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‘Dave,’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Amanda Dobbins

February 18, 2019 · Dave (1993) · Comedy · Romance · 1:14:04

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

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Casting What-Ifs

Amanda Dobbins▶ 6:05Kevin Kline — Praises Kevin Kline's versatility in being able to 'adjust the dials' - turn on 20% Robin Williams energy when needed but also be earnest, romantic, or villainous as required
Bill Simmons▶ 4:24Robin Williams — Robin Williams was almost cast in the lead role, but thinks it would have been 90% likely to be a disaster, with only 10% chance Williams would have reigned it in like in Dead Poets Society
Sean Fennessey▶ 4:45Robin Williams — Robin Williams would have been fine but too broad - his big expressive face would have made the ridiculous premise into a circus show of clown ideas about American politics

Most Rewatchable Scene

Amanda Dobbins▶ 25:33When Dave and Sigourney Weaver are pulled over by cops and sing 'Tomorrow' from Annie
Bill Simmons▶ 24:09The 'I would have taken a bullet for you' scene between Dave and Ving Rhames' character
Sean Fennessey▶ 25:44Mentioned the homeless shelter scene as a nominee but didn't give a clear final pick

What's Aged the Best

Amanda Dobbins▶ 32:31Kevin Kline's performance - he walks a fine tonal line that not many people could pull off and created its own brand of comedy
Bill Simmons▶ 34:06The cameos (Oliver Stone, Tip O'Neill, Jay Leno, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the McLaughlin Group, Camden Yards, Ben Stein, Paul Simon)
Sean Fennessey▶ 30:49The score/music - it feels completely of a moment, reminds him of The Firm score where they don't make those kinds of scores anymore

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 35:53Jay Leno's cameo and joke delivery in the movie
Sean Fennessey▶ 36:30Agrees that Jay Leno was bad, noting he wasn't funny even in 1993

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 37:57Oliver Stone
Sean Fennessey▶ 38:07Bonnie Hunt

Half-Assed Internet Research

Amanda Dobbins▶ 38:36Analyzes White House residence sets, noting Dave's president bedroom looks completely different from Sorkin projects (American President/West Wing), describes Dave's bedroom as large with red velvet but poor spatial relationships compared to more livable Sorkin version
Bill Simmons▶ 38:30Shares multiple trivia facts including: Oval Office set reused 25+ times, Clinton loved the film and gave Ross signed script, Obama said he loves Dave because it makes presidency look fun, Nelson Rockefeller died during encounter with young assistant, Woodrow Wilson's wife essentially ran presidency for 2 years after his stroke, and Reitman's family appeared as VP Nance's family
Sean Fennessey▶ 40:30Comments that Clinton can't be trusted when he says he likes something because he's 'famously full of shit,' questions Obama's quote about the movie making presidency look fun when Obama actually did the job, and clarifies Rockefeller wasn't in office when he died

Apex Mountain

Amanda Dobbins▶ 46:47Kevin Kline — Voted no on Kevin Kline for Dave, but specific reasoning not detailed in transcript
Bill Simmons▶ 46:16Kevin Kline — Yes for Kevin Kline - Dave is his Apex Mountain, more power after this movie than A Fish Called Wanda
Sean Fennessey▶ 46:18Grand Canyon — Grand Canyon for Kevin Kline - five years after his Oscar, still close enough to peak power

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 59:07You're a flea. You're a blip.

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:07:06Kevin Kline — Kevin Kline, with a stealth case for Ivan Reitman
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:07:11Kevin Kline — Kevin Kline (agreed with Bill)

Movies Referenced (47)

A Lot Like Love (2005)

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:09:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

No Strings Attached (2011)

6 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins▶ 1:08:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Vice (2018)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, Sean Fennessey▶ 14:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)

5 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons▶ 1:12:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dracula (1992)

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 47:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Big Chill (1983)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 5:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ghostbusters (1984)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 10:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

God Bless America (2011)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 20:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Grand Canyon (1991)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 5:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Independence Day (1996)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 3:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Death Wish (2018)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 9:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kindergarten Cop (1990)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 10:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (8)

Ivan Reitman

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Up in the Air, Ghostbusters▶ 10:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Oliver Stone

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Born on the Fourth of July, Platoon, JFK▶ 29:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Frank Capra

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for It's a Wonderful Life, It Happened One Night▶ 2:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Costner

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves▶ 5:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jason Reitman

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Up in the Air, Saturday Night▶ 45:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Warren Beatty

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Heaven Can Wait▶ 37:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Corner

1 mentions · Amanda Dobbins · Known for The Saint, Open Your Eyes▶ 16:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Smith

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Clerks, Chasing Amy▶ 33:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (61)

Kevin Kline

31 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Wild Wild West, Dave, A Fish Called Wanda▶ 3:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Charles Grodin

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Midnight Run▶ 11:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Frank Langella

12 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 22:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robin Williams

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Mrs. Doubtfire▶ 4:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ving Rhames

9 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Pulp Fiction, Bringing Out the Dead▶ 11:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ashton Kutcher

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, Sean Fennessey · Known for A Lot Like Love▶ 1:08:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sigourney Weaver

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Avatar, Alien▶ 0:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jay Leno

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Dave, Space Cowboys▶ 29:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Donald Trump

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Home Alone 2: Lost in New York▶ 1:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jason Biggs

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for American Pie▶ 1:11:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jon Hamm

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Town▶ 33:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Dunn

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Transformers, Warrior, Chain Reaction▶ 48:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (5)

Gary Ross

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Hunger Games▶ 11:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Aaron Sorkin

4 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Sean Fennessey · Known for A Few Good Men▶ 39:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Richard Nixon

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, Sean Fennessey▶ 18:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 14:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Woodrow Wilson

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 42:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (2)

Peter Kovic

3 mentions · ▶ 0:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Hannah Jell

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Black Widow▶ 11:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗