Brett Ratner

Brett Ratner

Ratner at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival
Born (1969-03-28) March 28, 1969
Miami Beach, Florida, US
Occupation Film director, film producer, screenwriter, film editor, music video director
Years active 1987–present

Brett Ratner (born March 28, 1969) is an American film director, film producer, screenwriter, film editor, and music video director. He is known for directing the Rush Hour film series, The Family Man, Red Dragon, X-Men: The Last Stand, and Tower Heist. He was also a producer on the Fox drama series, Prison Break, as well as the comedy Horrible Bosses and its 2014 sequel.[1][2][3]

Early life

Ratner was born and raised in Miami Beach, Florida, the son of Marsha Pratts (remarried), a socialite, and Ronald Ratner.[4] He grew up in a "middle-class Jewish family".[5] His father was the son of a wealthy Miami businessman. His mother was born in Cuba, and immigrated to the U.S. in the 1960s with her parents, Fanita and Mario Presman (their families had originally moved to Cuba from Eastern Europe).[6][7][8] Ratner's mother was sixteen when he was born.[5] Ratner told Aventura Business Monthly in a May, 2011, cover story interview that he "really didn't know" his biological father, and that he considers Alvin Malnik, who opened the famous Forge restaurant in Miami Beach, to be his dad, "the one who raised" him.[9] Ratner's biological father was chronically homeless in Miami Beach, a situation which inspired the adult Brett to become the director and board member of the nationwide nonprofit organization Chrysalis, which helps the homeless find work.[10]

Ratner attended Rabbi Alexander S. Gross Hebrew Academy[11] elementary school and attended a high school in Israel[8] and graduated in 1986 from Miami Beach Senior High School. He is a 1990 graduate of New York University.[12] In 2010, he cited the 1980 boxing film Raging Bull as his inspiration to enter the world of film.[13]

Career

Directing

Ratner had directed several music videos and one film, the 1997 action comedy Money Talks, before reaching commercial success with the action-comedy Rush Hour (1998), starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, both of whom reunited with Ratner for two sequels, Rush Hour 2 (2001) and Rush Hour 3 (2007). Ratner was under consideration to direct X-Men (2000) and Superman Returns (2006), although both were eventually directed by Bryan Singer. After Singer left the X-Men franchise to direct Superman Returns, Ratner became director of X-Men: The Last Stand (2006).

Super Bowl XXXIX, Ratner directed a Super Bowl ad[14] for Wynn Las Vegas featuring Wynn Resorts Co-Founder, Chairman, CEO and Legendary Casino Mogul; Steve Wynn. Wynn stood on top of Wynn Las Vegas for the commercial as he introduced the property.

In May 2008, it was announced that Ratner would be directing the long in-development Beverly Hills Cop IV,[15] which was confirmed on December 6, 2013.[16] He also edited the English version of the film Kites, starring Indian superstar Hrithik Roshan and Mexican actress Bárbara Mori using techniques developed in the critically acclaimed series Kung Faux.

Ratner directed and served as an executive producer on the 2011 CBS comedy-drama television series CHAOS. In the same year, Ratner also directed the ensemble comedy caper Tower Heist.

In May 2011, it was announced that Ratner signed on to direct The 39 Clues, the live-action adaptation of the young-adult book series.[17]

Screen appearances

Ratner was seen on MTV series Punk'd when Hugh Jackman, who portrays Wolverine in the X-Men films, was the subject of a practical joke that made it appear Ratner's $3.6 million home in Beverly Hills was destroyed by a BBQ grill explosion. Ashton Kutcher later arrived at his home and hugged him after Jackman was punk'd.[18]

On April 25, 2007, Fox Broadcasting announced that he, Carrie Fisher, Garry Marshall and Jon Avnet would be the judges for the network's filmmaking-competition, reality TV series, On the Lot, which premiered to low ratings in May 2007.

He also appeared as himself in Entourage, in an episode that was shot at his actual Beverly Hills home, according to an interview he did in Aventura Business Monthly,[19] and in the film Black and White.

Publishing

His publishing company, Rat Press, is re-releasing out of print books about Hollywood. The first three books, released on March 25, 2009, are about Marlon Brando, Robert Evans and Jim Brown.[20] Brett Ratner also created his own magazine titled "Ratmag" through celebrity magazine publisher MYMAG.[21]

Producing

Ratner produced a remake of Snow White, Mirror Mirror (2012), based on the screenplay The Brothers Grimm: Snow White by Melisa Wallack.[22]

Ratner has produced feature films, TV series, and documentaries. He executive produced the 2010 documentary film, Catfish and the 2011 TV documentary, American Masters: WoodyAllen – A Documentary. Ratner also produced Skyline (2010) and Horrible Bosses (2011).

In December 2012, Ratner and Australian media mogul James Packer formed a joint venture, RatPac Entertainment. The firm will produce independent films and co-produce big-budget films with a major studio.[23] RatPac and Dune Entertainment formed a film investment vehicle, which in September 2013, entered a multi-year, 75-film co-financing partnership with Warner Bros.[24]

In June 2014, Ratner's RatPac Entertainment and Class 5 Films acquired the movie rights to the non-fiction article American Hippopotamus, by Jon Mooallem, about the meat shortage in the U.S. in 1910 and the attempts made by Major Frederick Russell Burnham, Captain Fritz Joubert Duquesne and Congressman Robert Broussard to import hippopotamuses into the Louisiana bayous and to convince Americans to eat them. The movie will highlight the Burnham - Duquesne rivalry, two famous spies who had previously been under orders to assassinate each other. Ranter, Edward Norton, and William Migliore will produce this feature film.[25]

Ratner will executive-produce the Rush Hour tv series.[26]

Academy Awards

On August 4, 2011, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Ratner would produce the 84th Academy Awards with Don Mischer.[27] However, Ratner resigned on November 8, 2011[28] after remarking that "rehearsal is for fags"[29] and making disparaging remarks about actress Olivia Munn[30] a few days earlier. Ratner later apologized for his remarks.[31] Eddie Murphy, who was scheduled to host the ceremony, also resigned in deference to a new production team.[32] Ratner was replaced by Brian Grazer,[33] and Murphy was replaced by previous Oscar host Billy Crystal.[34]

Works

Film and television

Year Film Type Notes
1990 Whatever Happened to Mason Reese Short film Director/Producer/Writer
1997 Money Talks Feature film Director
1998 Rush Hour Director
2000 The Family Man Director
2001 Rush Hour 2 Director
2002 Red Dragon Director
2004 After the Sunset Director
2005 Prison Break (Pilot episode) TV series Director
2006 X-Men: The Last Stand Feature film Director
Becker Hargrove, Inc. Short film Producer
2007 Rush Hour 3 Feature film Director
2008 21 Producer
2009 New York, I Love You Director
2010 Kites: The Remix Producer/Editor
Skyline Producer
2011 Tower Heist Director
Horrible Bosses Producer
Mother's Day
2012 Mirror Mirror Producer
2013 Movie 43 Director of one segment
2014 Jersey Boys Executive Producer
Hercules Director/Producer
Horrible Bosses 2 Producer
2015 The Revenant Executive Producer
2016 True Crimes Producer

Music videos

Year Title Artist Notes
1987 "Christmas in Hollis" Run–D.M.C. Director
1993 "Rat Bastard" Prime Minister Pete Nice & Daddy Rich Director
"Kick the Bobo" Prime Minister Pete Nice & Daddy Rich Director
"Stay Real" Erick Sermon Director
"Tonight's da Night" Redman Director
"Pink Cookies In a Plastic Bag Getting Crushed By Buildings" LL Cool J Director
1994 "Nuttin' But Love" Heavy D and the Boyz Director
"I'll Take Her" Ill Al Skratch featuring Brian McKnight Director
1995 "Freek'n You" Jodeci Director
"Every Little Thing I Do" Soul for Real Director
"Brown Sugar" D'Angelo Director
"Who Do U Love" Deborah Cox Director
"Sex Wit You" Heavy D. and The Boyz Director
"Love U 4 Life" Jodeci Director
"Cruisin'" D'Angelo Director
"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" Mary J. Blige Director
1996 "Lady (DJ Premier Remix)" D'Angelo featuring AZ Director
1997 "Triumph" Wu-Tang Clan Director
1998 "I Still Believe" Mariah Carey Director
1999 "Beautiful Stranger" Madonna Director
"Heartbreaker" Mariah Carey Director
2000 "Thank God I Found You" Mariah Carey Director
2001 "Diddy" P. Diddy Director
2005 "It's Like That" Mariah Carey Director
"We Belong Together" Mariah Carey Director
"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" Jessica Simpson Director
2006 "Make Them Suffer" Cannibal Corpse Director
"A Public Affair" Jessica Simpson Director
"Samantha" Courtney Love Director
2008 "7 Things" Miley Cyrus Director
"Touch My Body" Mariah Carey Director
"Just Like Me" Jamie Foxx Director[35]
2009 "Obsessed" Mariah Carey Director
"H.A.T.E.U." Mariah Carey Director
2011 "Mrs. Right" Mindless Behavior Director
2015 "Infinity" Mariah Carey Director

Reception

Ratner's films have received generally mixed reviews.

Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic
Money Talks 16%[36] N/A
Rush Hour 61%[37] 60[38]
The Family Man 53%[39] 42[40]
Rush Hour 2 52%[41] 48[42]
Red Dragon 69%[43] 60[44]
After the Sunset 18%[45] 38[46]
X-Men: The Last Stand 58%[47] 58[48]
Rush Hour 3 18%[49] 44[50]
New York, I Love You (Brett Ratner segment) 35%[51] 49[52]
Tower Heist 69%[53] 59[54]
Movie 43 ("Happy Birthday" segment) 4%[55] 18[56]
Hercules 62%[57] 47[58]
Average 43% 47

References

  1. ↑ ""Horrible Bosses": Mediocre Black Comedy Mildly Comforting, Rarely Funny". SF Weekly.
  2. ↑ "Black Comedy Goes Bawdy in Horrible Bosses". Crosswalk.com.
  3. ↑ Glasson, Tom. "Horrible Bosses". concreteplayground.com.
  4. ↑ . August 21, 1997 http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB4D848A51C5301&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. 1 2 Ratner, Brett (July 25, 2012). "Brett Ratner on How His Homeless Father Inspired His Nonprofit Work". The Hollywood Reporter.
  6. ↑ Ratner, Brett (2007-07-27). "Beach boy nurtures his roots – Entertainment News, Billion-Dollar Director: Brett Ratner, Media". Variety. Retrieved 2011-01-11.
  7. ↑ . August 8, 2001 http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EDD48AA5AA933E4&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. 1 2 "Nancy Jo Sales, "Hollywood Loves Brett Ratner", Vanity Fair, March 2007" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-01-11.
  9. ↑ "20 Good Questions with Brett Ratner". Aventurabusinessmonthly.com. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
  10. ↑ Ratner, Brett (July 24, 2012). "My Own Father Was Homeless, Too". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 10, 2012. The Hollywood Reporter newspaper, August 3, 2012, pg 62, print edition title: "Brett Ratner: My Father Was Homeless, Too."
  11. ↑
  12. ↑ NYU's Tisch School of the Arts to Celebrate Broadway and the Performing Arts at Benefit Gala. (October 24, 2006) NYU. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  13. ↑ Hopkins, Jessica (May 22, 2010). "The film that changed my life: Brett Ratner". Guardian.co.uk.
  14. ↑ Wynn Las Vegas Official Original TV Commercial - Steve Wynn - 2005 on YouTube
  15. ↑ Alex Billington. "Brett Ratner directing Beverly Hills Cop IV with Eddie Murphy".
  16. ↑ Busch, Anita (December 6, 2013). "UPDATE: Jerry Bruckheimer And Paramount Ink First-Look Deal; Brett Ratner Attached To Direct ‘Beverly Hills Cop’". Deadline. Retrieved 2013-12-06.
  17. ↑ Mike Fleming. "Brett Ratner Signs To Direct ‘The 39 Clues’".
  18. ↑ Hall of Shame, Punk'd.
  19. ↑ "Brett Ratner Interview". Aventurabusinessmonthly.com. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
  20. ↑ Brett Ratner Takes on Publishing Yahoo News, March 23, 2009
  21. ↑ "MYMAG". mymag.com. Retrieved 2011-01-11.
  22. ↑ "RSS exclusive: Brett Ratner Confirms 'The Brothers Grimm: Snow White' To Be Shot In 3-D". Moviesblog.mtv.com. Retrieved 2011-01-11.
  23. ↑ Tartaglione, Nancy. "Oz Billionaire James Packer Partners With Brett Ratner On RatPac Entertainment". Deadline.
  24. ↑ Mike Fleming Jr. "Warner Bros Sets RatPac-Dune To Co-Finance Slates After Legendary Exit". Deadline.
  25. ↑ Fleming, Mike. "RatPac, Edward Norton’s Class 5 Options ‘American Hippopotamus’". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  26. ↑ "'Rush Hour' TV series in the works". Entertainment Weekly. September 30, 2014. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  27. ↑ Cieply, Michael (August 4, 2011). "Brett Ratner Takes Producing Role at the Oscars". New York Times. Retrieved 2011-08-18.
  28. ↑ "Movie director who made anti-gay remark apologizes, won't produce Oscars show - CNN.com". CNN. November 9, 2011.
  29. ↑ "Brett Ratner apologizes for gay slur – The Marquee Blog". CNN. November 8, 2011.
  30. ↑ "Brett Ratner: Yeah, I hooked up with Olivia Munn – The Marquee Blog". CNN. November 4, 2011.
  31. ↑ "Brett Ratner apologizes to Olivia Munn after insulting her during appearance on 'Attack of the Show'". Daily News.
  32. ↑ "Eddie Murphy drops out as Oscars host - CNN.com". CNN. November 9, 2011.
  33. ↑ "Oscars tap Brian Grazer to produce – The Marquee Blog". CNN. November 10, 2011.
  34. ↑ "Billy Crystal to host Academy Awards – The Marquee Blog". CNN. November 10, 2011.
  35. ↑ "Jamie Foxx Offers Behind-The-Scenes Look at "Just Like Me" Video Shoot".
  36. ↑ "Money Talks". rottentomatoes.com. 22 August 1997.
  37. ↑ "Rush Hour". rottentomatoes.com. 18 September 1998.
  38. ↑ "Rush Hour". Metacritic.
  39. ↑ "The Family Man". rottentomatoes.com. 22 December 2000.
  40. ↑ "The Family Man". Metacritic.
  41. ↑ "Rush Hour 2". rottentomatoes.com. 3 August 2001.
  42. ↑ "Rush Hour 2". Metacritic.
  43. ↑ "Red Dragon". rottentomatoes.com. 4 October 2002.
  44. ↑ "Red Dragon". Metacritic.
  45. ↑ "After the Sunset". rottentomatoes.com. 12 November 2004.
  46. ↑ "After the Sunset". Metacritic.
  47. ↑ "X-Men: The Last Stand". rottentomatoes.com. 26 May 2006.
  48. ↑ "X-Men: The Last Stand". Metacritic.
  49. ↑ "Rush Hour 3". rottentomatoes.com. 10 August 2007.
  50. ↑ "Rush Hour 3". Metacritic.
  51. ↑ "New York, I Love You". rottentomatoes.com. 16 October 2009.
  52. ↑ "New York, I Love You". Metacritic.
  53. ↑ "Tower Heist". rottentomatoes.com. 4 November 2011.
  54. ↑ "Tower Heist". Metacritic.
  55. ↑ "Movie 43". rottentomatoes.com. 25 January 2013.
  56. ↑ "Movie 43". Metacritic.
  57. ↑ "Hercules". rottentomatoes.com. 25 July 2014.
  58. ↑ "Hercules". Metacritic.

External links

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