The Good Night is a 2007 fantasy comedy-drama film written and directed by Jake Paltrow. The film stars his sister Gwyneth Paltrow, Penélope Cruz, Martin Freeman, Danny DeVito, Simon Pegg and others. The movie takes place in London and New York City, where a former pop star (Freeman) who now writes commercial jingles for a living experiences a mid-life crisis.

The Good Night
The Good Night Promotional Movie Poster (United States)
Directed byJake Paltrow
Written byJake Paltrow
Produced byDonna Gigliotti
William J. Johnson
StarringMartin Freeman
Penélope Cruz
Gwyneth Paltrow
Simon Pegg
Danny DeVito
CinematographyGiles Nuttgens
Edited byRick Lawley
Music byAlec Puro
Production
company
Inferno International
Distributed byYari Film Group
Destination Films
Release dates
  • January 25, 2007 (2007-01-25) (Sundance Film Festival)
  • October 5, 2007 (2007-10-05) (United States)
Running time
93 min
CountriesUnited Kingdom
United States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$15 million
Box office$508,084

The movie was released on the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.

Plot

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The movie follows a man's search for perfection in a world where life rarely measures up to the idealized images that constantly bombard us.

Gary Shaller (Freeman), who gained commercial success in the past as the keyboard player in the band "On the One", is in a failing relationship with Dora (Gwyneth Paltrow), and working for his former bandmate Paul (Simon Pegg), writing and recording commercial jingles. Gary is having lucid dreams about a woman named Anna (Penélope Cruz), with whom he is deeply infatuated. He learns more about lucid dreaming by buying books and attending classes taught by lucid-dreaming guru, Mel (Danny DeVito).

Gary eventually discovers that the girl he dreams about does, in fact, exist. Paul arranges for Gary to meet her, but this proves disappointing, as she fails to live up to the expectations that Gary has built up in his dreams of her. He eventually continues to dream about her, even soundproofs his apartment, and makes other efforts to be able to sleep longer, so that he can remain with Anna for longer periods of time.

Eventually, feeling as though he is betraying Dora, he attempts to go back to her. While crossing the street to reach her, he is hit by a car. As the movie ends, he is fully immersed in his dream world, apparently while being in a coma in a hospital.

Cast

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Actor Role
Martin Freeman Gary
Gwyneth Paltrow Dora
Penélope Cruz Anna
Danny DeVito Mel
Simon Pegg Paul
Amber Rose Sealey Terry
Skye Bennett Ballerina Girl
Michael Gambon Alan Weigert
Lucy DeVito -
Keith Allen -
Jarvis Cocker Himself
Amanda Abbington Vivian
Stephen Graham Victor

Production

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The production filmed at Capel Manor Guest Pavilion in Kent to shoot the scenes at the house in Gary's dreams where he meets Anna.[1]

References

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  1. ^ Kent Film Office. "Kent Film Office The Good Night Film Focus".
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