''Gun Shy'' is a 2000 American
black comedy
Black comedy, also known as black humor, bleak comedy, dark comedy, dark humor, gallows humor or morbid humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally ...
film
written and directed by
Eric Blakeney, and starring
Liam Neeson
William John Neeson (born 7 June 1952) is an actor from Northern Ireland. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Liam Neeson, several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, BAFT ...
,
Oliver Platt
Oliver Platt (born January 12, 1960) is an American actor known for his work on stage and screen. He has been nominated for five Primetime Emmys, a Golden Globe Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and one Tony Award.
Following his acting deb ...
and
Sandra Bullock
Sandra Annette Bullock (; born July 26, 1964) is an American actress and film producer. The List of highest-paid film actors, highest-paid actress of 2010 and 2014, Sandra Bullock filmography, Bullock's filmography spans both comedy and drama, ...
.
Plot
Charlie Mayough is an undercover
DEA
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating illicit drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domes ...
agent suffering from
anxiety
Anxiety is an emotion characterised by an unpleasant state of inner wikt:turmoil, turmoil and includes feelings of dread over Anticipation, anticipated events. Anxiety is different from fear in that fear is defined as the emotional response ...
and
gastrointestinal
The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The tract is the largest of the body's systems, after the cardiovascular system. ...
problems after a bust goes wrong. During the aforementioned incident, his partner was killed and he found himself with a gun shoved in his face just before back-up arrived. Charlie, once known for his ease and almost "magical" talent on the job, is finding it very hard to return to work. His requests to be taken off the case or retire are denied by his bosses, Lonny Burke and Dexter Helvenshaw, as so much time was put into his cover. Charlie works with the dream of one day retiring to Ocean Views, a luxury housing complex with servants and utilities.
During his flight to
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, where his job will resume, another passenger strikes up a conversation with him. It turns out that this man, Dr. Jeff Bleckner, is a
psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry. Psychiatrists are physicians who evaluate patients to determine whether their symptoms are the result of a physical illness, a combination of physical and mental ailments or strictly ...
and upon arriving to New York, Charlie enlists his services. Dr. Bleckner listens to his troubles and prescribes him
anti-anxiety
An anxiolytic (; also antipanic or anti-anxiety agent) is a medication or other intervention that reduces anxiety. This effect is in contrast to anxiogenic agents which increase anxiety. Anxiolytic medications are used for the treatment of anxiet ...
medication to help him deal with stress. He also encourages him to join a
group therapy
Group psychotherapy or group therapy is a form of psychotherapy in which one or more therapists treat a small group of clients together as a group. The term can legitimately refer to any form of psychotherapy when delivered in a group format, i ...
session. At therapy, Charlie meets and befriends a group of stressed out men from the business world.
To deal with his gastrointestinal issues, Charlie goes to the doctor where he meets the free-spirited and beautiful Judy Tipp, the self-proclaimed "
Enema
An enema, also known as a clyster, is the rectal administration of a fluid by injection into the Large intestine, lower bowel via the anus.Cullingworth, ''A Manual of Nursing, Medical and Surgical'':155 The word ''enema'' can also refer to the ...
Queen" who introduces him to
alternative therapies
Alternative medicine refers to practices that aim to achieve the healing effects of conventional medicine, but that typically lack biological plausibility, testability, repeatability, or supporting evidence of effectiveness. Such practices ar ...
to his problems as well as some
romantic interest
Romance or romantic love is a feeling of love for, or a strong attraction towards another person, and the courtship behaviors undertaken by an individual to express those overall feelings and resultant emotions.
The ''Wiley Blackwell En ...
.
Back on the job, Charlie is knee-deep in negotiations for high-stakes
money laundering
Money laundering is the process of illegally concealing the origin of money obtained from illicit activities (often known as dirty money) such as drug trafficking, sex work, terrorism, corruption, and embezzlement, and converting the funds i ...
and
stock manipulation
In economics and finance, market manipulation occurs when someone intentionally alters the supply or demand of a security to influence its price. This can involve spreading misleading information, executing misleading trades, or manipulating ...
. He was brought into the group by the passionate Fidel Vaillar and his close bodyguard, Estuvio Clavo. Vaillar is a son of an important Colombian druglord and fears being viewed as a stereotype. They are dealing with an intense man with an unpredictable temper named Fulvio Nesstra who represents the
Italian mob in New York. Fulvio is the disfavored son-in-law of high-ranking Italian mobster, Carmine Minetti. Jason Cane, a young
Wall Street
Wall Street is a street in the Financial District, Manhattan, Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It runs eight city blocks between Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway in the west and South Street (Manhattan), South Str ...
-type with a plan, but poor taste, completes the group. Each thinks he understands the other players, but there is more to these characters than meets the eye.
Cast
Production
The film was produced by Bullock's production company,
Fortis Films
Fortis Films is an American film and television production company founded in 1995 by actress and producer Sandra Bullock. It is known for producing the films '' Hope Floats'' (1998), '' Miss Congeniality'' (2000), ''Two Weeks Notice'' (2002), '' ...
, and was the first film directed by Blakeney. Buena Vista Film Sales acquired and financed the film and it was distributed through
Hollywood Pictures
Hollywood Pictures Company was an American film production label of Walt Disney Studios, founded and owned by The Walt Disney Company. Established in 1989, by Disney CEO Michael Eisner and studio chief Jeffrey Katzenberg, Hollywood Pictures was ...
.
Critical reception
Elvis Mitchell
Elvis Mitchell (born December 6, 1958) is an American film critic, host of the public radio show ''The Treatment'', and visiting lecturer at Harvard University. He has served as a film critic for the ''Fort Worth Star-Telegram'', the ''LA Weekly ...
of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' was not enamored with the direction, but was fond of the writing and acting.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was released on February 4, 2000 by
Hollywood Records
Hollywood Records is an American record label owned by the Disney Music Group which focuses on pop, rock, alternative, hip hop and country genres, also specializing in recordings for a more mature audience not suitable for the flagship Wal ...
.
#Blue Skies for Everyone -
Bob Schneider
Robert Schneider (born October 12, 1965) is an Austin, Texas based musician and former lead singer of the rock band Ugly Americans. He has recorded and officially released over 20 studio albums and EPs, many on his own Shockorama Records label. He ...
#Under the Sun -
Big Kenny
William Kenneth Alphin (born November 1, 1963), best known by his stage name Big Kenny, is an American country music singer. He and John Rich (musician), John Rich comprise the duo Big & Rich, who recorded four studio albums and charted fifteen s ...
#Drunk is Better Than Dead -
The Push Stars
#Round & Round - Bob Schneider
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Los Lobos
Los Lobos (, Spanish for "the Wolves") is a Mexican American rock group, rock band from East Los Angeles, California. Their music is influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country, zydeco, folk, R&B, blues, brown-eyed soul, and traditional ...
#Is It Too Late? -
World Party
World Party was a musical group, predominantly the solo project of its sole consistent member, the songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Karl Wallinger.
#More Than Rain -
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on society's underworld and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He began in the American folk music, fo ...
#
It's a Man's Man's Man's World
"It's a Man's Man's Man's World" is a song written by James Brown and Betty Jean Newsome. Brown recorded it on February 16, 1966, in a New York City studio and released it as a single later that year. It reached No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' R&B c ...
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James Brown
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...
#Staysha Brown - The Scabs
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I'm Your Boogie Man
"I'm Your Boogie Man" is a song written and produced by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch, and performed by Casey's band KC and the Sunshine Band, from their fourth album '' Part 3'' (1976).
Background
Richard Finch said that the song was wri ...
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KC and the Sunshine Band
KC and the Sunshine Band is an American disco and funk band that was founded in 1973 in Hialeah, Florida. Their best-known songs include the hits " Get Down Tonight", " That's the Way (I Like It)", " (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty", ...
#
Start the Commotion
"Start the Commotion" is a song by British electronic music duo The Wiseguys, from their second album '' The Antidote''. It was released as a single in the UK in 1998, and peaked at #66 on the UK Singles Chart. A re-release the following year ga ...
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The Wiseguys
The Wiseguys were a British electronic duo active in the mid to late 1990s. They only released one proper album together, as their sophomore album, '' The Antidote'', was solely produced by Touché. This album included the hits " Start the Co ...
#Caro Mio Ben - Helga Bullock
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gun Shy
2000 films
2000 directorial debut films
Hollywood Pictures films
American crime comedy films
Films about psychiatry
Films set in New York City
Films produced by Sandra Bullock
Films scored by Rolfe Kent
2000s English-language films
2000s American films