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Dummy streaming

2002 Movie United States Drama, Romance, Comedy 91 min Ages 17+
By: Greg Pritikin With: Illeana Douglas, Adrien Brody, Ron Leibman, Jessica Walter, Milla Jovovich

Steven, nearly 30 and living with his parents, sees an old Edgar Bergen movie on TV and decides to fulfill his longtime dream of becoming a ventriloquist. His beautiful unemployment counselor Lorena finds him work, but puts out a restraining order on him when he paints a thank-you note on her door. Later, this young mother agrees to date him anyway, but finds his bickering family, and his inexperience with women, daunting to a relationship. Steven's sister Heidi is a wedding planner with a drunken ex-fiancé who keeps showing up at the door. His friend Fangora is a pseudo-punk rocker whose sex does not prevent her from giving him terrible advice about women. The wedding of a Jewish girl, who wants Klezmer music and gets something unexpected, will become a turning point in everyone's lives.

Filmium rating
60%

Mood

Charming
Entertaining
Heartwarming
Light
Lighthearted
Romantic

Cast & Crew

Greg Pritikin
Jessica Walter
Milla Jovovich
Jared Harris
Illeana Douglas
Ron Leibman
Vera Farmiga
Adrien Brody

Budget

Independent Film
Low-Budget

Cinematic Technique

Character Focus
Live Performance
Live Ventriloquism
Naturalistic Performance
On-Location Filming
Ventriloquism

Narrative Structure

Linear
Slice Of Life

Pace

Balanced
Character-Focused
Moderate
Moderate Pace
Steady

Runtime

Around 90 Minutes
Short Film

Soundtrack

Character Themes
Original Score

Style

Character-Driven
Drama
Romantic Comedy
Slice Of Life

Time-Period

2000S
Early 2000S

Central Conflict

Career Change
Romantic Pursuit
Social Anxiety

Characters

Ex-Office Worker
Punk Singer
Unemployed Individuals
Ventriloquist

Ending

Hopeful
Personal Growth
Positive

Historical Context

Early 2000S
Post-2000 Tech Era

Key Plot Points

Discovery Of Ventriloquism
Family Dynamics
Romantic Interest

Plot

Personal Growth
Romantic Pursuit
Unemployment
Ventriloquism

Setting

Contemporary
New York City
Theater
Urban
Urban Environment

Shooting Location

Long Island
New York City
Wayne, New Jersey

Theme

Friendship
Overcoming Challenges
Overcoming Social Anxiety
Personal Growth
Pursuit Of Happiness
Self-Discovery

Genre

Drama
Independent Film
Romantic Comedy

Audiences

Adults
Family
Romantic Comedy Fans
Teens

Titles

Dummy

Box Office Success

$71,646 Total
Modest Earnings

Critical Reception

Charming Performances
Mixed Reviews
Positive

Festivals

American Film Market

Popularity

Cult Following
Independent Film

Ratings

48/100 Metacritic
71% Rotten Tomatoes

Reception

71% Rotten Tomatoes
Independent Film
Limited Release
Mixed Reception
Positive Reviews

Production Countries

United States

Release Year

2002
mowizz ID: 7a01584d-4566-464a-991f-c26457151b62
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