The Boost (1988)

Director:

Harold Becker

Writers (WGA):

Ben Stein (book)
Darryl Ponicsan (screenplay)

Release Date:

23 December 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Imagine having all the power, passion and pleasure money can buy. Now imagine losing them.

Plot:

Lenny Brown moves to California to find his fortune in tax shelter investments. When the federal government changes the tax laws...

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | Drug Addiction | Cocaine | Hospital | Domestic Violence

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

James Woods	...	Lenny Brown
Sean Young	...	Linda Brown
John Kapelos	...	Joel Miller
Steven Hill	...	Max Sherman
Kelle Kerr	...	Rochelle
John Rothman	...	Ned
Amanda Blake	...	Barbara
Grace Zabriskie	...	Sheryl
Marc Poppel	...	Mark
Fred McCarren	...	Tom
Suzanne Kent	...	Helen
Libby Boone	...	Delores
Greg Deason	...	Michael
David N. Preston	...	Surfer (as David Preston)
June Chandler	...	Secretary

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:R | USA:R (certificate #29541) | Finland:K-16 | UK:18 | West Germany:16 | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Hemdale Film

Trivia:

The first shot of the movie was actually the last one filmed; it is also the only shot actually filmed in New York City. The rest of the movie's NYC scenes were filmed in Los Angeles because the crew was on such a tight budget.

Quotes:

Max: I live where the money is. You don't think this NYC crowd would have anything to do with me unless I could move millions of bucks around, do you...? Does your wife work?
Lenny: Yeah, she has a great job.
Max: Lucky for you.
Lenny: I do all right. Everything I do is just a lot chancier, that's all.
Max: You just probably haven't found the right products yet, the right territory.

Movie Connections:

References Svengali (1931)

Woods at his finest

Another great performance by Woods, first playing his typical schemer who this time gets a lucky break to go to LA and be respectable and even rich. He's now a fast-talking real estate salesman who still has no self esteem, but for the first time has the money to buy the look that can kind of hide it. Unfortunately, the paper reports the tax laws might be changed, so the incredibly profitable business of selling real estate so people can get a tax exemption dries up overnight. Woods is left with no money because he's p****d it away on planes and other luxuries. Woods and then his wife Sean Young become druggies and their life continually spirals down until it reaches rock bottom with disillusion, no future, and no life beyond the drugs. They are left with nothing, but each other, except Woods always knew she was too good for him, so she is the final domino in his now sad life that's left to fall. Woods is the best at making you think he could crack at any moment. He's always trying to get ahead, but at the same time you know he's always on the verge of snapping and totally screwing his life up. The portrayal of Woods & Young's drug addiction is dark and unsettling, but that makes it so much more convincing.