Middle Men is a 2010 comedy/drama film starring Luke Wilson about the personal situations that develop around those responsible for the rise of internet pornography. Jack Harris is a family man, and all around a pretty normal guy that is known for one thing, fixing things. Through his contacts he is introduced to two men who have developed a pornographic website, that more importantly have created a program that allows them to bill their customers anonymously. Through this development, they become filthy rich, but have no idea how to manage a business, and that's where Jack Harris steps in.
The three manage to encounter numerous porn starlets, as well as mob bosses as they meander through the process of becoming some of the richest men in the country.
This film contains examples of:
- Accidental Murder: James murders a Russian mobster this way.
- Blackmail: Used by nearly every character.
- Close on Title
- Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: Wayne and Buck.
- Deal with the Devil: Wayne and Buck make a deal with The Mafiya.
- Idiot Savant: Buck Dolby who writes a program in 15 minutes that major corporations can't figure out how to make over years but who has been fired from every job he's ever been in.
- Inventor of the Mundane: Wayne and Buck create anonymous billing software.
- In Medias Res: Jack starts narrating the movie while driving to a Russian mobsters house with a duffle bag full of money on his way to rescue a child.
- Pædo Hunt: After the government learns there are some underage actresses.
- The Mafiya: The Sokoloff family.
- Rags to Riches: Wayne and Buck especially as they went from slum apartment to rich, but also Jack from middle class to filthy rich.
- Rich in Dollars, Poor in Sense: Wayne and Buck after their success.
- "Where Are They Now?" Epilogue
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: The Mafiya's solution to Haggerty.