Searching for Mr. Rugoff

Name: Searching for Mr. Rugoff
Genre: Documentary
Released: August 13, 2021
Duration: 94 min
Rating: 77
Cast: Bea Brydson, Costa-Gavras, Elyce Bonnell, Ira Deutchman, Jean Donnelly

2021

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Generally favorable reviews based on 5 Critic Reviews

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Searching For Mr. Rugoff

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Movie Details & Credits

| Release Date: August 13, 2021 | Not Rated

Starring: Bea Brydson, Costa-Gavras, Elyce Bonnell, Ira Deutchman, Jean Donnelly, Jerome Gary, John Goldstone, Nat Chediak, Peter Broderick, Robert Downey Sr.

Summary: Searching for Mr. Rugoff is the story of Donald Rugoff, who was the crazy genius behind Cinema 5, the mid-century theater chain and film distribution company. Rugoff was a difficult (some would say impossible) person but was also the man who kicked art films into the mainstream with outrageous marketing schemes and pure bluster. Rugoff'sSearching for Mr. Rugoff is the story of Donald Rugoff, who was the crazy genius behind Cinema 5, the mid-century theater chain and film distribution company. Rugoff was a difficult (some would say impossible) person but was also the man who kicked art films into the mainstream with outrageous marketing schemes and pure bluster. Rugoff's impact on cinema culture in the United States is inestimable, and his influence on the art film business-from the studio classics divisions to the independent film movement to the rise of the Weinsteins-is undeniable. Yet, mysteriously, Rugoff has become a virtually forgotten figure. The story is told through the eyes of former employee Ira Deutchman, who sets out to find the truth about the man who had such a major impact on his life, and to understand how such an important figure could have disappeared so completely.… Expand

Director: Ira Deutchman

Genre(s): Documentary

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 94 min

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Critic Reviews

RogerEbert.com Godfrey Cheshire

Aug 16, 2021

Filmmaker Ira Deutchman offers a compelling biographical portrait of a highly influential New York movie theater owner and independent film distributor that is, by extension, a study of the importance and complexities of creative film marketing. Read full review

Anthony Lane

Aug 16, 2021

Searching for Mr. Rugoff is an entertaining and instructive jaunt, and it bristles with small shocks. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Aug 3, 2021

The portrait that emerges is of a guy who could tell you why you’d want to see “Putney Swope,” and how he’d sell it to the masses, but not somebody you’d want to work for or ever suffer through a disgusting meal with. Read full review

Nicolas Rapold

Aug 12, 2021

As someone who grew up going to some of the theaters Rugoff once ran — which included Cinema I and II and the Beekman, among others — I got the warm-and-fuzzies from seeing the love here for moviegoing and exhibition, which he goosed with gonzo showmanship. Read full review

IndieWire Kristen Lopez

Aug 13, 2021

Searching for Mr. Rugoff often feels like inside baseball for film buffs, but if you’re of that group you’ll be charmed by it. The loss of theaters feels particularly acute at the moment and that too should also make this loving documentary feel even more poignant. Read full review

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