Alan Berliner Movies

One man's lifelong quest for a restful night of sleep is explored as filmmaker Alan Berliner turns the camera on himself to explore the effects that insomnia has on a man who just can't seem to slow his mind down. Berliner is a man who has fallen victim to his own restless conscience. From as far back as he can remember sleep has been an elusive goal that seems ever farther from reality, but despite his best efforts Berliner just can't seem to find a cure for his condition. Whether the result of simple neurosis or the many demands of his life and family, Berliner's insomnia remains his cursed companion through thick and thin. But Berliner's condition affects more people than just himself, and as the sleep-deprived documentarian interviews family and friends, viewers are treated to an intimate glimpse at how one man's condition can have an unsettling ripple effect on nearly everyone around him. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Documentary filmmaker Alan Berliner has a name, just like everyone else, but he's not sure just what it's supposed to mean, and in this film he looks at his own moniker and those of a number of other people, as he tries to get to the bottom of the mystery of human names. Berliner humorously explores the heritage of his Christian name (depending on what language source you consult, "Alan" can mean "peace" or "rock"), interviews his short-tempered father about how he was named (he offers little useful insight), documents his own frustration when people confuse him with French filmmaker Alain Berliner, and even organizes a dinner party for 12 different men who share the name "Alan Berliner." Along the way, Alan also visits a society for women named Linda, studies which names were most popular in particular decades, and explores the myths and realities about how some immigrants had their names changed at Ellis Island. The Sweetest Sound was shown in competition at the 2001 Berlin Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

This documentary is about the efforts of the family of an eccentric patriarch to understand more about this largely absent man. He was also the documentarian's maternal grandfather. A Palestinian Jew, Joseph Casuoto was a trader fluent in seven languages and generous with his advice. He lived the better part of his life each year in Japan and left his family behind in Brooklyn, dying some years after the end of World War II. To this day, there are so many mysteries about him that the only thing family members could agree about was that he was far kinder to those he did business with than to them. This hour-long documentary is not to be confused with the 1991 thriller with the same name directed by Allan Holzman. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

Two women find their friendship tested when one rises from obscurity to success in this glossy remake of Old Acquaintance. Liz Hamilton (Jacqueline Bisset) and Merry Noel (Candice Bergen) are close friends who met while they were freshmen at Smith College in the 1950s. Liz has become a highly respected novelist, while Merry wed Doug Blake (David Selby) and raised a family. While Merry is happy, she can't help but envy Liz for her glamorous career as an author. Merry decides to write a novel of her own, and with Liz's help, the book soon finds a publisher. While Merry's trashy potboiler earns few positive reviews, it's a massive best-seller, and Merry's fame and wealth soon outstrips that of Liz, leading to jealousy between the old friends and problems in Merry's marriage. Rich and Famous was the final picture directed by Hollywood legend George Cukor; the guest list at the party sequences include such literary and cinematic notables as Christopher Isherwood, Ray Bradbury, Paul Morrissey, and Roger Vadim. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi