MovieChat Forums > Big Trouble (2002) Discussion > Tricky Business, pick the cast (or Big T...

Tricky Business, pick the cast (or Big Trouble)


I read Dave Barry's book, and was like, you know this would be an awesome movie, and then I started thinking just when i was bored once about who should play who in the movie. And then I was shocked one day when I was browsing comedies at blockbuster, to discover that someone had stole my idea, and already made a movie. Oddly enough, i think the guy who made the movie and me picked some of the same actors, particularly Janine Garofolo and Patrick Waterburton, for the lead guy, instead of Tim Allen, I thought the part should go to the guy from Office Space, Ron Livingston, and I pictured Harry and Leonard being black. I don't remember much else, oh, I do remember, I had Jack Black as Puggy.

Maybe they should really do these Dave Barry books justice by turning Tricky Business into a movie with a more thorough effort, and this really is a pretty fun exercize, let's try to pick the cast for Tricky Business:
Wally-Thinking of someone blonde, kind of a deadbeat, looks about 25, thinking Owen Wilson, Paul Walker, and although he's not blonde maybe Josh Duhamel from Las Vegas
Bandmates Ted, Jonny, and Jock-I'd say Will Ferrell for Jock, he has no problem with showing himself naked, can play a big disgusting dumb guy and do something with it, I think Kids in the Hall's Bruce McCollough can play Jonny, the idiot in the hospital with the contusion, and Ted, couldn't really place my finger, thinking of maybe a redhead (I see redhead, because Ted played the piano and piano players are usually smarter and more intellectual, keyboardists usually took classical piano lessons at some point) maybe Seth Green, if his asking pirce isn't too high
Fay-I'm thinking Virginia Madsen, she's quiet, good looking in a very unnoticeable way, but more someone whose strong, independent personality overshadows her good looks, I was also thinking Tea Leoni
Mara-Betty Schram from Monk, maybe, kind of like the low-class Jersey accent waittress thing, I was also thinking Edie Falco since she played a worn-out Floridian so well in Sunshine State
Joe, the bartender-Joe Mantenga from Joan of Arcadia
Eddie-Rob Lowe has that part written all over him, that was just my take
Lou Tarant-Chaz Palemintri, guy from the Vanilla Coke commercials, their are a good number of people who just play standardized mob parts, i'm sure that if this were made into a movie, those guys would be cast into this movie, cause there are so many mob parts to fill
Billy Kemp-I'm thinking William H. Macy, he had that kind of misplaced cockiness and had the voice i waas hearing in my head when i read this, from his part i Seabiscuit as the announcer, and it might be a stretch for him to play Billy Kemp, but Kemp was a character in the book who was hard to pinpoint and Macy could make that part really unique, also I hear Macy is trying to break out of parts that have him typecast as a loser
Arnie and Phil-I think it's tough to find old guys nowadays, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau would have been perfect for those parts 3 or 4 years ago when they were still alive, how sad

So to review: Wally-not sure, so far Josh Duhamel, Owen Wilson, and Paul Walker are leading candidates, Fay-Virginia Madsen, Johnny-Bruce McCollough, Jock-Will Ferrell, Ted-Seth Green, Lou Tarant-Chaz Palimientri, Billy Kemp-William H Macy, Mara-Betty Schram, Arnie and Phil-No clue, Eddie-Rob Lowe
Your thoughts?

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I agree that Scott-101 is the biggest moron ever.

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ok, fill me in, what did the previous guy say about my moronicness, that you agree with exactly? his post is deleted and i haven't checked this thread for a long time now, so i never saw it in the first place.

i was kind of frustrated that no one responded to my post, so rechecking this, i thought it was cool that someone actually responded, even if it was negative. That's why i'm asking what the previous person said and you agree with, cause i'd be glad to hear it even if i'm apparently a moron, or wahtever.

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Tricky Business had me laughing aloud and reading bits of it to my husband. The scenes where the guys are watching the news reports of the hurricane and commenting on it...Priceless. And the nursing home stuff! It would make a good movie.

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Good idea and good choices. I prefer Tricky Business to Big Trouble, and I think it deserves a better movie.

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I've been thinking about this for a while. Here are some ideas.

Wally- I could actually see Jason Lee returning in the Dave Barry saga to play this role. However, they may need someone who can play guitar, which instantly brings to mind Adam Sandler. I think Wally might be a role he could pull off, as long as he doesn't transform the movie into a typical Adam Sandler-type movie.

Johnny- John Hawkes comes to mind. It would be a different sort of movie for him, but he could easily play a slightly aggressive stoner. I think the thing that made me think of him originally is the fact that Johnny's always saying "Oh, MAN" when he's scared, and I could really hear John Hawkes saying that. The only problem is that he may be a little too old for the role. Still looks pretty young though.

Ted- He's tricky to place. David Herman (Michael Bolton from Office Space) could be funny in this role. He'd be good for the exceedingly pointless arguments.

Jock- Even trickier. You need a good-looking guy who can be naked, act stupid, and be funny while doing it. Pass for now.

Fay- Maybe Jennifer Aniston.

Mara Purvis- I could see Jennifer Lopez, maybe.

Tina- Just get any Playboy playmate, for goodness' sake.

Eddie- I agree with whoever suggested Rob Lowe before, although Eddie's tough to find a *perfect* actor for. We'll leave it at Rob Lowe.

Lou Tarant- I also agree with the choice of Chazz Palmintieri.

Bobby Kemp- I'm thinking Joel Gretsch. He'd be perfect.

Arnie and Phil- Would have had to been Lemmon and Matthau, but unfortunately we're too late. There aren't any good geriatric actors anymore! Shortly after reading this book, I thought Jason Robards would be great for Arnie, but then someone told me he died a few years ago! Pass due to lack of availability.

Tark- The key is to find someone who can really be evil. One big improvement of Tricky Business from Big Trouble was that Barry realized that not every character has to be funny in comic novels. Tark is really, really evil and that makes me care. I never liked Tom Sizemore's portrayal of Snake in the movie because he makes Snake look like too much of a goof. I bet Gary Sinise could pull off the Tark role well. I'll go with him.

First Officer Hank Wilde- I smell another Big Trouble reprisal. Andy Richter for this role, all the way.

Bartender Joe Sarmino- Tony Freakin' Danza. 'Nuff said.

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All good choices, after I read Tricky Business, I really think they should make it a movie. However, how about Steve Buscemi for Bobby Kemp? He would be good for that role! For Arni and Phil, we can have Leslie Neilson and Peter Boyle from Everyone Loves Raymond! Those two would be gold! For Jock, well, maybe Johnny Knoxville.

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I can't see Steve Buscemi as Bobby Kemp. Only in the beginning when he's stealing the airbags and stuff, but I couldn't see him as a rich guy who tells off Lou Tarant. I actually think Steve Buscemi could be a decent choice for Tark, though not as good as Gary Sinise.

Also, I'm starting to think that David Koechner may be an even better option for Hank Wilde than Andy Richter.

And Brian Anthony Wilson might be a good choice for Frank.

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What about Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner for Arnie and Phil?

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I usually favor unknowns, since for all you know there's an ordinary person good for the part you want (the guy who played Superman in Superman Returns was a bartender in Iowa). I don't know about Will Ferrell as Jock, since Jock was supposed to be really smooth. Maybe Chris Evans or the guy who played Captain Jack in the new Doctor Who and Torchwood series?

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