The Associate

1996

The Associate

Critics Consensus

No consensus yet.

28%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 18

53%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 8,176
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The Associate Photos

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Movie Info

In this comedy, a woman discovers that it's impossible to get ahead in business without a man to guide her -- so she invents one. Laurel (Whoopi Goldberg) is an expert financial analyst with a top Wall Street brokerage; however, she keeps getting passed over for raises and promotions, and she's convinced that no one at her firm takes her seriously because she's a black woman. Frustrated, Laurel and her loyal assistant Sally (Dianne Wiest) open a new firm, but Laurel discovers that her fears were based firmly in reality: male clients don't want to take financial advice from women, especially women of color. So Laurel invents a white man, Robert S. Cutty, to be the firm's top adviser. Speaking on Cutty's behalf, Laurel passes along the fictional man's advice, which her new clients find to be quite sound, and when they stop by to see him, he always manages to be out of the office (and why wouldn't a man so successful be busy?). The ruse seems to work, and soon Laurel's business is going great guns, but an increasingly large number of her clients want to see Cutty face to face, which won't be easy to pull off. However, with the help of a drag queen, Laurel tries to remake herself into Cutty for a night in order to keep her firm afloat. The Associate was based on a novel by author Jenaro Prieto.
  • Rating:
    PG-13
  • Genre:
    Comedy
  • Directed By:
    Donald Petrie
  • Written By:
    Nick Thiel
  • In Theaters:
     wide
  • On Disc/Streaming:
  • Runtime:
  • Studio:
    Hollywood Pictures

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Cast

Whoopi Goldberg
as Laurel
Dianne Wiest
as Sally
Eli Wallach
as Fallon
Tim Daly
as Frank
Helen Hanft
as Camill
George Morfogen
as Plaza Manager
Zeljko Ivanek
as SEC Agent Thompkins
Miles Chapin
as Harry
Bebe Neuwirth
as Camille Scott
Austin Pendleton
as Aesop Franklin
Lainie Kazan
as Cindy Mason
George Martin
as Walter Manchester
Ken Kerr
as Charlie
Kenny Kerr
as Charlie
Donald Trump
as Himself (uncredited)
Sally Jessy Raphael
as Herself
Lee Wilkof
as Bissel
Jean De Baer
as loan officer
Louis Turenne
as Peabody Club Concierge
William Hill
as Detective Templeton
Colleen Camp
as Detective Jones
Brian Tarantina
as Eddie
Darryl Edwards
as executive At Strip Club
Jerry Hardin
as Harley Mason
John Short
as Harley's Associate
Roy Gerson Orchestra
as Fallon Ball Band
Thomas Wagner
as Harley's Associate
Johnny Miller
as Himself
Nicholas Kepros
as Dalton
Peter McRobbie
as Executive At Strip Club
Daryl Edwards
as Executive at Strip Club
Allison Janney
as Sandy
Frederick Rolf
as Carl Bode
Lawrence Gilliard Jr.
as Plaza Bellhop Thomas
Robert Levin
as Door Slam Executive
Liana Pai
as Plaza Concierge Charlotte
Corrine Manning
as Fallon Ball Band
Vincent Laresca
as Plaza Waiter Jose
Arthur French
as Plaza Men's Room Attendant
Kathleen McClellan
as Frank's Girlfriend
Robert Levine
as Door Slam Executive
John Rothman
as Jogging Track Executive
Jonathan Freeman
as Hockey Game Executive
Socorro Santiago
as Syntonex Worker
Bernie McInerney
as Client at Cutty/Ayres
Katherine Wallach
as reporter
Leon Addison Brown
as reporter
Judith Calder
as Audience Member
Ted Brunetti
as Fallon's Messenger
Baxter Harris
as Disgruntled Investor
Craig Braun
as Disgruntled Investor
Rex Robbins
as Investor At 21 Club
Ira Wheeler
as Investor At 21 Club
Boris McGiver
as Plaza Reporter
Billy Jaye
as Plaza Reporter
Ginny Yang
as Funeral Reporter
Joel Blake
as Poker Player
Alberto Alejandrino
as Maître D' At Peabody Club
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Critic Reviews for The Associate

All Critics (18) | Top Critics (8)

  • If you were expecting Mrs. Doubtfire in reverse, invest your interest elsewhere.

    Jan 1, 2000 | Rating: 2/4
    USA Today
    Top Critic

  • Goldberg's unconvincing makeup looks like a cheap latex Halloween mask of a cross between Marlon Brando and the guy on the Quaker Oats box.

    Sep 11, 2005 | Rating: 1.5/4 | Full Review…

    Michael Dequina

    TheMovieReport.com

  • The farce promised by "The Associate" disappoints, but Goldberg and Wiest's sister act is surprisingly affirming.

    Jun 20, 2002 | Rating: 2.5/4

    Jeffrey Westhoff

    Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)
View All Critic Reviews (18)

Audience Reviews for The Associate

  • Oct 14, 2009
    Only Whoopi can play those weird and cool roles. I have seen this Movie several times never got bored. AWESOME. Diane West and Whoopi make a great team on the Screen.
    Lilo C Super Reviewer
  • Apr 25, 2008
    Dianne Wiest and Whoopi make this movie funny. I have been watching this movie for over a decade.
    Sunil J Super Reviewer
  • Apr 25, 2008
    How good do expect it to be?
    The M Super Reviewer
  • Jan 24, 2007
    i only roughly remember this one, i think it was decent but i dont care for whoopi much
    danny d Super Reviewer
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