''Livers Ain’t Cheap'' (also known as ''The Real Thing'') is a 1996

crime film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...

written and directed by

James Merendino James Anthony Merendino (born January 11, 1969) is an American film director and screenwriter who is best known for directing the 1998 film ''SLC Punk!''. Life Merendino was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah when ...

and starring

James Russo James Vincent Russo (born April 23, 1953) is an American film and television actor. He has appeared in over 150 films in three decades. Early life Russo was born in New York City, New York, to an Italian father and German mother. A graduate of ...

Jeremy Piven Jeremy Samuel Piven (born July 26, 1965) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Ari Gold in the comedy series ''Entourage'', for which he won a Golden Globe Award and three consecutive Emmy Awards. He also starred in the British ...

Emily Lloyd Emily Alice Lloyd-Pack (born 29 September 1970), known as Emily Lloyd, is an English actress. At the age of 16, she starred in her debut and breakthrough role in the 1987 film ''Wish You Were Here'', for which she received critical acclaim a ...

Fabrizio Bentivoglio Fabrizio Bentivoglio (born 4 January 1957) is an Italian cinema and theatre actor and screenwriter. Biography Fabrizio Bentivoglio was born in Milan (his father is Venetian). After only one season in the juvenile team of Inter, he left his spor ...

, Ashley Lawrence,

Esai Morales Esai Manuel Morales Jr. (born October 1, 1962) is an American actor. He has had notable roles in the films '' Bad Boys'' with Sean Penn and '' La Bamba'' with Lou Diamond Phillips (1987). His television roles include the PBS 2002 drama series '' ...

Gary Busey Gary Busey (; born 1944) is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Buddy Holly in ''The Buddy Holly Story'' (1978), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor and won the National Society of Film Critics ...

Rod Steiger Rodney Stephen Steiger (; April 14, 1925July 9, 2002, aged 77) was an American actor, noted for his portrayal of offbeat, often volatile and crazed characters. Cited as "one of Hollywood's most charismatic and dynamic stars," he is closely assoc ...

Plot

Rupert Little is an ex-con, has decided to go straight. His little brother James wants to pursue a life of delinquency. After being released from jail, James tells Rupert that while he was in jail, he overheard Dexter, a criminal who was arrested for a purse snatching incident, tells his friend Collin that he plans to heist a nightclub on New Year's Eve. But when James is suddenly gunned down by Collin, who wanted him out of the way, he lies in a hospital bed. When Rupert arrives at the hospital, he learns that James needs a liver transplant. Determined to save him, Rupert decides to execute the heist himself to get the money he needs. After Rupert quits his job, he assembles a crew of ex-cons, including Dexter who had to break out of prison, his best friend John & his ex-girlfriend Lisa Turtle. On the night of the heist, Rupert & his gang enter the nightclub for a climax showdown that spins out of control.

Cast

as Rupert Little *

as John *

as Alfredo Donati *

Robert LaSardo Robert LaSardo is an American character actor. Early life LaSardo was born in Brooklyn, New York. He began his career studying at the High School of Performing Arts in New York City where he became an honors student, before attending the Stel ...

as Eric Fidel *

Ashley Laurence Ashley Laurence is an American actress and visual artist. She made her film debut in 1987 as the lead character, Kirsty Cotton, in Clive Barker's horror film ''Hellraiser'' (1987), a role she later reprised in '' Hellbound: Hellraiser II'' (1988) ...

as Carla *

as Lisa Tuttle * Dave Buzzotta as James Little *

as Victor *Pat Gallagher as Dexter *

as Collin *

as Foreman *

Max Perlich Max Perlich (born March 26, 1968) is an American film and television actor. In 1990, Perlich won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his performance in the hit indie film ''Drugstore Cowboy'' and was nominated for the same ...

as Tom * Barbara Nickell as Bartender *James Wardlaw as Magnus

Production

Principal photography began on July 1, 1995 & lasted for 30 days. Filming took place in & around

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

. The prison breakout scene was filmed at the Old Montana Prison in

Deer Lodge, Montana Deer Lodge is a city in and the county seat of Powell County, Montana, Powell County, Montana, United States. The population was 2,938 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Description The city is perhaps best known as the home of t ...

. Filming at the prison began on the evening of July 20. Part of the area was cordoned off for filming. The crew used a one camera movement for filming the character Dexter climbing from the prison wall, dressed as a guard, walking out from the gate, across the bridge & into a car. Filming at the prison was finished in the early morning hours on July 21. After that, the cast and crew went back to Los Angeles and filming wrapped in late July.

Released

Livers Ain't Cheap was released at the Palm Springs Film Festival on January 12, 1996.

Home Video

The film was released on VHS on January 13, 1998. Instead of using the original title, it was released under the new title ''The Real Thing''.

References

External links

* * 1990s crime action films American crime action films Films directed by James Merendino 1990s English-language films 1990s American films {{1990s-crime-film-stub