How to Lose Friends and Alienate People (2008)

Addicted to TV?
We are too - which is why we produce the best TV guide available.
Click here for 30 day trial

Is your TV guide thin on details?
DigiGuide is loaded with information and detail - much to the disgust of our competitors.
Click here to start enjoying more detail

Written by Peter Straughan, Toby Young

Directed by Robert B. Weide

Running Time: 120 minutes (approx)

Production Year: 2008

Rating: 15 Certificate

Production Country: UK

Filmed in Colour

Sidney Young (Simon Pegg) is a down-on-his-luck journalist with an ego to rival Piers Morgan's. Thanks to a stunt involving a pig and a glitzy awards ceremony, Sidney turns his fortunes around, attracting the attention of Clayton Harding (Jeff Bridges), editor of New York-based glossy mag 'Sharps', and landing the holy grail of journalism jobs. The far-from-foppish Brit jets off to the Big Apple and, seduced by the high-flying, celebritychasing lifestyle, moves from one blunder to the next.

Inspired by Toby Young's mishap-laden memoirs of his time at Vanity Fair, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People is a testosterone-fuelled The Devil Wears Prada.

The deftly handled comedy moves from slapstick-Sidney hiring a stripper on Take Your Daughters to Work Day - to lines loaded with acerbic wit, dissecting an industry that trades in the shallow and superficial along the way. The film also marks Simon Pegg's continued ascension through the Hollywood ranks. Even when portraying a pretentious prat, the Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead star keeps viewers on side thanks to his affable charm. Also impressing are the offensively good-looking Megan Fox as a sexy starlet and Gillian Anderson as a poisonous publicist. Although a romantic subplot involving Kirsten Dunst blunts a little of its sharpness, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People is a satisfying satire.

When is How to Lose Friends and Alienate People next on TV?

In the UK... it's next showing on Sky Movies Comedy Tonight, 8:00pm and on Sky Movies Comedy HD Tonight, 8:00pm. See more...

Cast

Image for Simon PeggSimon PeggSidney Young
Image for Kirsten DunstKirsten DunstAlison Olsen
Image for Danny HustonDanny HustonLawrence Maddox
Image for Gillian AndersonGillian AndersonEleanor Johnson
Image for Megan FoxMegan FoxSophie Maes
Image for Jeff BridgesJeff BridgesClayton Harding
Image for Chris OChris O'DowdPost Modern Review Staff
Image for Thandie NewtonThandie NewtonApollo Awards Guest
Kelan PannellYoung Sidney Young
Janette ScottMrs. Young
Kelly Jo ChargeApollo Awards Presenter
Christian SmithApollo Awards Guest
Image for Katherine ParkinsonKatherine ParkinsonPR Woman
Felicity MontaguClipboard Nazi
John LightbodyAssistant Hotel Manager
Ian BonarPost Modern Review Staff
Image for James CordenJames CordenPost Modern Review Staff
Image for Fenella WoolgarFenella WoolgarPost Modern Review Staff
Hugh ThompsonPost Modern Review Staff
Emily ThorlingPost Modern Review Staff
Miquel BrownClayton's Assistant
Image for Miriam MargolyesMiriam MargolyesMrs. Kowalski
Nathalie CoxBar Beauty
Sam DouglasBarman
Charlotte DevaneyBobbie
Gillian KingSharp's Assistant
Margo StilleyIngrid
Isabella CalthorpeAnna
Hannah WaddinghamElizabeth Maddox
Diana KentRachel Petkoff
Max MinghellaVincent Lepak
Emily DennistonMaddox's Assistant
Ashley MadekweVicky
Lisa McAllisterSophie Maes' Assistant
Julia WestMother Superior - Trailer
Brona C. TitleyNun – Trailer
Charles De BromheadYoung Priest - Trailer
Jane PerryMrs. Harding
Connie WheelerHarding Child
Lara EdmundsHarding Child
Allen LidkeyJuly 4th Party Guest
Robert B. WeideJuly 4th Party Guest
Nathan NolanJuly 4th Party Waiter
Andy LucasWizard / Dentist
Image for Bill PatersonBill PatersonRichard Young
Alexandra AitkenNightclub Girl
Sarah MennellFlight Desk Attendant
Liat BaruchCouple on Blanket - Female
Eivind KarlsenCouple on Blanket - Male

Still looking for more?

 Click here to search the web for How to Lose Friends and Alienate People

Add a comment

(required)
(required but not displayed)
Your e-mail is also used for adding an Avatar image to your comment using the free and very cool Gravatar.com
 
(your personal web site)

Please note we can not guarantee that programme makers will read your comment as we have no direct relationship with them, so requests for application forms will almost certainly be ignored (try searching Google instead). This is merely an opportunity to register opinions, questions or comments about a programme's content.