This movie was based on the real life FBI sting operation in the 1980s to infiltrate the Boston mob teamsters. An FBI agent went undercover as a movie studio executive and contracted George Moffly, an aspiring filmmaker, to create it. Throughout the whole time George had no idea that he was making a fake movie. The sting only captured a few minor Mob members. The details of this unusual story can be found in a GQ article (March 2000).
When Alec Baldwin's character tells 'Tony Shalhoub''s character that they are considering replacing the burro with a Bald Eagle he exclaims "What is this, a Disney Picture?!?" The movie was produced by Touchstone Pictures and distributed by Buena Vista Pictures, both of which are part of the Disney Corporation.
The play Matthew Broderick's character references, "Your Arms Too Short to Box with Moses" is an obvious tongue-in-cheek reference to the hit Broadway musical, "Your Arms Too Short to Box with God."
Matthew Broderick and Toni Collette previously co-starred in "The Thief and the Cobbler."