Bogus is a 1996 American fantasy film directed by Norman Jewison from a screenplay written by Alvin Sargent, and starring Whoopi Goldberg, Gérard Depardieu, and Haley Joel Osment. It features magic tricks with magician Whit Haydn as consultant. It did poorly at the box office and Goldberg was nominated for a Razzie Award for her performance. It was filmed in Canada and New Jersey. Plot Cast Whoopi Goldberg as Harriet Franklin Gérard Depardieu as Bogus Haley Joel Osment as Albert Franklin Nancy Travis as Lorraine Franklin Andrea Martin as Penny Denis Mercier as Monsieur Antoine Ute Lemper as Babette Sheryl Lee Ralph as Ruth Clark Al Waxman as School Principal Fiona Reid as School Teacher Kevin Jackson as Bob Morrison Richard Portnow as M. Clay Thrasher Stefan Batory as M. Clay Fisher Barbara Hamilton as Mrs. Partridge Filming location Although portrayed as Newark, NJ, part of the film was filmed in the Van Vorst Park neighborhood of Downtown Jersey City. The apartment building that the character, Harriet, lives in at the corner of York Street and Barrow Street is called Madison on the Van Vorst Park. Release Bogus opened at #11 in its opening weekend with $1,895,593 and grossed $4,357,406 in the US. Reception Rotten Tomatoes reports that 41% of 17 surveyed critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating is 5/10. Leonard Klady of Variety wrote, "Sweetly sentimental and anachronistically whimsical, Bogus is a modern metaphor oddly out of step with contemporary taste." Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote, "Jewison lays on the dry ice and special effects without adding emotion to a slow, hackneyed story." Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times rated it 3/4 stars and called it "a charming, inconsequential fantasy" that wisely avoids realism. Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade of "B+" on a scale of A+ to F. References External links 1996 films 1990s children's comedy films 1990s fantasy comedy films American children's comedy films American children's fantasy films American fantasy comedy films Films about orphans Films directed by Norman Jewison Films scored by Marc Shaiman Films set in the Las Vegas Valley Films set in New Jersey Films shot in Atlantic City, New Jersey Films shot in the Las Vegas Valley Films shot in Toronto Regency Enterprises films Warner Bros. films 1996 comedy films Films produced by Arnon Milchan 1990s English-language films 1990s American films