The Wrong Guy
The Wrong Guy is a 1997 Canadian comedy film directed by David Steinberg. It was co-written by Dave Foley of The Kids in the Hall and Newsradio fame, along with David Anthony Higgins and Jay Kogen (the latter of The Simpsons writing fame). Foley also stars in the picture, along with David Anthony Higgins, Jennifer Tilly, Colm Feore and Joe Flaherty.
| The Wrong Guy | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover | |
| Directed by | David Steinberg |
| Produced by | Jon Slan Janet E. Cuddy Martin Walters |
| Written by | Dave Foley David Anthony Higgins Jay Kogen |
| Starring | Dave Foley David Anthony Higgins Jennifer Tilly Joe Flaherty Colm Feore |
| Music by | Lawrence Shragge |
| Cinematography | David A. Makin |
| Edited by | Christopher Cooper |
| Distributed by | Lions Gate Entertainment |
Release date | August 1, 1997 |
Running time | 92 minutes |
| Language | English |
The script was originally inspired by a sketch Foley himself wrote back during his days with The Kids in the Hall.
Synopsis
Dorky executive Nelson Hibbert (Foley) gets passed over for a promotion after spending years (including marrying one of his boss's daughters).[1] Upon the decision, he ends up shouting "I swear I will kill you!" as security drags him from the board room. Later, when he goes to confront his boss (Kenneth Welsh), he finds that the man has already been murdered, and, due to the scene he made earlier, assumes that he will be mistaken for the murderer.[1] Nelson flees, unaware that security cameras have already revealed the identity of the true killer to the authorities. Nelson tries to escape to Mexico, but along the way he meets both the real killer (Feore) and the murder's investigator, Detective Arlen (Higgins), who Nelson believes is trailing him. It turns out that Ken Daly, who acquired the promotion had the company President killed to gain the spot so quickly. Chaotic events transpire and Nelson meets a narcoleptic farm girl, Lynn Holden (Tilly).[1] What follows is a bizarre series of misadventures marked with slapstick routines and constant one-liners.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Dave Foley | Nelson Hibbert |
| David Anthony Higgins | Detective Arlen |
| Colm Feore | The Killer |
| Jennifer Tilly | Lynn Holden |
| Joe Flaherty | Fred Holden |
| Dan Redican | Ken Daly |
| Richard Chevolleau | Jimmy |
| Alan Scarfe | Farmer Brown |
| Kenneth Welsh | Mr. Nagel |
| Enrico Colantoni | Creepy Guy |
| Kevin McDonald | Motel Manager |
| Jay Kogen | Bus Driver |
| David Steinberg | Outpatient in Neck Brace |
- The members of Barenaked Ladies made cameos as singing policemen.
Release
Foley described The Wrong Guy as his best film.[1]
The film was released direct-to-video in the United States.[1]
Awards
- Film Discovery Jury Award (U.S. Comedy Arts Festival) - Best Screenplay Dave Foley, David Anthony Higgins, Jay Kogen[2]
References
- Rabin, Nathan (May 11, 2011). "Sad Sack Case File #188: The Wrong Guy". The A. V. Club. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
- The Wrong Guy at IMDb