Swingers (1996)
Average Rating: 7.7/10
Reviews Counted: 52
Fresh: 45 | Rotten: 7
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: 7.8/10
Critic Reviews: 12
Fresh: 10 | Rotten: 2
No consensus yet.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.8/5
User Ratings: 56,100
My Rating
Movie Info
A knowing examination of the psyche of the modern American male, Doug Liman's debut comedy Swingers stars screenwriter Jon Favreau as the sensitive Mike, a struggling actor and stand-up comic looking for romance in the wake of the dissolution of a six-year relationship. Against his better judgment, he hits the town with his pal Trent (Vince Vaughn, in a star-making performance), a retro-hip smooth-talker who calls women "babies" and feels compelled to illustrate to Mike the error of his
Oct 18, 1996 Wide
Jul 21, 1998
Miramax Films
Watch It Now
Cast
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Jon Favreau
Mike -
Vince Vaughn
Trent -
Ron Livingston
Rob -
Patrick Van Horn
Sue -
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Heather Graham
Lorraine -
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All Critics (53) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (46) | Rotten (7) | DVD (24)
Four guys hang out, kid one another, get into scuffles and flash their gonadal searchlight for available women. Yikes, haven't there been enough variations on the multiple-buddy movie? Actually, no.
Top CriticA winningly confident snapshot of the nightlives of a bunch of young showbiz wannabes in a very upto-the-minute Hollywood.
Ninety minutes spent learning how not to pick up girls. This is what the movies were made for, isn't it?
Mr. Favreau wrote this screenplay with his real friends in mind. And the cast's camaraderie is appealingly clear.
A guy film that gives you something to latch onto, that makes male bonding both believable and appealing.
It's no masterpiece, but it's real.
It's not the most creative of plots, but it captures a generation and the down-on-your-luck-in-so-many-ways motif effectively: it's like comfort food, with more heart than Liman usually provides.
Director-cinematographer Doug Liman gets points for breathing a bit of life into an already tired indie sub genre.
One of the sharpest male-oriented comedies of the 1990s.
The arc is nothing new, but the writing and pacing make it fresh and energetic, at least enough for it to have became a cult classic.
Liman and Favreau concoct a consciously derivative world for these guys, and though it's appropriate to the movie, I got tired of it after a while.
Directed in flair by Doug Liman, with winning performances from Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn, this comedy is the most successful since Diner of what could be described as a cycle of "walking and talking" and "hanging out" pictures.
This exercise in indie hipster cool is 'money'--and that's no joke, baby.
This movie is definitely "money," baby!
Blessed with a brilliantly quotable screenplay, one of the most electric and insightful ever written.
Shows that honesty and humanity aren't incompatible with comedy in modern Hollywood.
A Swinging good time! Vaughn is a revelation
Audience Reviews for Swingers
Super Reviewer
Wannabe actors become regulars in the stylish neo-lounge scene; Trent teaches his friend Mike the unwritten rules of the scene.
REVIEW
When released in 1996, "Swingers" became an indie film sensation on par with "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" and "Reservoir Dogs" earlier. To be honest, it didn't really deserve that status, because it doesn't have the power either of those flicks held. Still, its quite enjoyable and easy to see why it became a favorite among dissatisfied twenty something males, with whom the flick touched a nerve. The characters spend their time cruising the hip nightspots of Hollywood trying to pick up chicks, and often failing either due to their bloated egoism or social awkwardness. Some critics of the film thought it was a bit misogynistic, and maybe it was, but it was also a rather accurate depiction of how many males in similar circumstances feel.
The technical credits all around are quite good for a low-budget picture. The direction by Doug Liman isn't anything extraordinary, but it keeps the film moving at a quick pace. Its a shame that after this and the equally enjoyable "Go", he graduated to lousy mainstream products. The script by Jon Favreau is full of memorable dialog, classic scenes, and surprisingly a sympathetic protagonist. As the main character, Favreau creates a likable individual and Vaughn is charismatic here, but hasn't really done anything worthwhile since. All in all, this isn't an extremely powerful motion picture or anything like that, but its a breezy and amusing way to kill an hour and a half.
Super Reviewer
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- Mike: The whole Judy Garland thing kinda turned me on. Does that make me some kind of fag?
- Trent: No baby, you're money.
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- Mike: And I'm supposed to be all happy cause she's wearing a knapsack.
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- Rob: After a while you start to miss the pain. Because just like her, you spent so long with it.
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- Mike: Well how long are you guys gonna wait to call your babies?
- Trent: Six Days. [Simultaneous]
- Sue: Six Days. [Simultaneous]
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- Mike: Haven't you seen Boyz N The Hood? Now one of us is going to get shot.
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- Mike: Trent, the beautiful babies don't work the midnight to six shift on a Wednesday. This is like the skank shift.
Discussion Forum
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Latest News on Swingers
September 19, 2008:
Favreau, Vaughn Reunite for Couples TherapyJon Favreau has lined up his "Swingers" buddy Vince Vaughn -- as well as Jason Bateman and Faizon...
April 23, 2008:
Top Ten Vegas FilmsPrepare for the upcoming release of the Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher romantic comedy, What...
April 28, 2006:
Favreau to Direct "Iron Man"The Hollywood Reporter indicates that "Elf" & "Zathura" director Jon Favreau...
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If it isn't enough that he wrote a darn good screenplay, Favreau plays the lead character, Mike, admirably. He's a lovable dude, even when you can't believe some of the idiocy on display when he's in his relationship funk. And that voicemail scene?! Ouch. I almost wanted to block out the screen, while laughing out loud at the same time. Surely the most memorable Favreau scene in his filmography.
The movie transitions very nicely from this buddy ensemble to a sweet romance in one scene at the bar, and you can't help but cheer when he hangs up on his ex, knowing that he's ready to move on.
Money, baby, money!