History Trivia / BrightLightsBigCity

* TheOtherMarty: When the original director Joyce Chopra was fired and replaced with James Bridges, he recast most of the principal cast except for Creator/DianneWiest and (ironically considering he was partially responsible for the trope namer) Michael J. Fox.

* UncreditedRole: Jason Robards as the drunken writer Mr. Hardy.

* RomanceOnTheSet: Even though they had worked together on ''Series/FamilyTies'', Creator/MichaelJFox and Tracy Pollan didn't begin dating until they worked together on this film.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: See above. Many critics said Cruise would have been a much more believable Jamie.

** The final film received lukewarm reviews from critics, whose complaints reflected the by-then-well-known production difficulties. Fox seemed too young for the part, but PhoebeCates was even more miscast as his ex-wife, whom one critic described as "the least convincing fashion model, ever." [[Music/SteelyDan Donald Fagen]]'s music seemed to be filler. Richard Schickel said, perceptively, that " [it looks] like something that has been kicking around too long in the dead-letter office."

** Shortly after it was optioned, [=McInerney=] wrote a script, and while it wasn't perfect it was enough to get Creator/JoelSchumacher to commit to the project as director, with JerryWeintraub producing. After it was shopped around to many of the early '80s Brat Packers like Creator/JuddNelson and Creator/EmilioEstevez, Creator/TomCruise signed on for the lead.

* TheOtherMarty: When the original director Joyce Chopra was fired and replaced with James Bridges, he recast most of the principal cast except for Dianne Wiest and (ironically considering he was partially responsible for the trope namer) Michael J. Fox.

** Weintraub became production chief at MGM/UA, and took the project with him. Since that meant he couldn't/wouldn't be able to produce it, he looked around for another producer. SydneyPollack and Mark Rosenberg agreed to do it, but wanted a rewrite of the script. A new writer began working on it, but Cruise and Schumacher couldn't wait any longer, and left for other projects.

** Months later it was settled, with the studio retaining the film. Pollack and Rosenberg hired Joyce Chopra, who had recently gone from documentaries to features with the well-received ''SmoothTalk'', to direct. She and her husband began work on yet another draft of the script, pne that departed significantly from the novel. The plan was to [[CaliforniaDoubling shoot the film in Toronto]] and cast an unknown in the lead. But Creator/MichaelJFox responded positively to Chopra's requests, and agreed to play the part, also recommending his friend and countryman KieferSutherland for the supporting role of Tad Allagash. So the budget went up, and filming could take place in New York where the novel had been set, albeit only within a ten-week window before Fox had to return to LA for the next season of ''Series/FamilyTies''.

* PlayingAgainstType: Until then, Creator/MichaelJFox was mostly known for his comedy roles and for playing Marty [=McFly=] in ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture''. Playing a self-destructive cokehead was quite a change for him.

** Months later it was settled, with the studio retaining the film. Pollack and Rosenberg hired Joyce Chopra, who had recently gone from documentaries to features with the well-received ''SmoothTalk'', to direct. She and her husband began work on yet another draft of the script, pne that departed significantly from the novel. The plan was to [[CaliforniaDoubling shoot the film in Toronto]] and cast an unknown in the lead. But MichaelJFox responded positively to Chopra's requests, and agreed to play the part, also recommending his friend and countryman KieferSutherland for the supporting role of Tad Allagash. So the budget went up, and filming could take place in New York where the novel had been set, albeit only within a ten-week window before Fox had to return to LA for the next season of ''Series/FamilyTies''.

** The final film received lukewarm reviews from critics, whose complaints reflected the by-then-well-known production difficulties. Fox seemed too young for the part, but PhoebeCates was even more miscast as his ex-wife, whom one critic described as "the least convincing fashion model, ever." [[SteelyDan Donald Fagen]]'s music seemed to be filler. Richard Schickel said, perceptively, that " [it looks] like something that has been kicking around too long in the dead-letter office."

** Shortly after it was optioned, [=McInerney=] wrote a script, and while it wasn't perfect it was enough to get JoelSchumacher to commit to the project as director, with JerryWeintraub producing. After it was shopped around to many of the early '80s Brat Packers like Creator/JuddNelson and Creator/EmilioEstevez, Creator/TomCruise signed on for the lead.

* PlayingAgainstType: Until then, Michael J. Fox was mostly known for his comedy roles and for playing Marty [=McFly=] in ''Film/BackToTheFuture''. Playing a self-destructive cokehead was quite a change for him.

** Shortly after it was optioned, [=McInerney=] wrote a script, and while it wasn't perfect it was enough to get JoelSchumacher to commit to the project as director, with JerryWeintraub producing. After it was shopped around to many of the early '80s Brat Packers like JuddNelson and EmilioEstevez, TomCruise signed on for the lead.