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First time writer/director Patrick Stettner's film, The Business Of Strangers, debuted at the Sundance Film festival in 2001. The highly cerebral film focuses on the relationship between a professionally successful woman, Julie Styron, as played by The West Wing's Stockard Channing, and her new assistant, Paula, as played by Save The Last Dance's Julia Stiles.

Julie has just been promoted to CEO and she intends on celebrating with her new assistant. The film follows them as they are stuck in a hotel and have to make their fun. Their cerebral games begin to reveal to the audience their true character and the film culminates when a man is introduced into the equation and their games get even more serious.

This small film sounds a lot like Neil Labute's debut film, In The Company Of Men. While In The Company of men didn't enjoy success at the box office, it did manage to garner a decent following on home video and garnered enough attention to make Labute a viable director within Hollywood.

The Business Of Strangers should fare no better than Labute's debut. The subject matter is rather dark and it will be very hard-pressed to find an audience. Tentatively scheduled to open in limited release on December 7th, the film will most likely enjoy better success in the video stores. (Walid Habboub/BOP)

Vital statistics for The Business of Strangers Main Cast Stockard Channing, Julia Stiles, Fred Weller Supporting Cast Mary Testa, Jack Hallett, Marcus Giamatti Director Patrick Stettner Screenwriter Patrick Stettner Distributor Independent Film Channel Trailer Click Here for Trailer Official Site http://thebusinessofstrangers.com/ Rating R Running Time 84 minutes Screen Count 8 Talent in red has entry in The Big Picture

Comparison films for The Business of Strangers
Title	Date	Opening	Adjusted Opening	Screens	PSA	Adj PSA	Total BO	Adjusted Total	Mult
Eye of the Beholder	1/28/00	5.96	6.66	1751	3404.00	3662.9	16.35	18.29	2.74
Desperate Measures (1998)	1/30/98	5.83	7.49	1963	2970.00	3672.9	13.81	17.75	2.37