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‘Swingers’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan

July 9, 2020 · Swingers (1996) · Comedy · Drama · 1:20:26

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 35:41The blackjack scene (11-minute stretch including 'Mikey's the big winner'), the breakfast/pancakes/Age of Enlightenment scene, the par 3 at Los Feliz golf scene, and the NHL video game scene
Chris Ryan▶ 36:31Agrees with and elaborates on the blackjack scene, particularly the 'Mikey's the big winner' dialogue and the gambling dynamics
Sean Fennessey▶ 39:58Contributes commentary on the golf scene at Los Feliz, discussing the restaurant and relating to the experience of playing poorly

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 53:13The Reservoir Dogs homage and Goodfellas walking through the kitchen homage have aged the worst because younger audiences might not get the jokes anymore
Sean Fennessey▶ 53:46The answering machine talking back to Mike at the beginning, and the bunny/Lorraine vision scene - these whimsical flourishes stick out and don't work as well in the otherwise intimate movie

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 59:30Dina Martin
Sean Fennessey▶ 59:37Alex Désert — Expressed support for Alex Desert, noting he was 'so money' in PCU

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:30Heather Graham — Heather Graham - 'She's in the movie for less than 10 minutes. And is lights out.'
Chris Ryan▶ 1:01:39Heather Graham — Heather Graham - Also mentioned the phone call scene with Diane Keaton bits
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:02:22Brooke Langton — Brooke Langton - 'I've always been a fan of Brooke Langton. She's got a great scene.'

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:02:52Jon Hamm — Didn't have any parts to recast, thinks they did a really nice job across the board. Only hypothetical suggestion was Jon Hamm as Sue if wanting another actor at Vaughn and Favreau's level, but still likes Sue in the movie

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:07:07Doug Liman — Doug Liman: Bourne Identity, Vince Vaughn: Wedding Crashers, Jon Favreau: Iron Man, Brooke Langton: Swingers, early underground Vegas, hockey video games, The Derby, The Dresden
Chris Ryan▶ 1:08:36Jon Favreau — Jon Favreau is living in his apex mountain for 10 years (Iron Man to Mandalorian), swing revival in general is apex

Picking Nits

Bill Simmons▶ 1:09:38Previously mentioned the Vegas drive issue, has no other nitpicks

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 1:09:48Multiple quotes including 'Did you see Boys in the Hood? Now one of us is going to get shot', the pain/healing quote, 'I'm going to find me two waitress here. I'm going to pull me a Fredo', and 'The kings are finesse team'
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:10:10Repeated the pain/healing quote about waking up and hurting less each day

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:18:41Jon Favreau — Distinguishes between micro winner (Vince Vaughn won the movie itself) and macro winner (Favreau won long-term career-wise), ultimately leans toward Favreau
Chris Ryan▶ 1:18:16Vince Vaughn — Vaughn - argues he leaps off the screen and operates at a higher level of wattage than anyone else
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:17:30Jon Favreau — Favreau - argues he needed this movie for his career more than Vaughn and it launched him to become one of Hollywood's most important power brokers

Movies Referenced (29)

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 6:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Boogie Nights (1997)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 51:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Clerks (1994)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 18:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 2:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Good Will Hunting (1997)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 57:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Goodfellas (1990)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 6:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Iron Man (2008)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 1:08:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jurassic Park (1993)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 16:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Scarface (1983)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 39:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Stand by Me (1986)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:19:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Two for the Money (2005)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Wedding Crashers (2005)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:08:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (9)

Doug Liman

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Edge of Tomorrow, Swingers, Fair Game▶ 4:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ben Affleck

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Argo, Gone Girl, The Town▶ 38:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jason Reitman

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Up in the Air, Saturday Night▶ 56:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Colorado

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Hancock▶ 32:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Quentin Tarantino

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, From Dusk Till Dawn▶ 6:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rob Reiner

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for This Is Spinal Tap, The Wolf of Wall Street▶ 39:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Spike Lee

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, She's Gotta Have It▶ 19:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Steven Spielberg

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan▶ 19:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Taylor Hackford

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Dolores Claiborne▶ 1:00:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (40)

Vince Vaughn

35 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Wedding Crashers, Couples Retreat▶ 4:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Heather Graham

16 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Boogie Nights, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me▶ 3:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ron Livingston

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for The Conjuring, Office Space▶ 40:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Woods

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Hercules, The Virgin Suicides▶ 21:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Adam Scott

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 11:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brooke Langton

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for The Replacements▶ 1:02:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jon Hamm

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Town▶ 11:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Wayne Gretzky

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 41:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Melrose

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:02:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dean Martin

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 30:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joey Bishop

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 24:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John R. Favre

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Place Beyond the Pines▶ 50:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (4)

Jon Favreau

36 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Chef, Iron Man, Swingers▶ 4:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mike White

28 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for School of Rock, The Good Girl▶ 2:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Stephen King

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Maximum Overdrive▶ 30:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 28:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Michael Grantland

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Other Guys▶ 30:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗