$999

Plot

The film mainly focuses on 28-year-old Dave Peck, who is unemployed but prefers the search for the meaning of life to the search for gainful employment. While looking in a magazine, Dave finds an advertisement for a book that will tell him the meaning of life "for the low price of $9.99." Dave, fascinated by this, begins his journey in his Sydney apartment to find the true meaning of life.

As the film progresses, stories of Dave's family and neighbours are woven in and examine the post-modern meaning of hope.

Cast

Geoffrey Rush as The Angel / Homeless Man

Anthony LaPaglia as Jim

Samuel Johnson as Dave

Claudia Karvan as Michelle

Joel Edgerton as Ron

Barry Otto as Albert

Leeanna Walsman as Tanita

Ben Mendelsohn as Lenny

Jamie Katsamatsas as Zack

Brian Meagan as Clement

Crew

Production Designer – Melinda Doring

Original Music – Christopher Bowen

Camera (color) – Susan Stitt, James Lewis, Richard Bradshaw

Release and reception

$9.99 premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 4 September 2008. The film was then released in Los Angeles and New York on 19 June 2009 and then in Australia on 17 September 2009. Upon release, the film earned mostly positive reviews. As of July 2012, it holds a "Fresh" score of 75 percent on the film review website Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 6.6 out of 10. Metacritic gave the film 68/100 based on 15 critics giving it generally favorable reviews.

Box office

$9.99 took $47,300 at the box office in Australia. The films worldwide total was $708,354

Awards and nominations

Winner of the Audience Award for best feature at FICCO 2009

Winner of EXXONMOBIL best female director Award at FICCO 2009

Winner of Anima Brussels BeTV best feature Award 2009

Winner of the Grand Prize at Monstra Lisbon Animated film Festival 2009

The film has been nominated for the Annie Awards for Best Animated Feature and Directing in an Animated Feature Production.