Taglines: Fate made them hostages. The media made them stars.
S.F.W. movie storyline. Cliff Spab is a guy who doesn’t really care about anything. He gets held hostage at a store for 36 days by terrorists, who demand that the entire thing be broadcast on national television. Cliff ends up taking a bullet for fellow hostage Wendy – making him a national hero. The two are the sole survivors of the ordeal, and soon become prisoners of the media. Cliff escapes it all, only to find himself being pushed further away from Wendy when he needs her most.
S.F.W. (or So Fucking What) is a 1994 film directed by Jefery Levy. Based on a novel by Andrew Wellman, it stars Stephen Dorff, Reese Witherspoon, Jake Busey, Joey Lauren Adams, Pamela Gidley, Jack Noseworthy, Richard Portnow, Richard Portnow and Annie McEnroe.
About the Story
Cliff Spab and his friend Joe Dice go out one evening to buy beer from a convenience store, where a group of masked and heavily armed terrorists take them and three other people hostage. The terrorists, who call themselves S.P.L.I.T. Image (a play on “Split Image”), have a video camera with which they tape their hostages’ every word and action.
During a month-long standoff with the police, S.P.L.I.T. Image’s only demand is that their broadcasts be televised live worldwide TV, or else the hostages will be killed. S.P.L.I.T. Image makes good on said threat by killing two of the hostages. Cliff, Joe, and a beautiful teenage girl named Wendy Pfister are the only surviving captives. After 36 days, Cliff becomes indifferent to being killed. He says repeatedly, “So Fucking What?”, in reply to his captors’ death-threats. The coverage of this makes Cliff a media icon.
The movie skips forward to a hospital. Cliff has shot his way to freedom, taking a bullet in the shoulder while Joe has been killed. Despite his friend’s demise, Cliff is branded a hero for saving Wendy and killing the terrorists. He’s picked up from the hospital by his brother Scott. He is welcomed awkwardly by his domineering father and weak-willed mother. Cliff soon becomes disenchanted with the reporters camped on his front lawn and moves out.
Back on the street, Cliff finds his life changed forever by the convenience store incident. His line – abbreviated as S.F.W. – is on banners, newspapers, CDs, and billboard advertisements. At Burger Boy, the fast food restaurant where he works, Cliff finds his name and image posted alongside a “Special $.36 Spaburger” (named after him), being marketed in commemoration of his 36 days in captivity.
Cliff visits Joe’s older sister Monica. She resents the media idolization directed at Cliff, while her deceased brother has gotten neither sympathy nor attention. Cliff spends a night of empty passion with Monica. He visits another friend, Morrow Streeter, who lets Cliff hide out at the elegant home of his lawyer-sister Janet. She advises Cliff to exploit his notoriety for personal gain.
Completely lacking in any sense of purpose, Cliff hitchhikes out of Los Angeles. He gets a ride with a disaffected couple, who confide with him about their marital troubles. Realizing that running from his problems is pointless because they will follow him everywhere, Cliff discovers the inspiration he has been seeking. Using his celebrity status to his advantage, Cliff checks into a fancy hotel; when he offers to promote the establishment, he is given a free suite. Cliff holds press conferences, makes public appearances, holds autograph signings, and generally portrays himself as a rebel.
S.F.W.(1995)
Directed by: Jefery Levy
Starring: Stephen Dorff, Reese Witherspoon, Jake Busey, Joey Lauren Adams, Pamela Gidley, Jack Noseworthy, Richard Portnow, Richard Portnow, Annie McEnroe
Screenplay by: Danny Rubin, Jefery Levy
Production Design by: Eve Cauley
Cinematography by: Peter Deming
Film Editing by: Lauren Zuckerman
Costume Design by: Debra McGuire
Set Decoration by: Sandy Struth
Art Direction by: Philip Messina
Music by: Graeme Revell
MPAA Rating: R for pervasive strong language, scenes of brutal violence, constant drug and alcohol use and some sexuality.
Distributed by: Gramercy Pictures, Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Release Date: January 20, 1995
Hits: 138
