Martin Brest
Biography
Martin Brest is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was born on August 8, 1951, in The Bronx, New York City, New York. Brest made his feature debut with the film Going in Style in 1979. He then directed the action comedies Beverly Hills Cop in 1984 and Midnight Run in 1988, which were critical and commercial hits. Brest's subsequent films include Scent of a Woman in 1992, Meet Joe Black in 1998, and Gigli in 2003. He is known for directing films that have received both positive and mixed reviews, with some of his films earning notable recognition.
Career overview
Martin Brest began his directing career with the film Going in Style in 1979. This marked the beginning of his feature film work. He then went on to direct the action comedies Beverly Hills Cop in 1984 and Midnight Run in 1988, both of which were successful.
Brest's subsequent film, Scent of a Woman, was released in 1992 and starred Al Pacino. The film received critical acclaim, with Pacino winning the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance. This success led to Brest earning nominations for Best Director and Best Picture.
Following this, Brest directed Meet Joe Black in 1998, which received mixed reviews. His next film was Gigli in 2003. The production of Gigli was marked by disagreements between Brest and Revolution Studios, resulting in a re-write of the film.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- One Battle After Another (2025) Thanks
- Going in Style (2017) Original Film Writer
- Gigli (2003) Director
- Gigli (2003) Producer
- Gigli (2003) Writer
- Meet Joe Black (1998) Director
- Meet Joe Black (1998) Producer
- Josh & S.A.M. (1993) Producer
- Scent of a Woman (1992) Producer
- Scent of a Woman (1992) Director
- Midnight Run (1988) as Airline Ticket Clerk (uncredited)
- Midnight Run (1988) Producer
- Midnight Run (1988) Director
- Spies Like Us (1985) as Drive-In Security
- Beverly Hills Cop (1984) as Beverly Palms Hotel Checkout Clerk (uncredited)
- Beverly Hills Cop (1984) Director
- Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) as Dr. Miller
- Going in Style (1979) Screenplay
- Going in Style (1979) Director
- Hot Tomorrows (1977) Writer
- Hot Tomorrows (1977) Director
- Hot Tomorrows (1977) Editor
- Saturday Night Live (1975) Director
- Minestrone (1975) Assistant Director
- Hot Dogs for Gauguin (1972) as Man on Ferry
- Hot Dogs for Gauguin (1972) Director
- Hot Dogs for Gauguin (1972) Editor
- Hot Dogs for Gauguin (1972) Writer