Reviews (167)

Dynamite Cast + Good Fun = Excellent Film
First off: "Jackie Brown" is not a disappointment. After the surprise success of Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" in 1994, everyone was looking for him to fail on his next attempt. Sorry, friends, but this just isn't the case. In many ways, "Jackie Brown" is a more enjoyable ride. After repeated viewings of "Pulp Fiction" and "Reservoir Dogs," one can easily pinpoint the weaknesses in Tarantino's style. He uses similar references to '70s action and blaxploitation films, he uses relic music hits from the same era, and he even uses similar character names (Marvin with no ear, meet Marvin with no head). The violence is always there, and the incessant use of profanity is always there. But "Jackie Brown" is different from these previous efforts. There's no appearances by either Harvey Keitel or Tim Roth; instead, the film is headlined by the queen of the '70s blaxploitation flicks, the eternally sexy Pam Grier. The supporting cast includes Robert Forster, a staple of cheesy B-movies, Samuel L. Jackson in a return to the world of Tarantino, and the very interesting threesome of Michael Keaton, Bridget Fonda, and the ever-versatile De Niro to round out the cast. So what, besides the cast, makes the film such a knockout? While the profanity level has been toned down, Tarantino's script loses no edge and maintains a constant freshness and sense of humor. Grier has never been much of an actress, but she's always had a certain charm, and she uses this charm effectively in "Jackie Brown." Forster gives his most memorable performance here, playing the role of Max Cherry with complete control and positive cool. Fonda is great as Melanie, and Keaton has a blast playing ATF agent Ray Nicolet, but De Niro steals the show as Louis Gara. De Niro has one of his better supporting roles here, and he makes the most of it. Louis is something of a dimwit, but only De Niro could inject the character with as much humor as he has here. The film, at 154m, is probably too long and overindulgent, but Tarantino presents us with an interesting plot, and some equally interesting subplots to boot. The most effective of these is the relationship that builds between Grier and Forster; there is an attraction there, but the insecurities of each character prevents this from ever reaching a climax. The film is colorful, has solid (but not brilliant) direction, and, aside from some serious lapses in logic, the script flows seamlessly. And guess what? There's no guest appearance by the man himself, who must have realized after "From Dusk Till Dawn" that, while he may be a writer and a director, and actor he is not. "Jackie Brown" reveals the limitations of Quentin Tarantino, but the film is still a riot, and one of the most entertaining of 1997. That's more than I can say for James Cameron's "Titanic," which fails on all levels for me, despite what the critics say. "Jackie Brown" delivers a knockout punch. It's great to see that some Elmore Leonard novels are finally getting the big-screen treatments that they deserve.

Fond-a Weapons
Jackie Brown: rated R, 2 hours and 40 minutes

Jackie Brown is an incredibly well played movie about guns, drugs, and money. Half a million in cash is up for grabs, and the only way to obtain it is by figuring out who is playing whom.
When Jackie (a stunning Pam Grier) is caught at an airport carrying a veritably large sum of money and a bag of crack, the outline of the story is formed. Jackie is held in custody facing possible time in prison, when the deceptive Ordell, played by black talking Samuel L. Jackson steps into the picture. Ordell hires an honest bailbondsman, Max Cherry, to release Ms. Brown. While Ordell takes care of business, we see behind-the-scenes conversations between the spaced out Robert De Niro, as Lewis, and the dim-witted Bridget Fonda, as Melanie, two of Ordell's main connections. Jackie becomes caught between two sides, both with equal objectives. Ray (Michael Keaton), the cop that apprehended Jackie earlier is after small time arms dealer, Ordell, and Ordell is pulling Jackie into his scheme of acquiring the cash. Meanwhile, Lewis and Melanie have their own plans of taking the money. Jackie can't afford to get into any more legal trouble, and if she doesn't cooperate with the man she owes her freedom to, she will be killed, which sets the stage for the perfect swindle.
Quentin Tarantino, creator of Jackie Brown, is master of 'film noir', and adds an interesting perspective to one scene in particular. Jackie is forced by the feds to frame Ordell, and according to Ordell, she is supposed to double-cross them. Caught in the middle, Jackie must fake an exchange of marked bills, in order to seem loyal to both. The switch is shown through three different viewpoints, adding greatly to the effect. The first time, Jackie is shown leaving the bag of money in a dressing room. Next, Lewis and Melanie are shown actually making the exchange, with the real bag of money left behind in the dressing room, and a suspicious Max Cherry watching. Lastly, Max Cherry watches as Lewis and Melanie swap bags, and the actual bag of cash left for him to pick up. By doing this, the big picture is seen through bits and pieces. Tarantino deserves much credit for its ingenious execution, and Jackie Brown in its entirety is recognized as a success, with phenomenal acting by the whole cast, primarily Pam Grier.

Great! Awesome! Fantastic!
Nobody and I mean nobody makes movies like Quentin Tarantino. JACKIE BROWN is one of the greatest movies of all time. Personally, This is my favorite of Quentin Tarantino's films. So get your copy of JACKIE BROWN today!

Not bad, De Niro is fun
Jackie Brown is certainly not Tarantino's best but it is amusing. As in pretty much every movie Samuel L Jackson plays a pretty important part as a gunrunner. He lives in a LA house with the very hot Bridget Fonda. A friend who just came out of jail lives with him and helps him. This is absolutely the funniest character in the movie, played by De Niro. He is a little dumb, lazy and slow but funnily played.

Key to the movie is Pam Grier as Jackie Brown, the smartest person in the movie because she can play both sides, the feds and the criminals and ends up with a lot of dough.

Not a super movie and with 150 minutes definitely too long, but still fun.

Not quite PULP FICTION, but certainly worthy Tarantino
I love Quentin Tarantino. You watch him speak about his art in interviews, and while I realize what I'm responding to might simply be a cleverly-wrought public persona, his energy and enthusiasm for his craft is just so infectious that one cannot help but be energized too. That energy certainly carries over into his movies, and while he may not be the most thrillingly visual director, his undeniable gift for dialogue more than compensates in his films.

PULP FICTION, as of now, is my favorite movie; the dialogue sparkles with wit, and I could hear those lines over and over again without ever getting tired of them. JACKIE BROWN, his follow-up to PF, is just as good as PF, if not quite its superior. Many complained upon its release that this movie was too sluggish and slow-moving (the above Editorial Review calls it "decaffeinated"). Sure, the plot of this movie certainly could become a taut, exciting thriller under another director's hands. But clearly writer-director Tarantino isn't aiming merely for action-movie thrills. He is also focused on his characters, particularly with the two older characters, Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) and Max Cherry (Robert Forster), two characters who have an unspoken attraction to each other that brings an intriguing undertone to a majority of the crime story. If Tarantino takes his time developing his characters and laying out the plot...well, the characters' dialogue is consistently full of life; the characters are interesting (and the performances terrific across the board, particuarly Forster's); and the convoluted plot, when it kicks into high gear, is a source of fascination as well. Watching it, I hardly ever felt that it was too slow for its own good: I was too fascinated by what I was seeing and hearing to notice any possible deficiencies in pacing. (Another Elmore Leonard adaptation, Steven Soderbergh's OUT OF SIGHT, took a similarly leisurely approach to its crime plot, and it worked just as well in that film, too.)

In short, JACKIE BROWN is an underrated Tarantino masterpiece. It may not be quite the film PULP FICTION is (since it had a more palpably energetic feel to it, despite both films' running 154 minutes), but it is certainly a worthy follow-up. ... Read more

Reviews (93)

Julia Ormond shines in role played by Hepburn!
Being a huge Audrey Hepburn fan, I NEVER thought I would find the remake as entertaining as the original. But was I ever wrong!

Julia Ormond's transformation to the luminously beautiful "woman of the world" Sabrina, is every bit as believable as Hepburn's earlier transformation. Ormond's chemistry with Harrison Ford is far more believable and charming, as Linus tries to distract Sabrina from her obsessive fascination with his younger brother, David, now engaged to the daughter of a business associate.

Harrison Ford gives his portrayal of Linus the needed humanity that Bogart's portrayal lacked. Linus, in Ford's capable hands, revealed the weight of being the older, more responsible brother, in whom the family fortune rested. Yet, Linus yearned to fall in love, and until Sabrina's return from Paris, and their mock courtship, he didn't believe it could ever happen. I really believed he was falling in love with Ormond's Sabrina.

Ford's Linus seemed genuinely heartbroken when he admitted the truth about the Paris trip to Sabrina. He watched with dismay, as her heart broke, to realize he'd been playing her for a fool during their romance. That's why their reunion in Paris, at the end, was so satisfying!

Greg Kinear's David was also more humane and less calculating, than William Holden's in the original version. I felt David's anger at his brother's deceptive romance of Sabrina. And so his punching Linus was a more realistic response.

I highly recommend this movie to all romantics! It also makes a great date film. A great update of an earlier classic, this film may well become a classic in its own right.

Enjoyable, more meaningful/romantic version than original
If you look through the reviews for this version and those for the old B&W, you'll see that there is a little debate going on about which is better. Really, both films have their merits. The original was cute and unpretentious, presenting a fragile Audrey Hepburn in some fashionable clothing (including that absurd gown she dragged through the tennis court scene). But this recent version has the benefit of having a much more appealing hero. Harrison Ford, though he is awkward in romantic roles, is still a far better choice than the clumsy and unattractive Humphrey Bogart. Ford plays the lead, Linus Larrabee, the oldest of two brothers and the responsible (even greedy) one. Greg Kinnear gives a brilliant performance as the younger brother, David, a playboy with only women on his mind. Caught between the two is Sabrina, even more brilliantly played by Julia Ormond. Unlike Hepburn, who presented a shy and awkward Sabrina, Ormond plays the role with not just shyness or insecurity, but an underlying gentleness that fleshes out the character, making her very real and very appealing. Each scene, she delivers just the right amount of insecurity combined with the right amount of emotion, and each line is delivered perfectly. Yet you are never aware that she is acting. The interactions between Kinnear and Ormond have tremendous "chemistry", more so than those she has with Ford. But between Julia and Greg, or rather their characters, there is so much honesty and quite frankly such superb acting that what you are witnessing is not some celebrity actors playing themselves playing a role, but two true actors who make it all look natural. (I know, something Hollywood typically doesn't appreciate.) Their scenes bring a passion and a reality to the film that is rather inspiring -- I'd like to see these two paired again, this time as the lovers and not those who end up "just friends". The storyline is played gently, more for comedy than drama. This film owes a lot to its predecessor, but I have to vote that this is the better, more charming, more emotional and more natural version. The cast of supporting characters is marvelous and expert, including Nancy Marchand as the Larrabee matriarch, John Wood as Sabrina's sensible father, Angie Dickinson and Richard Crenna as the Tysons of Tyson Electronics and a billion dollar merger if David marries their daughter, a physician played by Lauren Holly. Dana Ivey is Mack, Linus' secretary, who has all the funny lines ("We were up to our arms in your underwear drawer. It was like touching the Shroud of Turin.")All the supporting cast do a wonderful job of, well, supporting the stars. The pace never lags, the fun and the drama don't stop. The DVD version has excellent sound and color picture. This is a good investment if you want to see a film that is adult, gently dramatic, clever, and pure pleasure.

My Favorite Movie, Bar None
This movie is wonderful. It takes an already-good plot and updates it -- an Ever After for our classic Cinderella story. The new Sabrina is more self-sufficient, worldly, and her relationship with Linus is much more mature than the variety of relationships portrayed in any movies from Hollywood's Golden Era. It's not that the first Sabrina isn't a wonderful classic, but while that one was classic for its fairy-tale quality, and cute scenes that could never be truly be duplicated, this one meets the demands of an audience who today, wants proof that these are actually two people in love. With Ormond's character, we, the audience, understand and participate in her transition from teenage infatuation to mature love. There are no petty emotional mind-games here, as are so common in Bogart-era romantic comedies.

In addition, the actors themselves add considerably to the movie's success. Kinnear's David matures as well, from playboy to partner, and it is easy to see that his relationship with his brother has played no small part in the formation of his playboy image. Additionally, many of his lines are priceless. Ormond delivers a few ringers as well, including my favorite, when she refers to Linus as "the only living heart donor."

And all this is without speaking of the music. The soundtrack is excellent. The score is classy for its infusion of jazz, yet made passionate by John Williams' unmistakable orchestration. Sting also contributes a haunting ballad. It all fits beautifully into the movie.

Everytime I watch the new Sabrina, it makes me cry. And I'm not the crying type. I highly recommend it -- not as a remake, but on its own merit.

Enjoy it without comparing it to the original
In addition to this movie I've also seen the older one starring Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart, and I found that both can be enjoyed almost as two different kinds of films. Though not without its moments of drama, the Bogart/Hepburn film was lighter, more sparkling and witty, but also a little more shallow. In that movie, I couldn't understand the attraction between Bogart and Hepburn; they never seem to connect across their age gap.

In this remake of Sabrina, Julia Ormond gives a performance that's more mature and has more depth. Once she goes to Paris and grows up, she truly grows up (unlike Hepburn, who is loveable but too childlike). The love that develops between her character and Harrison Ford's is more believable; the movie takes more time and trouble to develop a plausible relationship between the grown up chaffeur's daughter and the billionaire without a social life. In addition to that, it also has witty dialogue and funny moments, just like the original.

Genuinely terrible remake of movie classic
This is a simply awful remake of the 1950s original with Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart and William Holden. Their roles are reprised by Julia Ormond, Harrison Ford and Greg Kinnear.

Of the three leads, Greg Kinnear (David Larrabee) does the best job. I think he is a very underrated actor, especially after his excellent work in "As Good As It Gets". He even slightly resembles a young William Holden.

Harrison Ford does an adequate but uninspired job as Linus. Actually both Ford and Bogart were both too at least 20 years old to play Linus, who is supposed to be the older brother, not the father. This detracts a little from the romance, which is supposed to be May-September, not May-Decenber in character, but in the original film, Bogarts sheer charisma carried the day. Harrison Ford has many talents, but romance isn't one of them. He's a good performer in action flicks like "Raiders of the Lost Ark" but he just has no chemistry here.

The worst of the pack is Julia Ormond, an otherwise fine British actress ("Smilla's Sense of Snow"). She is everything wrong for Sabrina -- I can only think they picked her for her smooth voice and accent, which do superficially resemble Ms. Hepburn's. But Julia Ormond is too old to play Sabrina (she was in her thirties when it was filmed and Sabrina is supposed to be about 20!) and doesn't come across as an ingenue. She is just plain painful in the early scenes, where the costume/makeup people went into overtime making her a frump with mounds of frizzy hair. Later, she is "transformed" with a short haircut but unlike Audrey Hepburn -- one woman who was utterly enchanting and beautiful with very very short hair, a hard look to carry off -- Julia looks just awful. It's an unflattering cut and served only to make her look even more mature, rather than sophisticated and charming.

Much of the delightful, sparkling dialogue has been chopped out, towards what end I can't imagine. Also, instead of going to Paris and training as a chef (a very acceptable modern profession for a woman!), they have decided to make Sabrina a Vogue fashion photographer (despite no previous interest or background in photography OR fashion). Frankly, I think the writers were getting "Sabrina" mixed up with Audrey Hepburn's other great classic "Funny Face", where she plays a frump-become-fashion-model. There is no other believable explanation! This also ruins her Paris experience, which was handled so delightfully in the original. If that isn't bad enough, they have innocent little Sabrina having a love affair, a point which terribly muddles the whole idea that she is a naive virgin pining for David. OK, frankly, not many girls stay virgins that long these days, but Sabrina had a reason for doing so and the additional lover (who is quite attractive) really skews the storyline off course.

As a fashion buff, one of the great charms of the original film is the utterly exquisite, iconic fashions wore by Audrey Hepburn, who was not only one of the most beautiful actresses of her day but one of the most stylish women ever, period. (Both Edith Head and Herbert Givenchy designed her costumes.) Every outfit she wore in the original film is an absolute style classic. Some, like the dress she wears to the Larrabee's party after returning from Paris -- a white, strapless gown with black embroidery and a long swishy train -- are so absolutely breathtaking that the hairs on the back of your neck go up when you see her.

In contrast, the remake "Sabrina" has some of the lamest, plainest costumes I have ever seen. In the identical scene (the party), Sabrina wears a drab, dark green evening dress. Not that Julia Ormond isn't attractive, but there is nothing dramatic or stunning about her appearance that would make every head turn when she enters...it's even more lame when other characters, like Mrs. Larrabee (the late Nancy Marchand, in her last role) make comments about how ravishing she is.

Actually, while the filmmakers were "updating" Sabrina to be politically correct, I wonder why they didn't consider making Sabrina and her chaffeur father African American or Hispanic? Certainly that would reflect the reality in the 90s of what ethnic background servants to the very rich are likely to come from. (How often do you see a British chaffeur, really? Almost never! and why would Sabrina, who was raised in the US have a British accent anyways?) I think an interraccial romance would emphasize the cultural/economic differences between the Larrabees and the Fairchilds in a way that modern audiences could truly understand. BTW: I think Hallie Berry or Jennifer Lopez might have done very well in that kind of remake, and they each have a "star" quality that Ms.Ormond utterly lacks. Well, just my two cents.

At any rate, this is a lifeless, tired and completely unnecessary remake. Do yourself a BIG favor and rent the original with Hepburn and Bogart and try to forget that this bloated remake was ever made. ... Read more

Reviews (503)

Man Out Of Time
It's hard to think of a movie in which the hero ponders a metaphorical crossroads in his life while standing at a literal crossroads. Insipid or inspired? The problem with Robert Zemeckis's visually and viscerally eye-punching Robinson Crusoe ins that you can't say for sure. Could the movie really be as thematically trite as an insprirational office poster? Or is it an admirably stripped- down examination of the ancestral essence of being human?
Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) doesn't worry about such big questions. He's airlifted into Moscow and other emerging capital hot-spots when local operations are absolutely, positivly running from that tireless hunter: time. (It's alerrgorical! Get it?) Summoned on Christmas to make an emergency run, Chuck leaves his fiencee Kelly (Helen Hunt) with the promise that he'll return New Year's Eve. Cue from a "Perfect Storm": Chuck and the FedEx jet crew lose radio contact and crash into the Pacific Ocean in a truly harrowing, you-are-there disaster sequence. This is no film for the squeamish, particularly after Chuck and a few FedEx packages wash up on an unnamed, utterly uninhabited island (Fiji's Monukiri and Mana, actually).
Almost everything, from what Chuck's forced to eat to his horror at consequences of a desert-island toothache, is accompanied by all the blood and guts left over from SAVING PRIVATE RYAN.
Add in Chuck's deteriorating hold on sanity---evinced by the inspired conceit of his relationship with a volleyball on which he has drawn a face---and you have a long middle section of bravura filmaking.
But once Chuck get home, the film turns anticlimatic and emotionally nil, and there's a startling lack of chemistry between Hanks and an unimpressive Hunt.

Cast Away
Cast Away
The first thought I had after seeing this film was whether or not I fully understood all of what I had seen. Posing this question will undoubtedly offer no easy answers, which for a film like Cast Away is probably a good thing. Cast Away begins with Fed Ex Executive Chuck Nolan (Tom Hanks in another stellar performance) explaining to his employee's that quote "We live by the clock". It's Christmas Eve and Chuck is enjoying a good meal with family and friends when his beeper rings and he finds himself forced to go out on a quick job. He tells his beautiful girlfriend Kelly (Helen Hunt) that he will be home in time for new years celebrations. He promises. However a tragic plane crash into the ocean (which is very thrilling and realistic) changes all that. Now Chuck will no longer be living by the clock because he's now got all the time in the world. A trailer that gives away the entire movie ruined cast Away for many people. A spokes man for 20th Century Fox Entertainment said that Cast Away is movie about a man lost at sea and how he deals with coming home to world of change. Frankly I do not see it that way. I am a firm believer that people want to be surprised when they go to the movies. The only other quibble I have about the movie is the ending from which I think we the viewers are left with too many questions. Besides those problems I walked out of the theatre feeling really satisfied with what I had seen. The acting is top flight. The cinematography is excellent and the score is also a plus. One thing to mention to people is that there isn't allot of dialogue in the movie which may turn some people off. However, those people not too fussy may find this film truly riveting. For me it was a breathtaking experience. Review: **** out of five

unwooden Hollywood
Greeting comrads. Whats all can be said. read Yugijouohs' stunning review here in this Amazon customer review section, and you can believe me, he be harsher than I would have been if i talk , but that's repeating, he has said all there is to say! But I'll toss my 2 lira - Helen Hunt is the cats pajamas for ME personally--as opposed to me impersonally haha eddu make funny--and if had known she was not going to appear in Cast Away, I would not have even gone to see it.As mia santa momma said , flattery is no pizza,...but I will smash that rule here. WHENEVER Ms. Hunt is on picture, the movie is EYECATCHING! Again, see Yugijouohs review for more "depth" , I only write to urge you, the last TWENTY minutes of this movie recall the label on minestrone soup cans when i was a boy- Mm Mm GOOD! Probably the best use of digital storage in this crazy filmmaking world. Happily, this is my first positive review on Amazon, and this kind of filmmaking must "be a shining city on the hill" like Ronald Reagan speech! I say, Stay away from bad foreign film, go see Hollywood..(you may learn english)! To say 1 negative thing, the scenery shots ARE boring & Hanks seems a very disengenous man. To believe this movie was hardly "test screened", I love that this type of movie ending is not what world "wants"(?) At most you cant turn your DVD off when Mr Hanks is rescued,the movie would get malto bazillioniano stars I give in the review. This is my best advice.

I shared the same experience as Chuck Noland did...
This movie is very touching, and it's been hard for me to watch it again. Why you ask, because I use to date a girl back in 1996 when she lived here in Fitzgerald, GA. Her name is Kelly aswell. We dated briefly, but that all ending when her dad had to move to Houston, TX because of his job being transfered from the railcart co. here in Fitzgerld, GA, to Houston, TX. Me and her lost contact with each other until 2002, when I was able to find where she was and to finally get in touch with her again. She came back to Fitzgerald and We hugged each other for a long while. She stayed for a day or so here in town with another family member of her's, then they left to go back to Houston, TX. Sadly she started dating someone there in January of 2003. She told me that she did not think she could take having a long distance relationship, which that does make since. She did however came back later that year, but it was different. She saw it as a Friendly visit instead. But we still email each other everynow and then.

I know you could care less about my experience compared to this movie, but anyway Tom Hanks again brings in a great performance in "CastAway", just like he did in "Saving Private Ryan". The only thing I dislike about this movie is that he sounds like he is apologizes for not coming back to Kelly(Helen Hunt). It's not his fault the plane went down and he got stranded on an island, and Kelly(Helen Hunt) should have held out longer to see if he would indid be found. Which he is found and returns to Texas, and to his job as a Fed-Ex worker. But Kelly(Helen Hunt) is now remarried and has a daughter. But the movie does end on a positive note.

I recommend this movie to anyone wanting to see an adventure type movie, after you watch this movie it will make you look at life a different way and to stay close to the love ones you so dearly treasure.

Tom Tanks
Castaway was gravely lacking whether it was a true story or not. I hope it was true because that would at least validate the reason why somebody would put an anti-climactic and obvious-to-the-point-of-silliness story like that on a screen. The only enjoyable parts were where he lost something: Wilson the volleyball and his only companion of four years; blood, in the ocean accident where he tries to row a deflated lifesaver tube towards a light in the distance and breaks his leg open on the coral; his flashlight burning out; his soul-mate re-marrying and starting a new family; etc. It was enjoyable because I wanted him to suffer further. I think sympathetic feelings should only be lent to greatness, like Stalin or the Hindenburg exploding into flames, not to some shlub lost at sea who survives against great odds and endures to what? Saving his life only to give into the convention of letting things be as they are? Of course if there is resistance one shouldn't push and pull, but it seemed the only thing holding him back were the qualms and strictions of leaving well enough alone. Too bad this didn't register in his brain on that island and save the two hours and twenty plus minutes of film. Although there were some amusing parts there was never really any suspense as the viewer knows without any advance warning that he would survive his ordeal no matter the severity or peril he faced. Two stars begrudginly because it was 50 times better than Wendigo and I like to be consistent. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sean Penn (looking rather Rupert Pupkin-like) is Samuel Bicke, whose life, circa 1974, has become unbearable. His wife (Naomi Watts) has left him, his dead-end sales job is killing him--even his best friend (Don Cheadle) has had enough. Bicke's a loser, but at least he's an honest one. Nixon, the epitome of dishonesty, becomes the locus of his rage, so Bicke devises a plan to eliminate him. Paul Schrader claims he finished writing Taxi Driver before the real-life Byck attempted to assassinate the president. Maybe so, but the similarities are hard to ignore (and "Bickle" sounds a lot like "Byck"). Niels Mueller (Tadpole) doesn't disguise the fact that his debut was inspired by the guy. If The Assassination of Richard Nixon doesn't hit Taxi Driver's (admittedly lofty) heights, it's still a discomfiting look at a man determined to leave his mark on the world, only to become a footnote. --Kathleen C. Fennessy ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Provocative Movie, Stunning Performance
In 1974, a Baltimore man named Sam Bycke attempted to hijack an airliner so he could crash it into the White House and incinerate President Nixon, and he sent audiotapes to Leonard Bernstein detailing his motives. "The Assassination of Richard Nixon" (2004) is "inspired" by this historical footnote. In it, Sean Penn plays the role of Sam Bicke, a pathetic man who is desperately out-of-place in 1974 America.

In simplistic terms, Bicke is a total "loser." He's been separated from his wife (Naomi Watts) and three children for almost two years but entertains pitiful delusions of reconciliation. He has one friend, a black auto mechanic (Don Cheadle). He flees from one job to another, ending up selling office furniture for an unctuous boss who gives him self-help books on tape and a tape recorder-player with which to boost his ego, fire up his motivation, and master the pushy art of friendly persuasion. But Sam doesn't have the drive to study the tapes in a serious way, the social skills to translate their theory into effective practice, or the temperament to persuade people to buy things they don't really want for prices they don't want to pay. Not only that, but he is too busy trying to force himself back on his wife who wants nothing more to do with him than to collect his child support checks to help her meet the expenses of raising the children and maintaining the house while she moves on with her life, struggling to get a loan to start up an ill-conceived business with his friend to sell and install tires out of a bright red bus that doesn't even run, and railing against the corrupt unfairness of a social system that rewards people with obscene amounts of wealth and power for lying, conniving, and manipulating while people of integrity and decency flounder and fail to find success or happiness. As Bicke's failures mount, he becomes increasingly unhinged, quitting his job, stealing from his brother, making an abortive attempt to kill his ex-boss, and then seizing upon an insane plan to assassinate President Nixon and destroy the White House in a blaze of glorious triumph of the little man over the iconic symbols of oppressive and immoral wealth and power. As he explains in his rambling tape to Leonard Bernstein, he's going to demonstrate that even the smallest grain of sand on the vast beach that is the American and world population can have a mighty impact on everyone.

Sean Penn has to be one of the finest actors on film, and I believe that this film features one of his greatest performances. In fact, I think it's stunning. I can't imagine anyone doing a better job of capturing Bicke's alienation from society; his bumbling social ineptitude and incessant self-preoccupation; his maddeningly clueless pursuit of the impossible; his crushing despair as he sees his marriage, his friendship, his career aspirations, his relationship with his brother, and his entire life inexorably disintegrate; and his irreversible plunge into the black depths of tragedy.

Some have criticized the film for being a rip-off of "Taxi Driver." I may be in a distinct minority, but I actually found Penn's Sam Bicke to be a more believable and compelling character than DeNiro's Travis Bickle, and "Assassination" a more involving study of alienation and decline into madness than "Taxi Driver."

Others have complained that "The Assassination of Richard Nixon" is an unmitigated and unrelenting downer with no redeeming message or point. I admit that I have probably never squirmed with as much discomfort or felt such unremitting bleakness while watching a film as I did while watching this one. My wife kept saying with exasperation, "He's stupid . . . a stupid man!"

Yes, I believe that he was stupid in terms of social or emotional intelligence, and not terribly bright intellectually or strong in any other way, and that this unfortunate constellation of inadequacies crumbled into madness under the demands and pressures of everyday life. I believe that this was the "point" of the movie and that it was portrayed so masterfully that it was all the point there needed to be. If one watches this film with an open and compassionate mind and heart instead of being clouded by expectations of a "good time" or by judgmental contempt for the protagonist, one can gain deep and valuable insight into the anatomy of alienation, despair, and desperation to "be somebody" in a world that is oblivious to your existence when it isn't being contemptuous of it.

Sam Bicke is so pathetic that it's hard to sympathize with him when he constantly whines about deceit and injustice at work and in life, doggedly pursues his estranged wife who obviously has no interest in reconciliation, and pushes awkwardly and overbearingly for a business loan that hasn't an iota's chance of being approved. But there are many people in this world who are like Sam Bicke to some degree or other, and they are human beings who hope and dream until they feel so defeated and hopeless that they live out their sad lives in lonely, lingering obscurity, or eat, drink, or drug themselves to quicker death, or destroy themselves and sometimes others in sudden, ugly acts of shocking violence.

I believe that it is incumbent on us as individuals and as a society to minimize this suffering and destruction by taking more of an interest in the Sam Bicke's of our world, showing them that we do care about them, providing them a niche in society where they can feel nurtured, valued, and loved, and making expert help available to them and steering them toward it when they need it.

I had never even heard of The "Assassination of Richard Nixon" until recently, but as soon as I did hear of it, I just had to see it. I'm glad I did. Bearing in mind that I'm a pretty tough grader, I give it an A-.

Interesting film...great acting
Genre: Political Thriller/Drama

Genre Grade: B

Final Grade: B-

While Sean Penn gave an excellent performance in this film, the extremely slow pace of the story was barely enough to keep me from turning it off. However, if you can get through the thick plot, there is a great story to be told. This movie is based on a true story about a man who decided to "go all out" back in 1974 during the Watergate scandal.

Obviously his attempts are defeated in the end, as Nixon was never assassinated. However, the views brought forth by Sean Penn's character (one I'm sure he loved taking on) are disturbing to me. Not because I think they're wrong, but because I think they're right. While some of the ideas this man had might have been over-the-top, I could clearly see the reasoning for his motives. There were some very powerful lines in this film that I would love to hear a conservative try to argue their way out of without sounding like an insensitive prick. Not about this madman's views on assassinating a president he doesn't agree with, but on his views of America being controlled by power-hungry bastards. This point is strengthened in the analogy of the power structure of businesses and the lack of respect for employees.

While this movie might be politically over-the-top or confusing for some viewers, I think it holds some strong statements that people should think about. Whether you agree with the ideas this film presents or not, I would hope you would at least see the message that sitting back quietly while the greedy liars take over our country is not the answer.

It is my belief that being apolitical is dangerous and could be compared to burning the flag. While you have every right to not care what your government officials are doing behind closed doors, you should respect your country by taking a stand for what is right.

Sorry for being so political.

Quotables:

Samuel Bicke: "The meek shall not inherit the earth. The earth belongs to the bullies who do not care how they get to the top...as long as they arrive. I am an honest man. If that is to be my undoing then so be it. But I will not go quietly."

Where is the Commentary from writer-director Niels Mueller
This film is nothing like Taxi Driver, a very lazy comparison, the only similarites are in the time period both films take place in, and the simple fact that President Richard Nixon is the crook that corrupts two nations. The fact that very few REAL Bickle's or Bicke's have carried out such desperate actions, out-lined in both films, is testament to the overall good of the masses suffering under the weight of the evil few. NIXON, REGAN, BUSH times 2 THATCHER, BLAIR, and oh so many more down the pipe of history.
The most important message this film has is that to succeed in a capitalist society an individual should be as corrupt as the power elite who decide how the world is governed.

Superb film, very much a bitter pill, Sean Penn, America's most underrated actor, why has he not won more awards? Answer : because someone like Mr America "mom's apple pie" Tom Hanks is more pallatable, in feel-good ignore all, movies.
My only complaint is that I bought this dvd under the knowledge that there was a commentary track from writer-director Niels Mueller. Not on my dvd. In fact all you get as extras is two trailers for the film.

I think this dvd is over-priced considering it is all, but a bare-bones release.
Superb film, not so hot dvd
5 for the film only 3 for the dvd which means I score this dvd an overall 4 / 5

Shows how the little man tries to strike back...
Sean Penn plays Sam Bicke in this slow moving drama.Bicke is like a billion guys out there.He's a nice guy, he's honest, and he's surrounded by the opposite.His bosses are telling him how to lie in order to be a successful furniture salesman, his wife leaves him, and he cannot get a loan for a tire service company because his partner is black.

Like the title of a Megadeth record: THE SYSTEM HAS FAILED.All systems have postives and negatives, and this one shows how in 1974 (It's not really much different 30 years later...is it?) that dishonesty can be the best policy.

Bicke won't take it any more, he decides to do something about it.Something about...all of it.

I think there are TONS of modern day Sam Bickes out there.This does not mean they will do something bad, it just means that there is still always the common man, working for peanuts, who despite having honesty, integrity, honor, and courage, will never get out from under being oppressed by the government system that is meant to help, but more often than not, continues to hurt.Shows how we all feel when no matter how many times we try and do the right thing, the crooks always seem to have more success!

I enjoyed the movie, SEAN PENN IS AWESOME as Sam Bicke.Based on a true story.If you are into movies about character development etc. this is definitley your movie!

One Note - Endlessly Repeated
And now for a dissenting opinion...

I want my 95 minutes back! Although it actually felt much longer. This film is played like an extended acting class exercise. Sean Penn runs through his usual set of "dramatic, Dramatic, DRAMATIC!!!!" chops (see any of his recent movies) as he plays the everyman whose inner demons and inability to cope with life's frustrations gradually overwhelm him. He mumbles, he darts his eyes, he explodes in rage - shouting and spitting, he sobs inconsolably. Yeah, yeah... Thank you, Mr. Penn - We'll call you.

The movie suffers from inevitable comparisons to Taxi Driver. The regular guy, feeling stripped of power in his life, decides to make a stand and a statement by offing a public figure. The comparison is not helped by the similarity of the character names - Bicke here, Bickle in Taxi Driver. Then there are the scenes where Penn seems to purposely copy DeNiro's sidelong glances, tilted head, and mumbled attempts to connect with people around him.

The difference in the films is in the craftsmanship. "Nixon" is filmed almost entirely with a handheld camera - zooming, swooping, and shaking in their best pseudo-documentary style. Aside from making one mildly seasick and mindful of television coffee commercials, it simply pulls us away from the storyline, ever aware that we are watching someone filming an actor.

The second major problem is that there really is no story arc or character development. Bicke starts out as an ineffectual man with plans that are constantly thwarted and stays there. His life was the same before we enter the action, remains the same throughout the film's events, and is easy to extrapolate as always going to be the same, no matter what he might ever do. Even if this is the point, truth does not equal entertainment nor interest. If nothing happens and nothing changes, you might as well summarize the concept. Nothing is gained by playacting it in a tedious and inevitable dramatization. I felt no new knowledge about the character, empathy for his plight, or realization about myself at the end of the film that I didn't have at the 10-minute mark.
... Read more

Reviews (584)

Superbly executed
You'll enjoy this stylish blend of sci-fi and film noir if you're willing to suspend your disbelief at the door. Many have decried the illogical holes in Scott Frank and Jon Cohen's otherwise excellent screenplay, but in the end these deficiencies hardly matter. Movies dealing with predestination never answer the big questions effectively - they just use them as the springboard for a story. And "Minority Report" tells a pretty good one, even if it does reveal where it's going too soon and is occasionally marred by Spielberg's trademark mawkishness. Tom Cruise is hugely enjoyable as the frantic John Anderton, and Colin Farrell does a fine job of making you hate Detective Witwer. It looks great, sounds great, holds your attention for all 147 minutes, and will even have you giggling at the spectacular product placements and some unexpected comedy. It's a reasonably faithful adaptation of Philip K. Dick's story, too, so fans of the original should be pleased - although Act 3 does see the writers wandering into Hollywood-ending territory and has Spielberg wrapping things up on a typically optimistic false note. Still, it's refreshing to see a bunch of filmmakers tackling a sci-fi adaptation seriously and successfully while still keeping an eye on the box-office. If you're going to spend close to $100 million on a sci-fi project - and, let's face it, these days you have to - then you also have to consider the return. The result is a memorable film that strikes a savvy balance between deep thought and commercial appeal. "A.I" flopped because it glorified the former and "The Time Machine" failed by pandering to the latter. "Minority Report" wisely walks the middle-path. It won't have enough explosions to thrill die-hard action fans, nor quite enough depth to really please sci-fi devotees. But for the rest of us, it works.

Critics say this is five stars. For once they're right!
I probably would have waited until Minority Report hit the rental stands if it weren't for all the five-star ratings critics have been giving this movie. After being digitally assaulted by the current crop of high-budget special effects films like Spiderman and Attack of the Clones, I was already weary of acting and storyline taking a backseat to gee-whiz computer graphics. I underestimated Spielberg's ability.

So what is the plot exactly? Well, dear reader, take comfort in knowing I will not spoil the movie for you. In the year 2054, Americans are subjected to Gap clothing stores (that scan your retina and hard-sell khakis by your name) as well as USA Today newspapers with animated front page covers that update in real-time. Tom Cruise is John Anderton, Washington D.C.'s top-cop in the experimental pre-crime unit that seeks out and eliminates would-be murderers through the use of precognitive beings that are able to sense murders shortly before they happen. The premise sounds wonderful until John discovers he's about to murder someone he has never met. This is the story on the surface yet it is not the story. I fear many will avoid this movie because this is all they will expect. I will stump for this movie because it's not just an action-thriller and it's not just a thinking-man's science-fiction movie. What lies beneath the story is much deeper and darker.

You see, even in knowing the future, Mr. Anderton is confronted with an awful dilemma. How can he prevent himself from killing the person he is supposed to murder if he has never seen the person he is supposed to kill or the location the murder is supposed to take place? Is the future preordained or does man create his own destiny? As Anderton uncovers the answers to these questions, viewers will find that this is not the underlying story either.

Minority Report is a dark and disturbing vision of the future made believable with Cruise's much more human characterization of Anderton than his previous Mission Impossible persona. Samantha Morton, Colin Farrell, and the incomparable Max von Sydow all serve to effectively help and hinder Anderton's quest. Are there flaws in the movie? Perhaps. The action scenes are impressive and appropriate, but one particular scene in the LEXUS factory contained so much eyeball-jarring camera manipulation that I felt I was hit by a "sick stick." And speaking of brand-names, reviewers complain of the blatant commercialization of the movie. Without question, an obscene amount of advertising permeates almost every frame. Did Spielberg sell out to the highest bidder or is he making a statement about the not-so-distant future, or even the present? I'll let you decide. Finally, the fact this movie received a PG-13 rating is a statement in itself. I remember all the controversy generated by parent-groups when Poltergeist received a PG rating. It seems so long ago...

Yet credit must go to Steven Spielberg as there was much of this movie that could've been done ineffectively. After the disappointing box-office numbers of A.I., many (including myself) were expecting a dumbed-down formulaic hack to swing alongside the rest of the massives. Instead, Spielberg shows he's master of the technology as the impressive display of visuals serve to add to, not overwhelm the story. By the time the movie ends, you may find yourself pondering the kind of questions only philosophers argued over.

does not live up to the hype.
this was supposed to be a glimpse into a very possible future.i heard on an hbo special that the directer payed the top experts in almost every field to come to his house for the weekend to discuss the realities that will be in the future.the fields included automative,law enforcement,science,marketing etc.im having a hard time beliving this now.the whole point of this story has any basis in reality at all.there are these 3 psycic chicks who the government keeps in a tank.there only function is to send mental images into these computers that fortell future murders.the murder rate drops to 0 and the system is perfect.well one day tom cruise gets his name as a would be murderer and decides to buck the system.there is a child abduction/murder angle in this movie.i think it is unthinkable enough that this really happens.i think it is an abselute atrocity that moviemakers feel like they have to put that in movies.i watch movies for entertainment not to be reminded how sick and twisted this world really is.or two hours i could escape the harsh realities.then some jerk says hmmmm we could use any bad guy we want.lets use a child killer.that sucks!i would have rated this movie a 4,if not for that.steven spielsberg is your director.ill give him yet another award.the most overated directer of all time.this is his best work ever though.theres a lot of slow parts in it also.a lot of police detective type work and talk.there are a couple gross parts but if you dont mind watching a movie centered around a child killer youll be alright.when the bad guy is finaly met,a very intense scene goes on.i was right there.the main psycic chick would be sexy if she wasnt so damn wierd.tom cruise does a great job in this one.this is a very good movie all in all but the hype makes it sound better.this is tom cruises 2nd best movie.this movie drags on longer than most.

Do You Have One?
Minority Report definitely ranks as one of the best future-theme movies of all time. Although not as groundbreaking as The Matrix or visually stunning as Blade Runner, it has it's own pro's.

In a future where future crimes are predicted using triplets or 'Pre Cogs' with the ability to foresee events yet to come, the Police Officer in charge and support of the device himself (Tom Cruise) is accused of a murder that he has yet to commit. Though he believes that he is innocent, the squad doesn't, so Cruise sets out on his journey to find the truth.

The storyline for the movie is interesting, very thought provoking. A lot of what is talked about sounds complicated at first, but listening closely will reveal that they are really talking about the Minority Report of Cruise. Listen even more closely and you'll understand the entire movie, otherwise you will be lost.

Good actors playing good characters, impressive special effects, quality action, and a deepening plot - Minority Report is definitely worth the price of admission.

Awful Minority
I may be in the minority, but Minority Report is awful. Tom Cruise shines in actual human dramas like Jerry McGuire or Rainman, but this futuristic garbage, this futurramma cop is just a showcase of movie technology without a heart. Vanilla Sky had the same problem. Why should I care about these characters that are so zippy futuristic? Spielberg cannot get science fiction right unless it's for children. His best movie required no computer gyration, Shindler's List, but then again, that movie had a script. I was asleep by the time they put this morph in the water. ... Read more

Reviews (285)

The Best War Movie Of All-Time!
Francis Ford Coppola risked his career, his money and his sanity in making this Vietnam adaptation of 'Hearts Of Darkness'. The result is a large-scale war movie that ranks among the best movies of all-time. Martin Sheen has the role of a lifetime as Captain Willard, and he does deliver a credible performance. Marlon Brando is equally credible as the mysterious and possibly mad Colonel Kurtz. Robert Duvall creates a brilliant character; Colonel 'I love the smell of napalm in the morning' Kilgore. Grandly majestic war sequences are awe-inspiring. Thought provoking and filled with eerie chaotic imagery. Simply masterful filmmaking from Coppola. Extras: Laurence Fishburne and Harrison Ford in small roles, also spot Francis Ford Coppola in a cameo. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 10!

Dark and somewhat slow-paced, but excellent epic film
I saw this film for the first time on video, and was somewat surprised by its somewhat deliberate pacing and lack of straightforward action. For someone who is not a huge Coppola fan, nor a reader of "Heart of Darkness", I found the movie somewhat difficult to follow.

That is not to say that this isn't an excellent film. Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) is an apparently unattached Airborne soldier who is "waiting - waiting for a mission" and is enlisted to find and "terminate the command" of the renegade Special Forces Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando). Along the way, we meet a motley crew of a Navy riverboat, including a very young Lawrence Fishburne as a 17-year-old machine-gunner. The plot takes an almost whimsical turn when we meet Lt. Col Kilgore (Robert Duvall) who is an Air Cavalry commander, and plays the immortal "Flight of the Valkyries" while systematically laying waste to a North Vietnamese village. While the fighting is still going on, he orders a couple of his soldiers to either "surf or fight", being that he is a huge fan of surfing. It is from Duvall's character that we get the immortal line, "I love the smell of napalm in the morning. It smells like --- it smells like victory!"

After this scene, Sheen and his crew of Navymen proceed further upriver, until they reach the last American outpost on the river. The outpost is under apparent heavy attack, and there are no officers to be found. This scene, which makes no sense in the context of a typical war movie, makes perfect sense in this film. The leaderless American soldiers seem to move about in a haze, apparently oblivious to anything outside their immediate surroundings, particularly the grenadier, who is either at far beyond the point of psychological exhaustion, or heavily drugged. Copolla never makes either clear, but rather leaves that to the imagination of the viewer.

When Sheen and his crew get further upriver, the plot takes stranger and stranger turns - the crew is attacked by an unseen enemy, in which Clean (Fishburne) is killed, and shortly thereafter, the boat's chief is killed in an attack by natives hurling, of all things, spears at the Americans!

However, the strangest part of the movie is the last half-hour or so. Sheen reaches his objective, but Col. Kurtz is heavily guarded by native warriors toting modern weaponry. There are bodies everywhere - hanging from trees, floating in the river, laying sprawled about on the ground. It is truly horrific, and speaks to the level of insanity to which Col. Kurtz has descended, but it also begs the question - "How could all those people stand being around all those rotting corpses?" In the climax, Sheen sneaks past Kurtz' guards, and hacks the colonel to death. As he lay dying, Kurtz whispers, "The horror - the horror..."

All in all, an extremely powerful and moving film, although rather slow-paced.

A True Masterpiece!
I watched this movie in 1978 when it first came out and was totally in awe! Francis Ford Coppola spent almost 3 years making this film and it was well worth it. The all star cast in this film rocks! Everytime I watch this film, I wind up mimicing the characters. The lines are memorable! (I love the smell of Napalm in the morning.) It is the greatest movie ever made!

A great adaptation
To write that this movie is a comment on war or the politics of the period is a gross misconception in my view. this movie like the book Heart of Darkness, which I suggest everyone who sees this movie reads, is a powerfull commentary on human nature. The line 'the horror, the horror' does not refer to the horrors of war or acts of violence commited but is a general judgement and condemnation of the darkness that resides in human nature.

Anyway this is a brilliant adaptation and well worth the few bucks it costs.

The horror, the horror.
The horror of war and what it does to teh mind of men is exposed beautifully here in this grande epic. Great performances, plot and cinematography. It doesnt get much better than this. ... Read more

Reviews (368)

Still Laughing!
This is one of the best comedies I've seen in a long time. It follows the story of Greg Focker ("just like it's spelled" hehe) and his struggle to fit into his girlfriend's family. He decides to "Meet the Parents" to ask if he can marry their daughter, but a twist of hilarious events leads to a great plot and darn funny movie!

Favorite quotes from this film:

"Well, if you're going to have little Fockers running around..."

"You didn't tell me much about your cat-milking days in Motown."

"That was a lot of.... information."

"They'd have to be interesting people, right? To name their son Gaylord Focker?"

Caught your interest? Thought so. Now BUY THIS FILM!

Just so over the top it rocks
The wonderful comic delivery of the mother is brilliant!
If you check your reality at the door you go on an amazing over the top ride!! I Loved the whole idea of pushing reality to the limits. the more I watch it the funnier it gets

Very funny movie!
My two sisters, who are both public school teachers, think that this movie is hilarious. I didn't like it quite as much as they did but I agree that it is very funny. Ben Stiller is a male nurse who goes with his fiance over the Christmas holidays to meet her parents Robert De Nero and Blythe Danner (also known as Gwyneth Paltrow's real life mom). In his eagerness to make a good impression and gain acceptance he suffers through incredible humiliations and misadventures. I love the song "Fool for Love". I don't think that this movie is for everyone because there is definitely an elitist flavor to it so that poor people and working class people are probably not going to enjoy it as much as yuppie types. But on the other hand, people that shop online and read these reviews are probably exactly the kind of people who will enjoy this the most.

Hilarious
This was one movie that kept me laughing and which I really enjoyed. De Niro and Stiller team up and create an atmosphere that is truly comical.

funniest movie i can think of
one of the greatest comedies ... Read more

Reviews (370)

Movie sizzle.. DVD extras fizzle...
HEAT is one of the best crime dramas ever made! Director Michael Mann's saga is simply a tried and true tale of good versus evil. Al Pacino plays an L.A. cop, who leads a team, that is hot on the trail of a band of criminals. The bad guys are led by mastermind Robert De Niro. Mann tells the epic with such precision and skill, that it is just flawless, from start to finish. Even though Pacino and De NIro do not share much screen time, the film has so much going on, that it almost does not matter. When the two mega-stars do act in the same scene, everything crackles with intensity, that is is almost palpable. The supporting cast is first rate. Val Kilmer, Diane Venora, Tom Sizemore, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman, and JonVoight lead the way into putting this film in the "classic" catagory

The DVD is a major disappointment, due to the lack of any extras, save for a trailler and production info. I wish those in charge would consider a special edition reissue soon. The movie is a winner despite the DVD sans extras and should be part of anyone's film collection. Warner Home Entertainment GET CRACKING on HEAT 2 disc set!

Buy It!
This crime story contains one of the best scenes in movie history. Al Pacino sits down in a coffee shop and chats with Robert De Niro. One is an eccentric detective and the other a ruthless criminal. They talk about what they do for a living and how it effects them. It's a tense and dramatic moment and you have to wonder if the actors are actually talking about their character's lives or their very own. "Heat" is one of the most underrated crime/heist movies of the genre. It has extravagent action scenes, solid performances and cameos (Hank Azaria,Tone Loc,Natalie Portman) and an engrossing plot. My only complaint is the tacked-on ending which seems to belong in a B-movie. Warner Bros. did only an okay job bringing it to DVD so be warned. It's missing some of the special features we have come to expect (director's commentary, deleted scenes, etc). Michael Mann did an admirable job of showing the exploits of professional bank robbers and the detectives who chase them. It's rumored that one of the advisors to the film was one of the bank robbers who was later killed in the infamous North Hollywood Shootout in 1997. Enticed enough now? This is an action movie with class...buy it!

fantastic
this movie has some of the best acting i've ever seen. the plot is great and the action scenes are also great. the dvd i'm reviewing now lacks extras, but a special edition is supposed to come out later this year. some might not like it being three hours, but i think the three hours i spent watching were well worth it.

The best!
Great flick.....perhaps the best car chase scenes and most "tactically correct" fire and maneuver sequences ever filmed. Outstanding plot and great acting.

Long, but good
Pacino, De Niro, Kilmer, Voight all in one movie. Isn't that great? It is. This cop movie is not bad at all, especially the story and the personalities are well developed.

Pacino is sometimes a little too rude and the movie takes too long with 2 hrs and 45 minutes.

Still worth seeing if you have the sitting-flesh. ... Read more

Book Description

"Bein' a idiot is no box of chocolates," but "at least I ain't led no hum-drum life," says Forrest Gump, the lovable, surprisingly savvy hero of this wonderful comic tale.When the University of Alabama's football team drafts Forrest and makes him a star, that's only the beginning!He flunks out--and goes on to be a Vietnam war hero, a world-class Ping-Pong player, a wrestler, and a business tycoon.He compares battle scars with Lyndon Johnson, discovers the truth about Richard Nixon, and suffers the ups and downs of true love.Now, Forrest Gump's telling all--in a madcap, screwball romp through three decades of the American landscape.It's Gump's amazing travels...and you've got to hear them to believe them. ... Read more

Reviews (484)

The best movie of the 1990s
Forrest Gump guarantees to be one of the greatest movies you ever see.
Forrest is a simple man who lives by his beliefs, and lives by his mother's advice. He talks of his incredible life while sitting at a bus stop in Alabama, of teaching Elvis new dance moves, of bceoming a war hero in Vietnam, and of meeting several Presidents. At the same time, he recollects about his childhood sweetheart Jenny, who is living a horrible life after being abused as a child.
This is a truly inspirational movie, one of humour and light-hearted fun, while looking back at some of America's biggest moments.
Tom Hanks richly deserved Best Actor, as did the film deserve Best Picture, and Forrest Gump is one of the least-challenged Academy Award decisions in recent memory. This film really can say that it will make you laugh and cry, as well as thoroughly enjoying the best movie of its decade.
Forrest Gump is a must have movie, and is one to watch many times!

A Powerful Story Of Love And Adventure
FORREST GUMP is a movie about a backward young boy who grows up to lead a remarkable life while managing to get involved in some of the most important world events of the Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon years. The film is a powerful story of love and adventure-especially love.

Tom Hanks is superb as Forrest Gump. The strong supporting cast includes Robin Wright, Sally Field, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson and a very young Haley Joel Osment.

FORREST GUMP won Oscars for Best Picture, Director (Robert Zemeckis), Actor (Tom Hanks), Adopted Screenplay, Art Direction, Film Editing and Visual Effects. It also received nominations for Best Supporting Actor (Gary Sinise), Cinematography, Sound, Sound Effects Editing, Make-up and Original Score.

Robert Zemeckis will be remembered in addition for his direction of BACK TO THE FUTURE and ROMANCING THE STONE.

The best
Tom Hanks at his best. A very intelligent comedy and one of the best reviews of 20th century America in a very light hearted way. Fully deservant of the shower of Oscars it received. Must have!

THE BEST FILM EVER MADE
The first time I saw this film, I was amazed beyond beleife. Tom Hanks is outstanding as Forest Gump, and every sapporting actor was perfect for the role. This movie has so many memorable lines in it, its almost insane. This movie is almost a modern day Rocky, in which it shows what one man could do with his life, and what we should do with our lives. Easily deserved every reward it got.

the best family film ever
a special guy sits on a bench and tells anyone who will listen about his story book adventure style life.it stars tom hanks.he is abselutely hilarious while simaltaneously being simple and blissfully unaware.the kids can watch it but they should really not look when jennys around.shes a whore and a half.it is easily the best tom hanks movie ever made.this movie is for everybody.if you do not like this movie you need help because something is seriously wrong with you.it is a very emotional movie from watchimg gump struggle to walk as a child up to when his loved ones began dying.if you are the sensitive type,do not forget to take your prozac or youll ball your eyes out.the only chick in it is jenny.she toys with forrests emotions throughout the entire movie and puts out at least 9 or 10 times.there are a lot of people who play thier roles well here.most everbody does well.its one of those movies you have to watch on tape because it never stops being good long enough to stop for a snack or a bathroom break.its that good!if a second one were somehow dreamt up it would be only a shadow of its predecesser.it is long,but an abselute gem in any video library. ... Read more

Reviews (179)

I'll Write A Review You Can't Refuse
Francis Ford Coppola does something with this movie many filmmakers are unable to do. Coppola makes us feel as if we're part of the"FAMILY". We feel as if were behind the scenes watching the Corleone's up's and down's. A one of a kind screenplay written by Mario Puzo and Coppola,and as we all should know by now,the film the based on Puzo's novel. Truly desevering of the Oscars in won. Brando's performance in this movie,is in my opinion,the best of his career. And the same goes with the rest of the cast:Al Pacino,Diane Keaton,James Caan,Robert Duvall,and Talia Shire. Everyone in this movie delivers a powerhouse performances. Many unforgettable lines and characters that will stay with us forever. Terrific music score by Nino Rota,beautiful camerawork by Gordon Willis,and top notch directing Coppola. Truly one of the greatest films ever made! If there's anyone who hasn't seen this movie,you have no idea what your missing. A must for anyone's video collection.

The Greatest Movie of All Time.
A movie of such size, influence, and power as "The Godfather" isn't simply a movie. It's a life-altering experience. Francis Ford Coppola, barely into his thirties, would team up with author Mario Puzo to create the greatest period gangster epic whose influence remains incalculable. It all begins with the performances. Take a look at the opening scene, in which the undertaker Bonasera comes to Vito (Marlon Brando) for "justice" following the brutal assault of his daughter. That scene is brilliantly played and wonderfully directed, and Brando's portrayal as the Don is nothing short of perfect. The public perception of a Don of this magnitude is someone who is loud, brash, and emotional. Not this one. Brando's Vito is calm, soft spoken, and rarely raises his voice, which makes his character even more intimidating. But while Brando shines in this film, the heart of the movie (and indeed the entire trilogy) belongs to the then-newcomer Al Pacino, who playes Vito's youngest son, Michael. Michael's transformation from a mild-mannered college grad to a ruthless Mafia thug is one of the greatest performances you will see. James Caan as the hotheaded Sonny, John Cazale as the dim Fredo, the suave Robert DuVall as attorney Tom Hagen, and Talia Shire as the troubled newlywed Connie all shine in their supporting roles. Reviewing a movie like "The Godfather" is a bit overwhelming, as it has already been studied by other, more experienced film geeks. But if there's one movie you see in your lifetime, it has to be this verified, straight-up classic. Give three hours of your life to this movie, and what it will give in return will reward you richly.

LOUSY TRANSFER OF A CLASSIC
I can only add my voice to the many who were disappointed by the DVD transfer. How can you mess up one of the best movies of the last half century? Looks very grainy in some indoor scenes...in fact, some scenes looked like they were filmed with an old, cheap video camera. That said, the story, acting, editing and music are just about perfect. The only thing that rings false is the carelessness the family exhibits after Don Corleone's attack. They act a bit like amateurs. This begs for a DO-OVER (maybe they're waiting for another anniversary year to roll around to release a definitive edition). I refuse to buy the box set as it includes the inferior Part 3. Hopefully, when they release Part 2, they pay more attention to the quality of the transfer.

"Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."
I never saw the movie before because I have no interest in "the Mob", New York, or gang politics. It took Brando's death, plus all the great reviews here and the #1 ranking at IMDB to prompt me to get this movie to add to 400 movies I have. The only thing I knew about it going in was there was a horse head in a bed, and Brando mumbled and played with a cat.

The movie has a long list of big name actors including Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan and Robert Duvall, and was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It seems to be filmed rather darkly with muted colors, though many posts here complain about the transfer.

I had big expectations for this movie, but at the one-hour mark I was so bored I turned it off. Later I started over with the commentary, which was a bit more interesting. I took a nap in the middle, then came back to finish this 3-hour exercise in tedium.

Mostly OK acting. Good photography. Famous theme. I liked 2 lines of dialog, but that's about it.

Okay, but not great. Poor DVD Transfer.
I have just viewed this movie for the first time, and for the life of me, I don't know what all the hype has been about. The acting is at most, mediocre (with some roles just downright poorly acted). The plot seems to come and go throughout the movie, and the violence is by today's standards very cheesy. I also kept wondering how Marlon Brando's character became so tied to this movie, as his role seemed very minor.

I give it three stars because, I'm sure when this movie was originally released, it was "Epic", but it just hasn't stood the test of time. Some of the scenes are well acted, but are overshadowed by lack of plot and some particularly bad acting as well.

Aside from the movie itself, Francis Ford Coppola should be embarrassed about the quality of this DVD transfer. It has several flaws (scratches, flickering, low lighting, etc.) and really looks bad on a large screen television. Perhaps he should let George Lucas have a go at a Special Edition version of his movie to "clean it up" and bring it up to date (Whatsa Heesa Deesa Meesa?) - of course I'm joking. ... Read more

Reviews (227)

Brad Pitt as Achilles
Brad Pitt stars as the legendary Greek warrior Achilles in "Troy," an epic drama full of action and adventure based on Homer's Iliad. Lovesick Prince Paris has run off with Helen to his land of Troy. Helen's husband wants her back, and convinces Greek King Agamemnon to "launch a thousand ships" and bring Helen back. The King enlists the aid of Achilles, and the battle begins.

On the plus side, the movie looks just great, with spectacular sets and thousands of soldiers who fight gallantly. The supporting cast is wonderful; in particular Eric Bana as Paris' brother, Hector, and Peter O'Toole as his father, King Prium. Their scenes are the best in the film.

On the down side, Brad Pitt, while ruggedly handsome and sincere, never really loses himself in the character of an ancient Greek hero; you can't forget he's Brad Pitt. The actress who plays Helen is not the classic beauty one would expect and looks like so many modern starlets. The battle scenes are for the most part filmed in close-ups and edited in very quick shots, which makes them look blurry and chaotic, and you may need a scorecard to keep up with all the characters.

Troy has the look and feel of a good epic, but isn't a great one. If you enjoy sword and sandal war movies with handsome leading men, you'll like Troy. Brad Pitt is delicious eye-candy and that just may be good enough after all.

A Beautiful War
If you happen to be a fan of Homer's epic, be warned that it is time, place, and character that are the same but not truly the story. Filled with beautiful people, scenes and clothes, this movie misses the mark. Helen could no more inspire me to go to dinner than to war and I need to eat to live. Orlando Bloom as Paris, is so beautiful of a boy that it is unbelievable that he would have the requirements needed to steal another man's wife, no matter how usavory the other man proved to be. Yet he would be just the fool to wage a ten year war over a woman. Only in the movie the war accounts for slightly over 12 days worth of action.
How the Greeks managed to be so hard up that after 12 days or so of war they need to build a wooden horse to enter the city is beyond me.

However Hector is amazingly played as are most of the other roles, with the exception of Achilles who falters here and there. You manage to be blinded by the beauty of the spectcale presented to you, and when you begin to object to the brusing of Homer's great works you see Brad Pitt semi-naked and forget all about it. For that alone I give this move 3stars and well worth seeing. You should know, that if you plan to see this move instead of reading the book you will fail. Neither is this movie a match to the TV movie of the Odyssey which manages to capature the book and you along with it. But Brad Pitt naked should not be missed.

Not Homer, but great, lively entertainment!
OK, so the film's not faithful to Homer's epic. That doesn't really matter. It's good, old-fashioned entertainment with lots of spectacle, fine battle scenes, gorgeous performers (mostly male), and some fine acting. Critics tend to penalize Brad Pitt for his remarkable good looks, but he does a very nice job here. His Achilles, of course, looks godlike whether in armor or in the buff, but he also conveys an undercurrent of humanity, even sensitivity, beneath the sullen, violence-prone facade. Eric Bana is also excellent as the stoic, honorable Hector. Brian Cox has a hammy old time as Agammemon, and Peter O'Toole is memorable as Priam. Two pretty faces, Orlando Bloom's and Ms. Kruger's, don't do much for the movie acting-wise, but provide some eye candy for the younger viewers. Quibbles: it would have been nice to have a little greenery in the scenery instead of all that sand, but the walls and city of Troy looked spectacular. All in all, "Troy" is worth seeing more than once (perhaps not for those under the age of 12).

What was the name of this movie???
I don't think it was Troy! Why? Because it had nothing to do with the written story by Homer. Menelaus dies only because he has to be the bad guy in this movie... and there wasn't enough time to show the real death of Agamemnon, (he was killed in his bath by his own wife after returning to Greece) , so they killed him in a way they liked best. Also, Achilles (Brad Pitt) and Hector are the only ones who fight quite well. The rest just get slaughtered. But as we know from the Iliad there were also other great fighters which in this film were left at home! The only strong thing in this movie is Brad Pitts performance but he alone can't save this fiasko! The t.v. movie HELEN OF TROY is closer to the true story although its low budget and this unbelievable and unexeptable bald Achilles... Just read the book! You will love it!

"This will be the greatest war the world has ever seen"
Hollywood's recent obsession with historical epics has produced some truly amazing films... and some truly not. "Troy", mercifully, falls into the former category. The whole production was a risky endeavor; would mainstream audiences be interested in ages old myths? Would scholars and classics devotees condemn the film for it's reworking of Homer's "The Iliad"? And of course there was the expensive price tag; $200+ million, which brought to mind the similarly-themed and legendarily pricey box office bomb, "Cleopatra". Though never quite reaching such wondrous heights as historical epics such as "Braveheart" and "Gladiator" and not earning enough domestically to make a profit, "Troy" succeeds as a fine film reminiscent of old Hollywood epics such as "El Cid" and "Ben Hur".

The production values are simply astounding. Wolfgang Peterson's flawless reproduction of Ancient Greece engulfs audiences in the wonder and glory of the age. The breathtaking cinematography by Roger Pratt makes this a film best seen on the silver screen. From the pulse-pounding battle sequences to the sweeping shots of the Greek fleet that shall be emblazoned in my mind forever, this is a truly handsome film. James Horner creates yet another pitch perfect score that works perfectly with the film's visual style.

The acting chops of Brad Pitt are (quite literally at times, ladies) put to good use here. It is my belief, and one that is most certainly not shared by all, that Pitt is a wonderful and versatile actor. Consider some of his most prominent roles; as Death in "Meet Joe Black", a vampire in "Interview with the Vampire", a criminal in "Ocean's 11", a mental patient in "12 Monkeys", a cowboy in "Thelma and Louise", an Irish boxer in "Snatch", a detective in "Seven" and on and on. This boy has talent! He proves himself even further with the role of Achilles. Pitt 100% becomes the legendary fighter, from the body to the mannerisms to the swordplay. He IS Achilles. I pity all actors who have played Achilles or will play him in a future film; their performances are/will be tremendously dwarfed in comparison. The rest of the cast; Brian Cox, Brendan Gleeson, Diane Kruger, and Eric Bana are all fantastic with the exception of Orlando Bl