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Martin Brest
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Martin Brest
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Martin Brest (born August 8, 1951) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. After his feature debut, Going in Style (1979), he directed the action comedies Beverly Hills Cop (1984) and Midnight Run (1988), which were critical and commercial hits. He then directed Scent of a Woman (1992), starring Al Pacino, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance, and earned Brest nominations for Best Director and Best Picture.

Key Information

He followed up with Meet Joe Black (1998), which received mixed reviews. Brest's next film was Gigli (2003). After disagreements between Brest and Revolution Studios,[1] creative control was taken from him, resulting in a radically rewritten and reshot version,[2] which became his first and only unprofitable film,[3] a box-office bomb that was widely panned. It remains his last film to date.

Early life and education

[edit]

Brest was born to Eastern European Jewish immigrant parents in a working-class neighborhood in the Bronx in 1951.[4][5][6] He was influenced by watching The Honeymooners as a child, saying in a 2023 interview, "I was a kid watching it in a household that was economically not that different than in the show. I felt like it was a show made for my neighborhood. And that character of Ralph Kramden really touched me, that angry soul whose spirit blossoms".[1]

Brest graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1969 and from New York University's School of the Arts in 1973.[5] His NYU student film, Hot Dogs for Gauguin (1972), starring a then unknown Danny DeVito and with a small part by then unknown Rhea Perlman, was one of 25 films chosen in 2009 by the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress to "be preserved as cultural, artistic and/or historical treasures"[7] and is in the Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection. Brest graduated from the AFI Conservatory with a Master of Fine Arts in 1977.[5]

Career

[edit]

Brest's major studio debut was Going in Style (1979), starring George Burns, Art Carney, and Lee Strasberg.[8] Brest was then hired to direct WarGames (1983), starring Matthew Broderick, but he was fired three weeks into production amid conflicts with the film's executive producer and replaced by John Badham.[1][9]

The dismissal from WarGames left Brest pessimistic about his career until Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer recruited him to direct Beverly Hills Cop (1984), starring Eddie Murphy.[1][10] The film grossed over $300 million worldwide[11] and received Golden Globe nominations for Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) and Best Actor (Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Eddie Murphy) as well as an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. In 2024 it became the second of Brest's films to be chosen by the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress to "be preserved as cultural, artistic and/or historical treasures."[12]

Brest was in pre-production for Rain Man (1988) when he cast Tom Cruise for the role opposite Dustin Hoffman before Barry Levinson directed the film.[13]

Brest's next film was the action-comedy Midnight Run (1988), starring Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin.[14] The film was another critical and commercial success, earning Brest another Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy and De Niro a Best Actor Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy nomination.

Brest's work on Scent of a Woman (1992) earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama. The film also won Golden Globes for Al Pacino and screenwriter Bo Goldman and a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Chris O'Donnell. It received four Academy Award nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay (Adapted), with Pacino winning Best Actor.[15]

Brest's next film, Meet Joe Black (1998), starring Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins, was a loose remake of 1934's Death Takes a Holiday.[16] The film had an American box-office return of $44.6 million, taking in an additional $98.3 million overseas for a worldwide total of $142.9 million.[17]

Brest wrote and directed Gigli (2003), starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez.[2] During filming, production company Revolution Studios took creative control from him, resulting in a radically rewritten and reshot version.[2] It became one of the more notorious films of its time, widely panned by critics. A 2014 article in Playboy observed that in the then-eleven years since Gigli's release, Brest "went Full Salinger", appearing to have left the entertainment industry completely, without any further credits or major public appearances.[2] In 2021, he appeared as a featured guest at a screening of Beverly Hills Cop and Midnight Run in Los Angeles, where he was interviewed by fellow filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson.[18] In 2023, he gave an interview to Variety in which he reflected:

Once [Gigli] happened, I thought I'll never be invited back [to make more films]. Second, I would never be able to operate with the kind of control that a director, I feel, needs and deserves. So that felt like a clear signal it was time for me to back away. I had a good run, and I enjoyed success and freedom, and that was fantastic. I would've liked it to go on longer, but everybody likes everything to go on longer.[1]

Brest has received the American Film Institute's Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award, which "celebrates the recipient's extraordinary creative talents and artistic achievements."[19]

His essays about art and artists have appeared in various books.[20][21][22]

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Institution Year Category Work Result
Academy Awards 1993 Best Picture Scent of a Woman Nominated
Best Director Nominated
Golden Globe Awards 1993 Best Motion Picture, Drama Scent of a Woman Won
Golden Globe Awards 1985 Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy Beverly Hills Cop Nominated
Golden Globe Awards 1989 Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy Midnight Run Nominated
American Film Institute 1994 Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award — Won
Jupiter Awards 1986 Best International Film Beverly Hills Cop Nominated
Producers Guild Film Awards 1993 Best Theatrical Motion Picture Scent of a Woman Nominated
Valladolid International Film Festival 1988 Golden Spike Midnight Run Nominated
Venice Film Festival 1980 Golden Lion Going in Style Nominated

Two of Brest's films, Hot Dogs for Gauguin and Beverly Hills Cop, have been entered into the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress.[7][12]

Filmography

[edit]
Year Title Director Producer Writer Editor Notes
1972 Hot Dogs for Gauguin Yes Yes Yes Yes NYU student film
1977 Hot Tomorrows Yes Yes Yes Yes AFI student film
1979 Going in Style Yes No Yes No
1983 WarGames Uncredited No No No Replaced by John Badham[1]
1984 Beverly Hills Cop Yes No No No
1988 Midnight Run Yes Yes No No
1992 Scent of a Woman Yes Yes No No
1993 Josh and S.A.M. No Yes No No
1998 Meet Joe Black Yes Yes No No
2003 Gigli Yes Yes Yes No

Acting roles

Year Title Role Notes
1972 Hot Dogs for Gauguin Man on Ferry
1982 Fast Times at Ridgemont High Dr. Miller
1984 Beverly Hills Cop "bathrobe" Hotel Clerk Uncredited
1985 Spies Like Us Drive-In Security Guard
1988 Midnight Run Airline Ticket Clerk Uncredited


References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Martin Brest

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from Grokipedia
Martin Brest (born August 8, 1951) is an American , , and whose spans action comedies and dramas, marked by early successes in the and a prolonged hiatus following creative disputes on later projects. Brest's feature debut, (1979), a comedy-drama about three elderly friends attempting a to escape boredom, showcased his interest in themes of redemption and mortality. He achieved major commercial breakthroughs with (1984), an action-comedy starring that emphasized fish-out-of-water humor and grossed over $234 million domestically, and (1988), a pairing and in a cross-country chase noted for its character-driven tension and rapport. Brest demonstrated versatility by shifting to drama with Scent of a Woman (1992), directing Al Pacino as a blind, acerbic retired lieutenant whose performance earned an Academy Award; the film itself received nominations for Best Picture (with Brest as producer) and Best Director. Later works included the supernatural romance Meet Joe Black (1998), which explored mortality through Brad Pitt's portrayal of Death incarnate, though it received mixed reviews for its length and pacing. His career effectively concluded with Gigli (2003), a romantic crime comedy starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, which suffered extensive studio-mandated reshoots and re-editing amid disagreements that halted post-production for eight months, resulting in a 6% Rotten Tomatoes score and box office underperformance that Brest attributed to lost creative autonomy. Since then, Brest has not directed another feature, expressing reluctance to return without full control, despite earlier enjoying "success and freedom" in Hollywood.

Early years

Upbringing and family

Martin Brest was born on August 8, 1951, in the borough of . His parents were both born in and instilled traditional values from their cultural backgrounds, though Brest later reflected on challenges in deriving personal satisfaction from those lifestyles. Brest was raised in a Jewish family, with his early interests including , influenced in part by a relative working in the field. Specific details on siblings or parental occupations remain limited in public records, reflecting the director's relatively private personal history.

Education and entry into filmmaking

Brest earned a degree in film from in 1973. At NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, he directed the short film , starring , which received awards for its execution. After NYU, Brest pursued a in directing at the Conservatory in . While there, he wrote, produced, and directed Hot Tomorrows (1977), his first feature-length project—a 72-minute black-and-white film depicting a young writer's fixation on mortality and his interactions with a carefree friend during a single night. Funded on a limited student budget through AFI, the film screened at festivals and showcased Brest's emerging command of intimate, character-driven narratives. Hot Tomorrows served as Brest's professional launchpad, demonstrating his potential to studios and facilitating his transition to commercial features. In 1979, at age 28, he directed , his debut theatrical release, which starred and as elderly friends turning to bank robbery amid financial desperation. The film's modest production, backed by Warner Bros., highlighted Brest's ability to blend humor with poignant social observation, earning critical notice for its fresh take on aging and autonomy. This project solidified his entry into Hollywood directing, distinct from his academic origins.

Professional career

Breakthrough film: Going in Style

Going in Style (1979) marked Martin Brest's feature directorial debut, where he also served as screenwriter. The film depicts three elderly widowers living in , New York—Joe (), Willie (), and Al ()—who, disillusioned with their stagnant pensioner lives, impulsively rob a bank in . Blending elements of heist and poignant , it explores themes of mortality, friendship, and rebellion against routine. Produced by and Fred T. Gallo for Warner Bros., the film had a budget of $5.5 million and a runtime of 97 minutes, earning a PG rating for mild language. Brest, then in his late 20s, developed the project as his first commercial endeavor following film studies and shorter works. Originally titled Stepping Out, the script drew from observations of urban elderly life, emphasizing authentic character interactions over conventional plot mechanics. occurred primarily on location in , capturing a gritty yet intimate atmosphere that underscored the protagonists' isolation. Brest's direction prioritized naturalistic performances, allowing the veteran actors to improvise within scripted boundaries, which contributed to the film's understated tone. Released on December 25, 1979, as Warner Bros.' prestigious holiday offering, Going in Style achieved commercial success, grossing $26.9 million domestically against its modest budget, yielding substantial returns in an era of inflation-adjusted equivalents exceeding $100 million. Critically, it garnered praise for its sharp dialogue, emotional depth, and the leads' restrained portrayals, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 82% based on contemporary reviews highlighting its subtlety and avoidance of sentimentality. The New York Times noted its focus on widowers' existential heist as a fresh take, though acknowledging occasional vulgarity. This debut propelled Brest's career, positioning him as a "wunderkind" and opening doors to higher-profile projects, including action-comedies that capitalized on his knack for character-driven narratives amid genre constraints. The film's moderate hit status and acclaim for innovative storytelling affirmed Brest's potential, influencing his subsequent emphasis on ensemble dynamics and thematic realism.

Major commercial hits: Beverly Hills Cop and Midnight Run

Beverly Hills Cop (1984) represented Martin Brest's ascent to major commercial success following his debut feature. Brest directed the action-comedy, which stars Eddie Murphy as Detective Axel Foley, a rough-edged Detroit cop who travels to Beverly Hills to investigate the murder of a friend, clashing with local authorities amid a smuggling ring. The film was released on December 5, 1984, with a production budget of $15 million. It earned $234.8 million domestically and $316.3 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing R-rated film at the time and the top box-office performer of 1984 in North America. Production faced turbulence: originally scripted for Sylvester Stallone, who departed for Cobra (1986), the role went to Murphy mere weeks before principal photography, prompting extensive rewrites and an outline-based restructuring during filming to harness Murphy's improvisational energy against the story's grounded violence. Brest, who decided to helm the project by flipping a coin, balanced anarchic humor with dramatic tension, adding elements like a closing freeze-frame as a studio compromise. Midnight Run (1988), Brest's follow-up, solidified his reputation for profitable action-comedies blending buddy dynamics with high-stakes pursuits. Brest directed and produced the film, featuring as bounty hunter Jack Walsh tasked with transporting embezzler Jonathan "The Duke" Mardukas () cross-country from New York to , evading the FBI, rival hunters, and mobsters. Released on July 20, 1988, it had a $30 million budget and grossed $38.4 million domestically alongside $81.6 million worldwide, yielding solid returns through its mix of chases, banter, and character development. Brest cast De Niro—known for dramatic roles—for comedic potential, auditioning extensively to pair him with Grodin for authentic micro-chemistry in the structure, emphasizing amid real-location shoots. Filming spanned nearly 100 days across 14 cities on six-day weeks, imposing a grueling pace that exhausted the crew and required Brest's hospitalization post-production, though earlier crew quits on prior projects were avoided here. The film's profitability stemmed from its efficient execution of genre tropes, grossing over 2.7 times its budget despite competition in the action-comedy market.

Acclaimed dramas: Scent of a Woman and beyond

Following the commercial successes of his action-comedies, Martin Brest shifted toward more dramatic storytelling with Scent of a Woman (1992), an adaptation of the 1975 novel and play by and , respectively. The film stars as Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, a blind, acerbic retired Army officer, and as Charlie Simms, a prep school student hired to assist him over weekend. Brest's direction emphasized character-driven tension and moral dilemmas, culminating in Slade's iconic defending Simms' integrity, which contributed to the film's emotional resonance. With a budget of $31 million, it grossed $63.1 million domestically and $134.1 million worldwide, marking a strong performance. Critically, Scent of a Woman earned widespread acclaim for its and Brest's handling of themes like honor, , and redemption, securing an 82% approval rating on based on 50 reviews. At the in 1993, the film received nominations for Best Picture, Best Director for Brest, and Best Adapted Screenplay, while Pacino won the Oscar for in a Leading Role—his first competitive Academy Award after prior nominations. It also won for Best Motion Picture – and – Motion Picture for Pacino, with Brest earning a nomination for Best Director – Motion Picture. These honors solidified Brest's reputation for eliciting career-defining , though some critics noted the narrative's reliance on sentimental tropes. Brest's next project, (1998), further explored dramatic territory with a fantastical element, centering on () incarnate who assumes human form to experience life before claiming the soul of media mogul William Parrish (). Produced and directed by Brest, the film delves into mortality, family dynamics, and existential choice over a sprawling three-hour runtime, drawing loose inspiration from the 1934 film . Despite a reported budget exceeding $90 million and grossing approximately $140 million worldwide, its deliberate pacing drew mixed responses, with critics praising the cinematography and acting but faulting the verbosity and languid tempo. awarded it three out of four stars, appreciating its philosophical undertones, yet aggregated reviews reflect a 48% score from 52 critics, often citing the film's self-indulgent length as a detriment to engagement. This phase of Brest's career highlighted his preference for expansive, introspective dramas over the tighter genre constraints of his earlier hits, though the critical reception waned compared to Scent of a Woman. (2003), Brest's subsequent effort—a crime-romance hybrid starring and as mismatched criminals—aimed to blend drama with quirky interpersonal dynamics but instead became notorious for production turmoil and tonal inconsistency. With a around $75 million, it earned just $7.3 million domestically amid scathing reviews, holding a 6% rating and prompting Brest himself to later describe it as "a bloody mess that deserved its excoriation." The film's failure underscored challenges in sustaining acclaim within dramatic ventures, as external hype around its stars overshadowed substantive narrative flaws like underdeveloped characters and contrived plotting.

Post-2003 hiatus and reflections

Following the release of on August 1, 2003, which grossed $7.3 million domestically against a $75–$90 million and received a 6% approval rating on , Brest directed no further feature films. The project's failure stemmed from Brest's loss of creative control after disputes with and , halting for eight months amid battles over reshoots and rewrites. Brest has described his decision to continue despite these conflicts as an "eternal regret," viewing it as complicity in the film's mangled state rather than quitting outright. In a July 2023 Variety interview—his first major public reflection in two decades—he acknowledged that Gigli marked a "fiery end" to his directing career, foreseeing diminished opportunities afterward due to studio reluctance and personal disillusionment with Hollywood's production dynamics. As of 2025, Brest has no announced feature projects in development, effectively retiring from directing after a 30-year run of six films that collectively earned over $1.2 billion worldwide. He has expressed peace with this hiatus, prioritizing personal fulfillment over resuming work under prevailing industry constraints, though he occasionally engages in interviews revisiting past triumphs like (1984) and (1988).

Directorial style and techniques

Perfectionism in production

Martin Brest has earned a reputation as a perfectionist director, often employing meticulous preparation, extensive rehearsals, and repeated takes to refine performances and visuals during production. This approach, likened to Stanley Kubrick's in its insistence on countless takes, prioritized capturing nuanced authenticity but occasionally strained collaborations with actors and crews. On (1988), Brest's production spanned nearly 100 days across 14 locations, operating on six-day weeks that demanded physical endurance from the cast and crew to achieve the film's blend of , and character depth. Actor reportedly grew frustrated with the director's demands for multiple takes per scene, reflecting Brest's commitment to precision amid improvisational elements. This method yielded a tightly paced final cut, but it exemplified how Brest's rigor could extend shoots beyond typical schedules. In Meet Joe Black (1998), Brest's perfectionism drove production costs to approximately $90 million—unprecedented for a romance—through labor-intensive filming in New York and , resulting in an initial three-hour runtime later trimmed. chairman attributed the overruns, estimated at $30 million over budget, to Brest's exacting standards, which included exhaustive takes; , for instance, refused additional heart attack simulations to prevent exhaustion or genuine health risks. Despite such challenges, this process aimed to infuse the film with layered emotional subtlety. Brest's style fostered a nurturing environment for actors to experiment, as seen in allowing improvisations on (1984), yet his insistence on perfection often prioritized quality over efficiency, contributing to both acclaimed results and industry tensions.

Recurring themes and influences

Brest's films frequently explore the redemption of flawed, often abrasive protagonists, a motif he traces to childhood viewings of , where characters like Ralph Kramden embodied relatable human imperfection leading to growth. This theme recurs in works such as (1988), where bounty hunter Jack Walsh () evolves through his reluctant partnership with fugitive Jonathan Mardukas (), and Scent of a Woman (1992), featuring the transformation of the cynical, blind veteran Frank Slade (). Brest describes this "redemption of the asshole" as a universal thread, emphasizing character purity amid moral ambiguity. Mortality and the value of life emerge as persistent concerns, evident from Brest's debut (1979), which centers elderly men's defiant heist against existential decline, to (1998), a meditation on love and loss inspired by impending death. He has noted that even in his twenties, mortality struck him as "the biggest possible issue," influencing narratives that blend introspection with action or . Interpersonal dynamics, particularly in two-hander formats, drive these stories, as seen in the sparring rapport between leads that fosters mutual revelation and change. Brest integrates humor into dramatic contexts, approaching both with equivalent rigor to uncover authentic responses, as in (1984), where comedic beats arose organically from character clashes rather than scripted intent. This stylistic choice reflects a preference for micro-scale , reducing scenarios to essential human interactions while allowing to enhance realism. Influences include Charlie Chaplin's silent-era innovations, which Brest credits for teaching emotional bonding between character and audience through non-verbal cues and poignant humor, elements echoed in scenes like the revelatory ending of Meet Joe Black and character-driven comedy in Beverly Hills Cop. Early exposure to ensemble comedies such as It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) instilled a sense of "ecstatic religious experience" in comedic chaos, informing his balance of structure and spontaneity. Additionally, foreign cinema shaped specific projects, with Scent of a Woman drawing from the 1974 Italian film Profumo di Donna. These sources underscore Brest's emphasis on character regard and visual storytelling over overt dialogue.

Controversies and setbacks

Production disputes on Gigli

The production of encountered major conflicts between director Martin Brest and , escalating primarily in over creative control and the film's direction. Brest, who also wrote the , initially envisioned a distinct with different themes, but studio demands for alterations, including a new ending, prompted extensive reshoots that fundamentally changed characters, scenes, story elements, and overall tone in efforts to address perceived flaws. These disagreements intensified to the point where was halted for eight months as Brest and studio executives battled over revisions, resulting in key scenes being excised and leaving the final product disjointed, which Brest later likened to "a with its punchline removed." The film's original budget agreement hovered around $70 million, but reshoots and delays contributed to a final cost of approximately $75.6 million, exacerbating tensions with distributor . Brest retained final cut privileges provided the runtime stayed under two hours and ten minutes, yet the impasse forced compromises that deviated sharply from his intent. In retrospect, he has acknowledged his role, stating, "Extensive disagreements between the studio and myself got to the point where was shut down for eight months while we battled it out," and expressing eternal regret over not withdrawing: "I take full responsibility… I should’ve walked away," rather than remaining complicit in what he described as a "ghastly of a movie" and "bloody mess."

Impact on career trajectory

The commercial and critical failure of , which earned just $7.3 million domestically against a $75 million budget and received a 6% approval rating on , severely damaged Brest's professional standing in Hollywood. Following the film's release in July 2003, Brest entered an extended hiatus from directing feature films, with no subsequent projects reaching production despite his prior track record of successes like (1984) and Scent of a Woman (1992). The debacle, compounded by studio interference that stripped him of creative control during —including an eight-month shutdown amid disputes with —left Brest disillusioned and effectively sidelined him from major studio opportunities. In reflections two decades later, Brest described the experience as a pivotal rupture, stating that the loss of autonomy and the resulting "mangled" final cut made him complicit in a project he no longer recognized, leading him to withdraw rather than pursue compromised work. This self-imposed persisted through the , during which Brest avoided the industry spotlight and had no films in active development, a stark contrast to his earlier prolific output from 1979 to 2003. Industry observers and collaborators, including , have noted that Gigli's toxicity—fueled by its association with the Affleck-Lopez media frenzy—amplified reputational harm, placing Brest in informal "director's jail" where financiers deemed him a high-risk proposition despite his history of delivering hits that grossed over $1 billion combined worldwide. As of 2025, Brest's hiatus exceeds 22 years without a completed feature, though unverified listings for a project titled The Gospel of Jack appeared on industry databases around 2023, suggesting exploratory efforts that have not materialized into production or release. This prolonged absence underscores a broader pattern in Hollywood where a single high-profile flop, particularly one marred by public ridicule and internal conflicts, can eclipse prior achievements and deter future backing, even for directors with Academy Award nominations and box-office proven talent. Brest's case illustrates the precarious causality between studio meddling, audience backlash, and career longevity in an industry prioritizing short-term metrics over artistic redemption.

Legacy and recognition

Box office and critical analysis

Martin Brest's directorial efforts yielded significant commercial successes in the 1980s and early 1990s, particularly with action-comedies that capitalized on charismatic leads and efficient storytelling, before encountering substantial setbacks. (1984), produced on a $13 million budget, grossed $234 million domestically and approximately $316 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film of its era and ' top earner until Titanic. This performance was driven by strong word-of-mouth and Eddie Murphy's breakout appeal, with the film achieving legs of over 11 times its opening weekend. Similarly, (1988) earned $38 million domestically on a modest budget, praised for its buddy-comedy dynamics and road-trip pacing that sustained audience interest across a 7:1 multiplier on its debut. In contrast, later projects like (1998) underperformed relative to its $90 million-plus costs, netting $119 million worldwide amid criticisms of narrative bloat, resulting in an estimated $68 million net loss. Gigli (2003) marked a catastrophic failure, grossing just $7.3 million globally against a $75 million budget, exacerbated by pre-release hype around its stars and reshoots that inflated expenses without recouping investment. Critically, Brest's early works received solid approval for blending genre tropes with character depth, earning Beverly Hills Cop an 82% Rotten Tomatoes score based on contemporaneous reviews highlighting its energetic direction and cultural clash humor. Scent of a Woman (1992) garnered comparable acclaim at 82% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 3.5/4 from , who lauded Al Pacino's transformative portrayal of a blind veteran, though some noted the script's sentimental excesses; the film grossed $134 million worldwide on $31 million, buoyed by Oscar wins for Pacino. Midnight Run similarly impressed with its improvisational banter and tension-release rhythm, fostering cult status despite modest initial awards traction. However, Gigli faced near-universal derision, holding a 6% Rotten Tomatoes rating from 187 reviews and a score of 18, with critics decrying its tonal inconsistencies, underdeveloped romance, and perceived exploitation of off-screen celebrity drama between leads and .
FilmYearBudget (est.)Domestic GrossWorldwide GrossRotten Tomatoes Score
Beverly Hills Cop1984$13M$234M~$316M82%
1988~$15M$38M~$81M96%
Scent of a Woman1992$31M$63M$134M82%
1998$90M+$44M$119M31%
2003$75M$6M$7.3M6%
Brest's box office trajectory reflects a pattern of high returns on leaner, star-driven vehicles that aligned with market appetites for escapist entertainment, contrasted by diminishing viability in prestige dramas prone to production overruns. Critically, his strength in eliciting nuanced performances amid genre constraints earned nominations like Best Director for Scent of a Woman, yet failures like Gigli underscored vulnerabilities to studio interference and mismatched tonal ambitions, contributing to his post-2003 withdrawal from feature directing. Aggregate data indicates Brest's films averaged profitable multipliers in hits but exposed risks when scaling budgets without proportional audience retention, a dynamic observable in industry analyses of 1990s-to-2000s transitions.

Cultural influence and recent honors

Brest's direction of (1984) significantly influenced the action-comedy genre by establishing the fish-out-of-water template, with 's street-smart detective clashing against Beverly Hills' affluent , a dynamic that inspired subsequent films such as (1987) and (1998). The film also marked a milestone as the first top-grossing release led by a not defined primarily by race, challenging Hollywood's norms and contributing to broader acceptance of diverse leads in mainstream blockbusters. Brest's allowance for Eddie Murphy's improvisation amplified the character's cultural resonance, embedding phrases like "I'm from " into pop lexicon. Midnight Run (1988) endures as a benchmark for reluctant-partner road comedies, blending high-stakes pursuit with character-driven humor through the chemistry between Robert De Niro's and Charles Grodin's accountant, influencing portrayals of comedic tension in action narratives. The film's cross-country highlighted themes of redemption and unlikely alliances, cementing De Niro's viability in lighter roles and maintaining rewatchability via its precise pacing and improvised banter. In Scent of a Woman (1992), Brest crafted a whose legacy rests on Al Pacino's Academy Award-winning portrayal of a blind, cynical , with the "Hoo-ah!" speech becoming an emblem of defiant integrity referenced in media and motivational contexts. The film's exploration of honor amid moral compromise has sustained its appeal as a character study, evidenced by its 2025 4K restoration release underscoring ongoing critical regard. Recent recognition includes Brest's 2023 Variety interview reflecting on his film's enduring triumphs amid career setbacks, and a 2024 for Scent of a Woman's 32nd anniversary, highlighting its status as a crowd-pleasing classic. The 2024 Netflix sequel Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F revived interest in Brest's original, amplifying its cultural footprint without new directorial honors for him. Earlier accolades, such as the 1994 Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal for creative talents, affirm his foundational impact.

Works

Feature films as director

Martin Brest directed six feature films between 1979 and 2003.
YearTitle
1979
1984
1988
1992Scent of a Woman
1998
2003
Going in Style (1979) stars , , and as elderly friends who rob a .
(1984) features as a Detroit detective pursuing criminals in .
(1988) follows a () transporting a fugitive accountant () cross-country.
Scent of a Woman (1992) depicts a prep school student () assisting a blind retired () over a weekend.
(1998) centers on Death () incarnate intervening in a media mogul's life ().
(2003) involves a mob enforcer () and a rival criminal () in a plot.

Awards and nominations

Martin Brest received two Academy Award nominations for his work on Scent of a Woman (1992), including Best Director and Best Picture as producer, at the held on March 29, 1993. He did not win in either category. Brest's films have earned additional nominations from the in the Best Motion Picture categories: (1984) was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy in 1985; (1988) received the same nomination in 1989; and Scent of a Woman was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama in 1993. His debut feature (1979) earned a for the at the 1980 . For (2003), Brest received the Razzie Award for Worst Director at the 24th in 2004, reflecting the film's critical and commercial failure. He also won a Razzie for Worst for the same film.
Award CeremonyYearCategoryFilmResult
1993Best DirectorScent of a WomanNomination
1993Best Picture (Producer)Scent of a WomanNomination
1985Best Motion Picture – Musical or ComedyBeverly Hills CopNomination
1989Best Motion Picture – Musical or ComedyMidnight RunNomination
1993Best Motion Picture – DramaScent of a WomanNomination
1980Golden LionGoing in StyleNomination
2004Worst DirectorGigliWin
2004Worst ScreenplayGigliWin

References

  1. https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/21952%7C0/Martin-Brest
  2. https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/76587/going-in-style
  3. https://variety.com/2023/film/features/martin-brest-director-beverly-hills-cop-gigli-1235672428/
  4. https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1993
  5. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000976/bio/
  6. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1984/12/06/marty-brest-clicking/41aa6805-a13e-445f-b72e-5974dc41e5cc/
  7. https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/12/15/featured-filmmaker-martin-brest
  8. https://www.nytimes.com/1977/10/04/archives/hot-tomorrows-is-grim-film.html
  9. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079219/
  10. https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/going-in-style/umc.cmc.n4yozy9tveg6e2wqnijt2nw6
  11. https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/56802
  12. https://www.csmonitor.com/1980/0221/022101.html
  13. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/going_in_style
  14. https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/25/archives/movie-3-widowers-try-going-in-style.html
  15. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/new-line-remaking-1979-george-burns-film-going-style-378718/
  16. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1984/12/06/marty-brest-clicking/41aa6805-a13e-445f-b72e-5974dc41e5cc
  17. https://www.cbr.com/beverly-hills-cop-gigli-martin-brest-worst-movie/
  18. https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Beverly-Hills-Cop
  19. https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/68338
  20. https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Midnight-Run
  21. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-20-ca-5960-story.html
  22. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105323/
  23. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1042193-scent_of_a_woman
  24. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105323/awards/
  25. https://www.filmaffinity.com/en/movie-awards.php?movie-id=835426
  26. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/meet_joe_black
  27. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/meet-joe-black-1998
  28. https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/gigli-director-martin-brest-ben-affleck-jennifer-lopez-interview-1234791261/
  29. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gigli
  30. https://toofab.com/2023/07/19/gigli-director-martin-brest-cant-say-films-name-20-years-later/
  31. https://www.avclub.com/martin-brest-not-quitting-gigli-eternal-regret-1850656034
  32. https://www.goldderby.com/article/2023/martin-brest-gigli-flop-interview/
  33. https://screenrant.com/great-movie-directors-no-films-long-time/
  34. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/may/24/midnight-run-review-comedy-thriller-minor-classic-robert-de-niro-martin-brest
  35. https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a33366084/midnight-run-anniversary-essay-robert-de-niro-best-comedy-role/
  36. https://filmfolly.com/review/midnight-run-a-juicy-and-delicious-piece-of-action-cinema
  37. https://www.nytimes.com/1998/08/20/movies/high-costs-of-joe-black-challenge-industry-rule.html
  38. https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/anthony-hopkins-refused-fake-heart-attacks-meet-joe-black-avoid-real-one.html/
  39. https://moveablefest.com/martin-brest-paul-thomas-anderson-midnight-run/
  40. https://therealnews.com/charlie-chaplins-philosophy-of-cinema
  41. https://collider.com/worst-movies-ruined-directors-careers/
  42. https://www.oneheatminute.com/articles/feature/ismarintbrestmakingmoviesagain
  43. https://www.slashfilm.com/1775212/box-office-flops-directors-jail/
  44. https://movieweb.com/beverly-hills-cop-popular-explained/
  45. https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Meet-Joe-Black
  46. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/beverly_hills_cop
  47. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/scent-of-a-woman-1992
  48. https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Scent-of-a-Woman-%281992%29
  49. https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2023/7/4z1yg167u8nphagge4oink751s3vo3
  50. https://www.filmsite.org/greatestflops18.html
  51. https://www.filmsite.org/greatestflops26.html
  52. https://www.thehaughtyculturist.com/films/how-beverly-hills-cop-made-cinema-history-and-cultural-legacy/
  53. https://fearstreet.store/the-cultural-impact-of-beverly-hills-cop-how-one-film-changed-hollywood/
  54. https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/midnight-run-30th-anniversary-699279/
  55. https://www.vulture.com/2014/07/movie-that-made-robert-de-niro-bankable-midnight-run.html
  56. https://a-rabbitsfoot.com/editorial/confessions/an-oral-history-of-scent-of-a-woman/
  57. https://andersonvision.com/scent-of-a-woman-1992-shout-factory-4k-uhd/
  58. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000020/1994/1/
  59. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/midnight_run
  60. https://goldenglobes.com/film/beverly-hills-cop/
  61. https://goldenglobes.com/film/midnight-run/
  62. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079219/awards/
  63. https://www.today.com/popculture/gigli-takes-razzie-year-s-worst-movie-wbna4407521
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