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The First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest

Play trailer Poster for The First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest PG-13 Released Jun 28, 2002 1h 45m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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11% Tomatometer 9 Reviews 49% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
A successful marketing executive decides to chuck his nonstop, upwardly mobile lifestyle, when he realizes that he wants to be a creator instead of a seller. He takes a job at one of the area's most prestigious high-tech firms. Mocked by the company's brilliant project leader, he is assigned to a team made up of dysfunctional misfits, who through their imagination and ingenuity create something that can revolutionize their industry.

Critics Reviews

View All (9) Critics Reviews
Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly It appears to have been modeled on the worst revenge-of-the-nerds clichs the filmmakers could dredge up. Rated: F Jul 11, 2002 Full Review V.A. Musetto New York Post The movie, directed by Mick Jackson, leaves no cliche unturned, from the predictable plot to the characters straight out of central casting. Rated: 1/4 Jul 10, 2002 Full Review Film Threat Rated: 1/5 Dec 6, 2005 Full Review Michael Dequina TheMovieReport.com Click to read review Rated: 1/4 Jan 12, 2004 Full Review Walter Chaw Film Freak Central It's also curious to note that this film, like the similarly ill-timed Antitrust, is easily as bad at a fraction the budget. Rated: 0/4 Feb 26, 2003 Full Review Norm Schrager Filmcritic.com Rated: 1.5/5 Jan 13, 2003 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (55) audience reviews
Audience Member Watched this movie when I was 10 and thought the innovation in the movie was inspiring. It's really a great idea. Maybe I need to watch it again! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member fun and nice action movie Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member If only the film's budget had approached that of its title, it may have been more watchable. Not that it's not without its indie charms, but it just feels a little sloppy and haphazardly edited. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Audience Member Even though it is a known fact that this movie was a box office flop, it was surprisingly an enjoyable and inspiring watch.Sadly, it is only a one time great watch.But hey.....who said movies are to be watched over and over again.Once again, majority was a fool. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member It's hard to call "The first $20 million is always the hardest" a comedy, because there's not even a little joke that works. Growing absurd with every single scene, this is easily one of the worst and pathetic nerds revenge flicks ever. The most interesting character of the movie (Rosario Dawson's Alisa) has only 10 or 15 minutes on screen and doesn't have anything to do with the main theme, what says a lot about the quality of "The first $20 million...". Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review Audience Member great movie!!!!! loved the new computer for 99$ :D lol Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest

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Cast & Crew

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Mick Jackson

Director

Adam Garcia

Andy Caspar

Rosario Dawson

Alisa

Jake Busey

Darrell

Enrico Colantoni

Francis Benoit

Ethan Suplee

Tiny

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Movie Info

Synopsis A successful marketing executive decides to chuck his nonstop, upwardly mobile lifestyle, when he realizes that he wants to be a creator instead of a seller. He takes a job at one of the area's most prestigious high-tech firms. Mocked by the company's brilliant project leader, he is assigned to a team made up of dysfunctional misfits, who through their imagination and ingenuity create something that can revolutionize their industry.
Director
Mick Jackson
Producer
Harold Ramis, Trevor Albert
Screenwriter
Jon Favreau, Gary Tieche, Po Bronson
Distributor
20th Century Fox, Fox Home Entertainment [br], Gemini Film [ru]
Production Co
Ocean Pictures, 20th Century Fox
Rating
PG-13 (Language|Sexual Content)
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 28, 2002, Original
Release Date (DVD)
Sep 7, 2004
Box Office (Gross USA)
$5.5K
Runtime
1h 45m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)