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Stats
- Episodes featuring their films
- 4
- Movies in this archive
- 5
Rewatchables episodes featuring Laura Linney’s films
Searching for Bobby Fischer
1993 film
Bill Simmons · Van Lathan · Charles Holmes
Aired January 2, 2024
Displaying all 4 episodes
Mentioned in discussions
Recasting Couch
Samantha Mathis, Laura Linney, or Famke Janssen as Laura, with reservations about fit and star power
In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:35:11Read transcript
- Samantha Mathis is proposed as an early-1990s version of Laura.
- Laura Linney is proposed, with doubt that she fits Laura’s partying history.
- Fomka Johnson is proposed if Laura remains European, then rejected as too much firepower.
Apex Mountain
Jim Carrey; reality-TV warning movies.
In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:19:58Read transcript
- Jim Carrey is selected for the peak of his commercial and dramatic power. — Bill Simmons
- Laura Linney and Ed Harris are discussed but not selected.
- Reality-TV warning films are selected as an Apex category. — Bill Simmons
In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:32:53Read transcript
- Tony Shalhoub wins, with Laura Linney acknowledged.
Recasting Couch
Pullman, Baldwin or Mulroney as Al; Ridgely or Hall as president; Washington, Gyllenhaal, Crowe and Larson for a modern version
In the discussion (13)
Approx. transcript time · 01:06:30Read transcript
- Redford as Frank opposite Hoffman as Mitch is an imagined All the President’s Men reunion. — Bill Simmons
- Bill Pullman is suggested as Al and receives agreement. — Chris Ryan
- William Baldwin is also suggested as Al. — Chris Ryan
- Robert Ridgely is proposed to make the largely anonymous president more memorable. — Bill Simmons
- Philip Baker Hall is another proposed president. — Bill Simmons
- Dermot Mulroney is proposed instead of Dylan McDermott, though the problem is judged a mismatch between actor and character. — Chris Ryan
- Denzel Washington is proposed for a modern Frank; a fictional disgrace could replace the Kennedy history. — Chris Ryan
- Gyllenhaal is proposed as a modern Mitch. — Chris Ryan
- Gosling is questioned as insufficiently explosive for Mitch. — Chris Ryan
- A Washington–Russell Crowe reunion is floated, with concern about Crowe’s physical suitability. — Bill Simmons
- Brie Larson is proposed for a better role in a modern version. — Bill Simmons
- A more vulnerable, self-deprecating treatment of Washington’s age would be appealing. — Bill Simmons
- Laura Linney is mentioned as another possible casting fit. — Bill Simmons
Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake
Black-cast version: Ali, Brown, Moore and Ortega
In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:37:44Read transcript
- A Black-cast version is proposed with Mahershala Ali as Lorenzo, Sterling K.Brown as Sonny, Shameik Moore as C and Jenna Ortega as Jane, with discussion of how the racial conflict must change. — Van Lathan
- The remake could retain the Bronx or move to Detroit and is considered a serious possibility. — Van Lathan
- The remake could make Lorenzo a single father, or cast Laura Linney or Laura Dern as his wife.
Recasting Couch
Jessica Chastain; Keri Russell; Laura Linney; Sandra Bullock; Sydney Sweeney; Emilia Clarke; Rose Leslie
In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 00:51:20Read transcript
- Sydney Sweeney is proposed for a modern Zoe; 2013 replacements for the wife include Jessica Chastain and other proposed actresses, with agreement that the part needs more material. — Bill Simmons
- A modern version leaves Sweeney between age groups; Emilia Clarke and Rose Leslie are alternatives for the mother. — Bill Simmons
The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Kathy Bates gives the best Best Actress performance from 1990 through the episode’s present
In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:07:11Read transcript
- Kathy Bates is argued to have the best Best Actress performance across the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and early 2020s — Bill Simmons
- Frances McDormand in Fargo, Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball, and Emma Stone in La La Land are offered as winning comparators — Bill Simmons
- Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada, Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married, and Laura Linney in You Can Count on Me are offered as non-winning comparators — Bill Simmons
- Charlize Theron in Monster is raised as another major comparator — Bill Simmons
Recasting Couch
No affirmative selection
In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 00:58:54Read transcript
- One host has never been a Suzy Amis fan and thinks Blown Away would have been better with anyone else; the other likes her. — Bill Simmons
- One host proposes Laura Linney in Suzy Amis's role; the other pushes back that it is a thankless three-scene part that would waste Linney; Linney is noted as being in smaller movies back then, and the proposer says he knew the other would not like the pick. — Chris Ryan
In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 00:02:10Read transcript
- Asked whether Cocktail is the greatest bad movie ever, this participant offers a top five: No. 5 the Sylvester Stallone arm-wrestling movie, rewatched as much as any 1980s movie as a kid because it was always on WPIX. — Sean Fennessey
- Amid agreeing interjections, the Stallone arm-wrestling movie is joked about as a stealth divorce movie. — Sean Fennessey
- No. 4 is Congo, praised as an adaptation of the novel with an incredible Laura Linney performance; No. 3 is Showgirls, said to be Chris's number one. — Sean Fennessey
- No. 2 is Anaconda and No. 1 has to be Cocktail. — Sean Fennessey
- A reply argues Showgirls and Anaconda may be ineligible because their makers knew or winked at the badness, with Snakes on a Plane as the ultimate intentionally bad movie. — Bill Simmons
- The hosts say Cocktail went through 40 versions of the script, is based on a book, tried to say something about 80s wealth, turned into dudes flipping bottles, and made a lot of money. — Bill Simmons
Apex Mountain
Sanaa Lathan; Barcelona professional women's basketball; early WNBA optimism
In the discussion (8)
Approx. transcript time · 01:21:54Read transcript
- Sanaa Lathan is a yes, with a big stock buy after this movie leading to good roles. — Bill Simmons
- Asked about Oscar potential, the 2000 Best Actress nominees are listed (Julia Roberts winning, Joan Allen, Laura Linney and others); the year is called loaded and Linney is said to have deserved it. — Bill Simmons
- A possible original screenplay nomination is raised, joked about as ignored by the Oscars committee; the five nominees are listed and Billy Elliot is said not to have aged well. — Bill Simmons
- Omar Epps is called a no; the other participant makes the yes case from his longevity, escape from typecasting, and TV resurgence, saying he could put up a fight. — Jemele Hill
- USC basketball is a no. — Bill Simmons
- Barcelona professional women's basketball is a yes, and the other participant agrees. — Bill Simmons
- The early WNBA seeming optimistic about the league's future is an emphatic yes; the film explained why the league was pushed: the players had nowhere to play. — Bill Simmons
- Dick Vitale is later floated as a possible Apex candidate that should have been brought in. — Bill Simmons
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Semen at Boz's crime scene; erection after death; Gus's survival in thrillers; slowest elevator; Manny Vasquez's killer; Jeanne Tripplehorn's career; how long Nick and Catherine lasted; Nick not reading her ending; Nick's calluses; silent traffic in the chase; Nick as a tail; unseen headlines; Catherine and Nick's wife; purpose of the Beth scene; ending with Nick's death; Catherine's writing speed
In the discussion (14)
Approx. transcript time · 01:09:17Read transcript
- The amount of semen at Boz's crime scene is questioned, since the house has a maid.
- Why would a man die mid-orgasm and not remain erect? The answer offered is that other parts stiffen, not that.
- The black light CSI moment is saved for aged-worst discussion. — Mallory Rubin
- Has anyone named Gus ever survived a thriller? No. — Bill Simmons
- The elevator is the slowest ever, given the time Nick needs to run up the stairs. — Mallory Rubin
- Who killed Manny Vasquez the boxer, said to be a guy with an Afro?
- Why did Jeanne Tripplehorn not fully happen? She never transcended the wife-girlfriend role, and Laura Linney got those parts. — Bill Simmons
- How long did Nick and Catherine last? Guesses range from three days to three weeks, and Basic Instinct 2 is not acknowledged.
- Why does Nick never ask to see the last pages of her book? — Mallory Rubin
- Other questions: Nick's hand calluses, silent traffic in the car chase, Nick as the worst tail, and headlines the movie never showed. — Mallory Rubin
- Could Catherine have been involved in Nick's wife's death, or did she just use it? The answer is no. — Mallory Rubin
- Why include the ambiguous rape scene when Nick's dark side was already established? — Bill Simmons
- Is the movie better if she kills him at the last second? That would be awesome, but the ambiguous ending is also liked.
- How quickly does Catherine write, on the Joe Eszterhas schedule? — Mallory Rubin
Casting What-Ifs
Arnold Schwarzenegger batted around when Warner Brothers wanted a box-office star; Warren Beatty and Kevin Costner considered, with Beatty bringing Dave to Ivan Reitman; Robin Williams considered; Kevin Kline almost turned it down as too close to his A Fish Called Wanda character
In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 00:36:21Read transcript
- Warner Brothers wanted a box office star and Arnold Schwarzenegger was batted around at one point, which is weird for a variety of reasons, though a host jokes he could have pulled off the Laura Linney cheating scenes; both Warren Beatty and Kevin Costner were considered, and Beatty took it seriously enough that after deciding not to do it he brought Dave to Ivan Reitman, which is how Reitman got the movie.
- Costner is interesting but one voice doesn't think it works; he had the most power of his career right around then and basically plays Bob Alexander in 13 Days (as transcribed), so he has some interest in the executive branch; Kevin Kline almost turned it down because he thought the character was too close to his Fish Called Wanda character, which none of the hosts can see.
- Casting what-ifs are blown early: this was almost a Robin Williams movie, which is 90% likely a disaster and 10% likely a reined-in Dead Poets Society performance; Kevin Kline being such a good and subtle actor keeps the ridiculous premise from becoming a circus show of clown ideas, whereas Williams's big expressive face riding that pig would make you ask what ridiculous movie this is, and how could two people look like Robin Williams.
Displaying all 12 discussions
