Coin: With the Coen brothers onboard as exec producers, John Turturro raised $11 million through United Artists, Icon and private equity to direct this risky musical.
Buzz: In "Singing Detective" style, James Gandolfini plays a blue-collar schlub whose love affair backfires when his jealous wife (Susan Sarandon) finds out. After the oddball festival sensation spent two years in post-UA purgatory, Turturro pleaded for permission to self-distribute, earning rave reviews from the New York Times, Roger Ebert and others. There’s simply no ignoring Kate Winslet’s smoking-hot turn.
Kudos: n/a
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