although Jo’s high-waisted style has returned to fashion. — Bill Simmons
A reported claim that Cruise modeled Kaffee on David Miscavige is unwelcome information; the source is clarified as Miscavige’s alleged boast in Going Clear. — Bill Simmons
The later unsolved killing of David Cox, one of the Marines involved in the real incident inspiring the story, is recounted as a grim postscript. — Bill Simmons
The missed opportunity to show Cruise playing basketball with Bacon is lamented. — Chris Ryan
Repeated declarations of Kaffee’s greatness seem unearned by his early trial work, with his father comparison singled out. — Chris Ryan
The film’s framing of Cuba as a large immediate military threat feels dated. — Sean Fennessey
