The Taxman

Masters

  • Archive - Festival 35
  • Director: Avi Nesher
  • USA 1999
  • 102 minutes
  • English, Russian
  • Subtitles in Hebrew

Joe Pantoliano (“Matrix”, “Memento”, “The Sopranos”) portrays a postmodern Don Quixote who penetrates the Brighton Beach immigrant community in search of a master criminal. As the taxman begins to decipher the complex billion-dollar mystery he falls for his Russian informer’s beautiful daughter (Elizabeth Berkley, “Show Girls”) and finds out that tax and death are indeed life’s only certainties. The post-noir narrative, based on a true story that features an abundance of twists and turns, allows Pantoliano and Berkley to create extraordinarily unique and captivating characters.

“Taxman” received rave reviews when it first came out: “A cinematic gem. Not to be missed.” (NBC Evening News), “A charmer of a mystery” (NY Times), “Excellent film, exciting and fresh” (LA Daily News).

Newly restored and remastered digital print


  • Director Avi Nesher
  • Production Avi Nesher, Kathy Jordan, Joana Vicente, Jason Kliot
  • Script Avi Nesher, Roger Berger
  • Cinematography Jim Denault
  • Editing Alex Hall
  • Music Roger Neil
  • Actors Joe Pantoliano, Elizabeth Berkley, Robert Townsend, Michael Chiklis
  • Source United King Films and Artomas Communications