Permanent Midnight

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Permanent Midnight

R

Released Sep 12, 1998

1h 25m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

59%

Tomatometer

54 Reviews

54%

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5,000+ Ratings

As television writer Jerry Stahl (Ben Stiller) becomes more successful, his heroin habit grows worse. Already using when he comes to Los Angeles, Stahl finds his problems intensify when he moves in with his friend Nicky (Owen Wilson), also an addict. Eventually, Stahl marries producer Sandra (Elizabeth Hurley) to help her get a green card, and she gets him jobs on top television shows. However, more and more, he is unable to separate his addiction from his working life.

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Critics Consensus

Aimless storytelling undermines the gripping, unsettling subject of this film.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

The movie gets credit for not making the high life seem colorful or funny.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 1, 2000

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Glenn Lovell

Variety

Stiller's attempted image makeover, though admirable, doesn't make it.

Jan 1, 2000

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Robert Horton

Film.com

Rollicking! A high-energy adaptation!

Jan 1, 2000

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

…while a little woolly in trems of narrative, Permanent Midnight does a persuasive job of depicting the high personal cost of addiction…’

Rated: 3/5

Jul 9, 2023

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Stiller's forceful performance does his character a solid.

Rated: C+

Mar 6, 2017

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Joe Leydon

The Moving Picture Show

Stiller's fearless performance makes it painfully and graphically clear that being a junkie is an exhausting full-time job.

Jul 19, 2014

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A M

Elizabeth Hurley is good.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

09/13/24

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Steve D

Stiller and the script are great. The story is just too dark for me.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/20/23

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Audience Member

I'm surprised the ratings aren't good. Maybe because it's Ben Stiller and everyone's expecting a comedy. This remimds me of a California version of Bright Lights Big City.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/24/21

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Audience Member

Stiller is stellar, and Wilson has never been better, in this compelling character study about the intermingling of entertainment and addiction. Much too simple to really stick to the ribs, but nonetheless an undeniable piece of convincing anti-drug propaganda.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

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Audience Member

Not so much a comedy for Ben Stiller on this one. Sad.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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adam b

A pretty gripping and disturbing turn for Ben Stiller and damn, the story is weird but I accepted it for what it was and throughly enjoyed it

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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David Veloz

Director

Ben Stiller

Jerry Stahl

Elizabeth Hurley

Sandra

Maria Bello

Kitty

Owen Wilson

Nicky

Lourdes Benedicto

Vola

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Synopsis

As television writer Jerry Stahl (Ben Stiller) becomes more successful, his heroin habit grows worse. Already using when he comes to Los Angeles, Stahl finds his problems intensify when he moves in with his friend Nicky (Owen Wilson), also an addict. Eventually, Stahl marries producer Sandra (Elizabeth Hurley) to help her get a green card, and she gets him jobs on top television shows. However, more and more, he is unable to separate his addiction from his working life.

Director: David Veloz
Producer: Don Murphy, Jane Hamsher
Screenwriter: Jerry Stahl, David Veloz
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Artisan Entertainment
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 12, 1998, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.2M
Runtime: 1h 25m
Sound Mix: Surround, SDDS, Dolby Digital

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