Tagline: When there’s no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth.
Envy movie storyline. After delivering a critical and box-office hit with 2001’s Bandits, director Barry Levinson once again takes on the comedy genre with Envy. The film stars Ben Stiller and Jack Black as Tim Dingman and Nick Vanderpark, two middle-class working stiffs and life-long pals.
When Nick comes up with an invention that does away with pet droppings, he and his wife, Natalie (Amy Poehler), suddenly find themselves obscenely rich. However, Tim has a hard time getting used to his friend’s good fortune and becomes jealous, putting an increasing amount of tension between the two. Also starring Rachel Weisz, Envy was written by first-time screenwriter Steve Adams from an idea concocted by Adams and Seinfeld creator Larry David.
“The interesting thing about envy,” director / producer Barry Levinson observes, “is that it’s part of the human condition. We try to deny it, to hide it, to cover it up, but it’s in all of us. Early on, when I read the script for ‘Envy,’ I thought it was an interesting fable-like story about two best friends. One says, ‘I have this great idea; come on in with me.’ His friends answers, ‘Are you crazy? Of the 50 terrible ideas you’ve had, that has to be the stupidest. The next thing you know, that stupid, little idea becomes worth millions and millions of dollars. Where do they go from there? I thought that was worthwhile exploring in a comedic fashion.”
Screenwriter Steve Adams admits, “I generally want the scripts I write to be about things that concern me, too, and this story began with my own envy of other people’s successes. I found out it’s a common theme. When I would talk to other people about it, they knew just what I was talking about. In this case, it is the kind of envy that comes between two longtime friends who share everything…even their jobs. They are just everymen—guys who work together, come home, and wistfully dream of having more. Then this thing happens and one of them does get more…much more.”
Envy is a 2004 American comedy film directed by Barry Levinson. It stars Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Rachel Weisz, Amy Poehler, Ving Rhames, Christopher Walken, Ariel Gade, Sam Lerner, Lily Jackson, Connor Matheus and Hector Elias.
Envy (2004)
Directed by: Barry Levinson
Starring: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Rachel Weisz, Amy Poehler, Ving Rhames, Christopher Walken, Ariel Gade, Sam Lerner, Lily Jackson, Connor Matheus, Hector Elias
Screenplay by: Steve Adams
Production Design by: Victor Kempster
Cinematography by: Tim Maurice-Jones
Film Editing by: Blair Daily, Stu Linder
Costume Design by: Gloria Gresham
Set Decoration by: Ronald R. Reiss
Art Direction by: Seth Reed
Music by: Mark Mothersbaugh
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language and sexual/crude humor.
Distributed by: DreamWorks Pictures
Release Date: April 30, 2004
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