Reviews (15)

Better than the average "doomed love" movie.
Ashley Judd plays Pam, a young woman on the edge of madness and Luke Perry is Chris, her husband. The film is loosely based on real events.

The storyline is very basic indeed. Chris and Pam meet and, despite their differences, they marry. They stay together despite Pam's increasingly deep and hurtful bouts of insanity. The marriage finally costs Chris his job as a cop and, in a last attempt to make ends meet, he takes to robbing banks.

His background as a cop means that he is pretty good at this and soon, he and Pam are benefitting from the fruits of his labours. Then, one day Pam finds out about the bank robberies and this changes their relationship forever but with destructive consequences.

It's not much of a plot but it is only there as a platform for the film to explore the relationship between Pam and Chris.

Pam desperately wants a man who will care for her and so she wants a man like Chis but she cannot respond to him. She is emotionally and sexually frigid. Chris wants to take care of Pam in the way that he thinks he should but he is unable to get through to her.

It turns out the what Pam really needs is a tough, all action strong guy who will care for her emotional needs as well. When she realises that her man has become a bank robber, suddenly, he is the man of her dreams and she bursts open with a new joy for life.

This scenario depends very much on the performaces from the two leads. Judd did her job well, you could really feel the troubles inside the mind of her character and without this, the film would have been poor indeed. Luke Perry was not so good. As far as I could see, his character was only staying with Pam because that's what it said in the script. There was no sense of why Chris needed Pam so much that he sat through all of the pain. Only in the closing moments did you see a sign of how much she was to him.

It was a very hard roll to play but I'm afraid that he was not really up to it.

You guys have no clue whatsoever
People who complain that a movie is slow appearantly will enjoy some action-thriller garbage with Jackie Chan or Bruce Willis because one's IQ doesn't have to be too big. To watch and understand a motion picture with the depth of this brilliant film requires ... well ... concentration and intelligence. One of the so-called critics said the only good thing about the film was that Luke Perry was in it. Oh, how intelligent, how explicative. That's the kind of comment one would expect from someone who wouldn't know a good movie if it bit them. Well this film was based on a true story. People confuse slowness with character development --and it was essential in helping us understand why people did what they did. And about Ashley Judd being naked through half the movie? HALF? HALF? Think about that. That's, at best, an exaggeration. She was not naked for an hour, not even for a half an hour. Not even for fifteen minutes collectively. How does that amount to half? And how often do real people walk around the house topless or naked--a lot, especially when they don't live with mommy and daddy anymore. I found this a very well made movie, but am not alone. Gene Siskel (a prominent movie critic, if you know what they are) found it to be one of the best movies released that year. It's all a matter of opinion, I know, but I think people who want to review such a film (escpecially one this good) need to validate their criticisms. But I imagine that's impossible for some people because it requires a mentality of an adult.

Great Movie
First off this was a true story. If you like drama movies you will like this. I really like this movie. Plus its even neater to me because all of the events that happend took place in my neighborhood hood and it was even filmed in my neighborhood. Perry and Judd's trailers were right down the street from my house when the movie was being filmed. But i really suggest watching this movie it was great.

Quick and Basically Painless
Ashley is an absolute knock-out and Luke Perry is believable as the creature of habit husband.

Bonnie and Clyde Mix Up
If you ever saw the movie Bonnie and Clyde with Faye Dunaway and Warren Batty you will know what I'm taliking about. This is a more up to date version and the charaters have switched. Judd being more like Clyde really in to guns and the thrill of the bad life and Perry being more like Bonnie excited but wants a normal life. I would have given the movie 5 stars but Judd doesn't seem to like shirts in the movie and being a girl I'm not really intrested. But a great movie. ... Read more

Reviews (106)

Better Than "Silence of the Lambs" or "Natural Born Killers"
Yes...this is another movie review by PR...but please don't delete and move on until you've read this.

I just finished watching a film I never knew existed until my demented camera film processor guy once again suggested I see a film that would knock my socks off.

He's done it again!

This one, entitled "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer", makes "Natural Born Killers" look like a baby. This thriller has it all...and the title tells all.

Hannibal Lechter was frightening and sometimes unreal...HENRY IS REAL!!!!! AND SO FRIGHTENING you may not survive the first 5 minutes. If you do, then fasten those seat belts and get ready for one of the most chilling crime thrillers you have ever seen.

And figure this. Most chillers, thrillers and killers involve the cops. Not once during this 2-hour film do you see a cop trying to find this maniac. This is, definitely, a "portrait" of a maniacal killer...and there are scenes that are so real, you may wanna add an extra bolt to your door, look more often into your rear view mirror, and never see another chiller again.

Henry is portrayed by little known Michael Rooker. He is the spitten image of Woody Harrelson in "Natural Born Killers", but much more believable. This guy is totally in tune with being insane...and he's great in this insane role.

Then there's Tom Towles as "Otis", just as deranged, and even more so a total pervert. He is the brother of love interest "Becky", played by Tracy Arnold.

This one is a solid "10" for crime buffs. If you loved "Silence of the Lambs" and "Natural Born Killers", ya gotta see "Henry".

Each of you needs to have a buddy like I have at the local camera shop. This guy is even more deranged than me. He loves the same flicks that I do...and he has been an invaluable resource.

In the crime thriller...deranged serial killer...totally insane murder flick genre', "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" is a top notch TEN....10...10...10. Don't miss this one!

AN OVERRATED MOVIE
I'm sure you've kown that situation in your movie lover life : - all your friends have seen a movie you haven't seen yet and they keep telling you it's the best movie of the year and they can't understand why you're the last one of the whole wide world who is still resisting. And you feel a little bit ashamed. Oh, just a little bit but painfully ashamed ! That has happened to me with HENRY. So, eight years later, spread the news, folks, I have bought the DVD ! Yesterday, I sat in my sofa, put the DVD in the player and watched. ... 90 minutes later, I have watched it, I was still in my sofa and I felt terrible. How TIME Magazine could put that movie in its list of the ten best of 1990 ? HENRY is a kind of clinical film ; it depicts the life of a serial killer living with an ex-con and his sister. John McNaughton chose to show us the pure facts without any critical point of view and, in fact, without any linear story. So, we see Henry kill, eat, laugh and drive and we don't know, at the end of the movie, the motivations which lead him to kill. Because Henry always lies even when he seems to make a confidence. It's OK for me if the director had the purpose to present a documentary but if he wanted to present a movie, he failed. For me, I have another word to qualify this kind of stuff : A BOOK. Without pictures. A DVD for the butchers, a corporation I admire very much.

Brutally Candid Horror..
Body after body is depicted together with murdering agonizing screams as a background sound. This is the beginning of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, which instills a nightmarish vision of the mind of a serial killer. The film is loosely based on Henry Lee Lucas who was emotionally, physically, and sexually abused as child by his mother while living with his handicapped father who had lost his legs in an train accident. Henry had been forced to wear dresses and watch his mother having sex with strangers, which has created internal enraged emotions toward women. In addition, Henry shows an emotional numbness whenever he has killed someone as if he had just finished the last of his coffee.

The story takes place in the Chicago area where Henry lives with Otis and Becky. Otis spent time in jail with Henry where the two became friends. His sister Becky has recently escaped an abusive relationship while Henry goes about trying to find odd jobs and killing women in random ways as it will not leave a trail back to him. However, when living in close quarters with others it is does not take long before Otis finds out about Henry's secret, but instead of going to the police they partner up. Henry teaches him the secret of killing for pleasure and together they begin to find ways of sharing these grotesque moments with each other.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer has some interesting cinematic moments where a camera is use for the main point-of-view, which later is transferred into the living room. This brings a morbidly surreal experience to the audience as the fetish of the disturbed characters is brought to the eyes of the audience in a revolting manner. Yet, it is a subtle transition, which most people have experienced through their own home video moments. The story is filmed with highly grained film stock, which enhances the realistic acuity of the environment as it brings further horror to the minds of the audience. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is a highly disturbing film that experiments with audience participation in the film in a most clever way, which leaves the audience with a truly horrific cinematic experience.

Now THIS is a truly scary horror flick
After watching the entire run of 'Nightmare on Elm Street' and a few of the 'Friday the 13th' flicks, I found myself rather unimpressed by the whole slasher-horror deal. I was given a couple starts here 'n' there, and was occasionally grodied-out by a few of the more gratuitous scenes of gore, but overall I didn't find any of the flicks particularly scary or disturbing. Thanks to these movies I was about to give up on the horror scene, seein' as how I wasn't actually scared, shocked, or all that disturbed by what I had witnessed. That's when 'Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer' came to the rescue. Now, THIS film really is quite disturbing, and is very scary at times. It's most likely due to the fact that it's loosely based on the exploits of serial killer Henry Lee Lucas, and was set in the real world where there aren't any Christmas-sweatered burn victims killing you in your dreams, nor a seven-foot-tall hockey-masked machete-wielder aimin' to hack you to bits. The whole this-could-actually-be-happening-right-now-somewhere angle helped fill me with a good sense of dread, and gave me more of a scare than any ghost-&-goblin fare could ever hope to.

I couldn't believe the pleasure the titular character and his buddy, a near-'tard of a killer-in-training, took in the murder of a motorist and an abusive fence (stolen goods dealer). Then there's the home invasion that they video taped for posterity, which I understand caused some viewers to walk outta the theater at a few of the film festivals this played in. The eye-stabbing scene was pretty hard to witness, even though it was a rather brief cut, and it was apparent that the head that received the eyeball-stab was a dummy head made up to sorta look like the character who suffers the injury. Topping things off is the utterly strange 'romance' that develops between Henry and Otis' sister, which culminates in one of the saddest most eff'd-up endings I've ever witnessed. Put these all together and combine 'em with Henry's deceptive façade of harmlessness, and you've got a horror movie that's truly horrible. I'd finally found what I was lookin' for...

Included with the DVD edition of the movie is a half-hour-long interview with writer-director John McNaughton, who discusses his filmmaking background, what inspired him to create 'Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer', and a few of the difficulties he encountered making the movie and keeping it within its low budget. Also thrown in are brief text production notes, English subtitles, and trailers for 'Henry' 1 and 2. Although I haven't heard too many good things about Part 2, the trailer to it looked promising. Methinks I know what I'll be checkin' out, next time I hit the local Blockbuster...

'Late

Mean as a junkyard dog
The reputation of John McNaughton's "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" is enormous in the realm of independent cinema. Made on a budget of over one hundred thousand dollars back in the 1980s, the movie went on to polarize viewers and critics alike. Some praised McNaughton's unflinching vision, his nihilistic portrayal of two lower class killers with nothing to live for and nothing to lose. The other camp rejected the film outright, deriding it as the worst sort of exploitative trash cinema. I tend to favor the former opinion; I think McNaughton's film is a brilliant look at a microscopic segment of society we all know exists even if it is rarely discussed. Besides, bashing the film as exploitative beggars the question of who it is exploiting. Serial killers? Guys like Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Henry Lee Lucas (the killer McNaughton loosely based the film on) could stand to have a bit more mud slung on their already malevolent reputations. I cannot find one scene in the movie that idolizes what these two guys do in their spare time. And, unlike slasher films and sundry other horror films, "Henry" demonstrates that violent acts have serious consequences.

"Henry" takes place in the dirty, gray streets and alleyways of Chicago. Henry (Michael Rooker) and his prison pal Otis (Tom Towles) spend their days working low paying jobs, drinking beer, and watching television. Otis toils at a gas station in between trips to his parole officer. Henry works as an insect exterminator (!). Things start looking up when Becky (Tracy Arnold), Otis's sister, moves in with the pair to escape the doldrums of small town life. Although she has some problems back home with a troublesome boyfriend, Becky takes a shine to Henry almost immediately. She pesters her brother for information about the man and is not disturbed in the least when Otis tells her that Henry went to prison for murdering his mother. In fact, she finds this information rather intriguing. Henry comes to like Becky too, so much so that he steps in when Otis treats her in a disturbing manner. The presence of Becky complicates the odd relationship between the two men, a relationship that is soon to take a horrific turn as Otis discovers what Henry does in his spare time.

Henry is a serial killer, a despicable murderer who preys on total strangers. He thinks nothing of following a potential victim home from the mall, or picking up strangers in bars and then dispatching them in grisly ways. Henry likes the feeling he gets from his crimes, and he soon involves Otis in his gruesome activities. Why his friend decides to help is a mystery. Perhaps he feels Becky driving a wedge between him and Henry. Otis exhibits many of the behaviors associated with a follower, and Henry is definitely a take-charge sort of guy, so maybe that is the overriding reason. Whatever the case, Otis soon becomes as enthusiastic about murder as Henry. When Otis complains about being angry one evening, his pal helpfully relieves the tension by tricking a passing car into stopping so the two can shoot the driver. A broken television set provides the impetus for a killing at a fence's office. The absolute worst crime involving these two, however, is something we see on videotape as Henry and Otis relive their thrills. Predictably, Becky soon discovers what her brother and his friend do when they aren't at home. The conclusion to the film is a shocker.

Any way you cut it (no pun intended), "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" is an excruciating experience. The crimes, while not overtly gory, revel in the sheer sadism of the act. If McNaughton was attempting to evoke a sense of outrage on the part of the audience, he succeeded wildly. You cannot even stand to look at these people after awhile, so repulsive are their actions. I found myself praying for a police officer, a security guard, a neighborhood watch guy-anybody in authority to show up and put a stop to these two goons' activities. But as evil in real life often goes unchecked, so do Henry's and Otis's extracurricular activities in Chicago. The film accomplishes what it sets out to do largely because the performances of the two actors playing the principal characters do such a good job. "Henry" was Michael Rooker's first film, and I agree with McNaughton when he says in the interview on the disc that this actor had star written all over him. Rooker plays Henry as a sort of withdrawn, soft-spoken type that probably would appear unthreatening to potential victims. Just as good is Tom Towles as the grubby Otis, who portrays his character as an insufferable extrovert who occasionally sinks into pouty silences. Without these two actors, one wonders whether "Henry" would have become the cult classic it is today.

The DVD version of the film is a good one. A lengthy interview with John McNaughton tells the viewer everything they ever wanted to know about the movie. The director explains the long road to finishing the project, his experiences when it finally opened in a theater, and the lengthy battle with the MPAA over the rating for the movie, a battle which saw the censors pushing for extensive cuts to avoid the dreaded 'X' rating while McNaughton fought to keep his vision intact. Considering some of the extreme films floating around out there today, the concerns of the censors seem rather archaic now. Still, the film has lost little of its power to disturb deeply. Fans of offbeat cinema, if they have not done so already, will wish to pick this one up soon. ... Read more

Reviews (203)

Neve Campbell steals the show
Wild things is an easy movie to love. It tells the story of a Blue-Bay highschool teacher ( Dillon ) who is been accused for rape by two of his female students , spoiled rich kid Kelly ( Richards ) and drug-addict basketcase Suzie ( Campbell ) . Did he really do it ? The script provides more than just a yes-or-no answer during the one and a half hour the movie lasts . It includes a little more than a few plot twists and manages to constantly suprise us and turn things around. In addition to all that this is an extremelly well-made film , surely one of the sexiest movies you'll ever get the chance to see.The love scenes are simply sensational , steamy yet never cheap.All the members of the cast deliver some good perfomances but eventually it's the two girls who stand out. There's a first-class chemistry between Campbell and Richards . Campbell gives her best perfomance yet as confused freak Suzie.She totally crashes her next-girl image and prooves she's capable of playing many different kinds of characters with equally good results.It's actually weird that after that role she disappeared from the spotlight when one might have excpected that then was the time where her star would rise even higher.Denise Richards is really charming as Kelly Van Ryan too.She's one more person i hope i'll be seeing more in movies in years to come.Also great are many of the supporting roles.Bill Murrey , Daphne-Rubin Vega , Theressa Russel and Robert Wagner have all been smartly casted in roles they seem to fit perfectly with their physique . Director McNaughton knows how to handle all the above and achieves to make a movie you won't feel bored with for even a second.Let yourself free to enjoy the guilty pleasures of this film which combines crime , corruption and sexuallity so succesfully you'll have to see it twice to believe it.

This movie left me saying WOW
Wild Things is one of the most draw dropping movies I've ever seen. It had so many twists and turns I had to see it again to believe what I had seen earlier and had just seen again.

Matt Dillon plays a high school counsler at a high school in South Florida. He is well respected and loved by the students. He is really loved by his student played by Denise Richards. She likes to him to a very dangerous point. She later accuses of him of rape to the local cop played by Kevin Bacon along with another student played by Neve Campbell. Matt's character is hated by the community and he hires a lawyer played by Bill Murray to defend him. However, the movie turns into a story of sex, murder, and betrayl that like I said earlier will leave you saying "WOW" and have you watching it again.

Denise Richards is absolutely crazy in this movie. I couldn't believe this was the sweet innocent girl I had seen in Starship Troopers. Denise, Matt, and Neve shoot a soft porn in the movie when they do a three some. I couldn't believe it. I think this is the best acting Denise has done in her young carear. She is a beautiful woman and I love her to death. Most guys become a fan of her from watching this.

Kevin Bacon has a nice role in the film. It's one of the better performances of his carear. I hate his character in the movie. He plays a huge role in the film though, and Bacon liked this movie so much he helped produce it.

This is a different kind of role for Matt Dillon in the beginning of the movie. However, by the end he won't disappoint his loyal fans as he returns to the kind of character he typically plays.

I liked Wild Things. It's an insane sexual thriller. If nudity is not your thing I would not get this movie. Nevertheless if you want to see a movie with a ton and twists and turns this is it. Men will really like Denise in the movie. But like I said this movie will leave you saying "WOW" and will have you watching at again.

Keeps you guessing
...that's for sure! This movie really does keep you guessing until the very end. Just when you think you have it all figured out, you don't and are very far from the truth. It has so many twists in the plot that you really do have to pay close attention to it the first time you watch it or you will miss something vital to understanding the ending. I liked it mainly because I thought I had it figured out but when the end came I was totally wrong. I enjoy movies that are unpredictable, which this one most definitely is. The movie is cast well. It includes Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, Kevin Bacon, Denise Richards, and even Bill Murrey. I think as far as casting goes the actors were prefct for the parts. Matt and Kevin play somewhat bad guys, which don't they usually. Neve Campbell plays a strange girl from the wrong side of the tracks and just nails the part. I like this movie and would recommend it to those that like a good ending and maybe some of you that want to see Neve Campbell making out with Denise Richards. Not my favorite part, but I know many guys would enjoy that scene.

Best Movie Ever!
This is one of the greatest movies ever made. Its has a mixture of fighting,cat fighting,drowning,betrayl,lieing,decieving, and just everything that makes a movie good. I would reccomend this movie to anyone.

Trash of the Gods!
"Wild Things" is a gloriously lurid and decadent little gem of a movie. I love movies that respect the intelligence of the audience while pandering to their base desires (most studio releases skip that first part), and "Wild Things" fits the bill perfectly.

The plot is - well, the plot is twisted, in every sense of the word. The story that seems to be unfolding ends at the halfway point of the movie - and then the real story begins. And in a technique I've never seen before, it continues through the ending credits, as director McNaughton gleefully fills in the holes.

"Wild Things" offers great, juicy turns from Neve Campbell, Denise Richards, Matt Dillon, Kevin Bacon, Theresa Russell, and especially Bill Murray as a hilariously corrupt small-time lawyer. Along the way we get lots of steamy, lurid peek-a-boo sex and nudity (which is so gratuitous it inspires genuine laughter), violence, and characters motivated by nothing more than pure greed. Put 'em together in the Everglades, and you have one hot movie.

I generally don't like movies that mess with the audience by hiding information, and then springing it on them later as a "twist." But twists work beautifully if the character is just as befuddled by them as the audience. Since "Wild Things" offers nothing but characters who think they have secrets and alliances but are actually only pawns in a game, every twist is justified.

This new "unrated" version incorporates scenes that aren't necessary, but are joyful anyway. If you have the original cut and you've got the money to throw around, go for it. If you haven't seen it, well, it's probably not for anyone. But if the thought of a wicked little Hitchcockian melodrama, dripping with sex and humor and directed with a wink, appeals to you, you can't go wrong with "Wild Things." ... Read more

Amazon.com

Wild Things is the kind of lurid, trashy thriller that you'll either dive into with unabashed pleasure or turn away from in prudish disgust; it's entirely your choice, but we suggest the former option since it's obviously much more fun. The plot's so convoluted it's hardly worth describing, except to say that it's set in humid Florida and involves a respected high school teacher (Matt Dillon--yes, Matt Dillon as a teacher!) who is faced with accusations of rape by a student (Denise Richards, from Starship Troopers) who had been giving him the kind of attention most people would consider improper for such a "nice" young lady. Another student (Neve Campbell) raises a similar charge against the teacher, and that's when a police officer (Kevin Bacon) begins to investigate the allegations. Just when you think the movie's gone overboard with its shameless sex and absurdly twisted plot, in drops Bill Murray as an unscrupulous lawyer (of course) to spice things up with insurance scams and welcomed comic relief. As directed by John McNaughton (who has a way of making just the right moves with this kind of film noir melodrama), Wild Things is a bona fide guilty pleasure--the kind of movie you may be ashamed to enjoy, but what the heck, you'll enjoy it anyway. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (203)

Neve Campbell steals the show
Wild things is an easy movie to love. It tells the story of a Blue-Bay highschool teacher ( Dillon ) who is been accused for rape by two of his female students , spoiled rich kid Kelly ( Richards ) and drug-addict basketcase Suzie ( Campbell ) . Did he really do it ? The script provides more than just a yes-or-no answer during the one and a half hour the movie lasts . It includes a little more than a few plot twists and manages to constantly suprise us and turn things around. In addition to all that this is an extremelly well-made film , surely one of the sexiest movies you'll ever get the chance to see.The love scenes are simply sensational , steamy yet never cheap.All the members of the cast deliver some good perfomances but eventually it's the two girls who stand out. There's a first-class chemistry between Campbell and Richards . Campbell gives her best perfomance yet as confused freak Suzie.She totally crashes her next-girl image and prooves she's capable of playing many different kinds of characters with equally good results.It's actually weird that after that role she disappeared from the spotlight when one might have excpected that then was the time where her star would rise even higher.Denise Richards is really charming as Kelly Van Ryan too.She's one more person i hope i'll be seeing more in movies in years to come.Also great are many of the supporting roles.Bill Murrey , Daphne-Rubin Vega , Theressa Russel and Robert Wagner have all been smartly casted in roles they seem to fit perfectly with their physique . Director McNaughton knows how to handle all the above and achieves to make a movie you won't feel bored with for even a second.Let yourself free to enjoy the guilty pleasures of this film which combines crime , corruption and sexuallity so succesfully you'll have to see it twice to believe it.

This movie left me saying WOW
Wild Things is one of the most draw dropping movies I've ever seen. It had so many twists and turns I had to see it again to believe what I had seen earlier and had just seen again.

Matt Dillon plays a high school counsler at a high school in South Florida. He is well respected and loved by the students. He is really loved by his student played by Denise Richards. She likes to him to a very dangerous point. She later accuses of him of rape to the local cop played by Kevin Bacon along with another student played by Neve Campbell. Matt's character is hated by the community and he hires a lawyer played by Bill Murray to defend him. However, the movie turns into a story of sex, murder, and betrayl that like I said earlier will leave you saying "WOW" and have you watching it again.

Denise Richards is absolutely crazy in this movie. I couldn't believe this was the sweet innocent girl I had seen in Starship Troopers. Denise, Matt, and Neve shoot a soft porn in the movie when they do a three some. I couldn't believe it. I think this is the best acting Denise has done in her young carear. She is a beautiful woman and I love her to death. Most guys become a fan of her from watching this.

Kevin Bacon has a nice role in the film. It's one of the better performances of his carear. I hate his character in the movie. He plays a huge role in the film though, and Bacon liked this movie so much he helped produce it.

This is a different kind of role for Matt Dillon in the beginning of the movie. However, by the end he won't disappoint his loyal fans as he returns to the kind of character he typically plays.

I liked Wild Things. It's an insane sexual thriller. If nudity is not your thing I would not get this movie. Nevertheless if you want to see a movie with a ton and twists and turns this is it. Men will really like Denise in the movie. But like I said this movie will leave you saying "WOW" and will have you watching at again.

Keeps you guessing
...that's for sure! This movie really does keep you guessing until the very end. Just when you think you have it all figured out, you don't and are very far from the truth. It has so many twists in the plot that you really do have to pay close attention to it the first time you watch it or you will miss something vital to understanding the ending. I liked it mainly because I thought I had it figured out but when the end came I was totally wrong. I enjoy movies that are unpredictable, which this one most definitely is. The movie is cast well. It includes Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, Kevin Bacon, Denise Richards, and even Bill Murrey. I think as far as casting goes the actors were prefct for the parts. Matt and Kevin play somewhat bad guys, which don't they usually. Neve Campbell plays a strange girl from the wrong side of the tracks and just nails the part. I like this movie and would recommend it to those that like a good ending and maybe some of you that want to see Neve Campbell making out with Denise Richards. Not my favorite part, but I know many guys would enjoy that scene.

Best Movie Ever!
This is one of the greatest movies ever made. Its has a mixture of fighting,cat fighting,drowning,betrayl,lieing,decieving, and just everything that makes a movie good. I would reccomend this movie to anyone.

Trash of the Gods!
"Wild Things" is a gloriously lurid and decadent little gem of a movie. I love movies that respect the intelligence of the audience while pandering to their base desires (most studio releases skip that first part), and "Wild Things" fits the bill perfectly.

The plot is - well, the plot is twisted, in every sense of the word. The story that seems to be unfolding ends at the halfway point of the movie - and then the real story begins. And in a technique I've never seen before, it continues through the ending credits, as director McNaughton gleefully fills in the holes.

"Wild Things" offers great, juicy turns from Neve Campbell, Denise Richards, Matt Dillon, Kevin Bacon, Theresa Russell, and especially Bill Murray as a hilariously corrupt small-time lawyer. Along the way we get lots of steamy, lurid peek-a-boo sex and nudity (which is so gratuitous it inspires genuine laughter), violence, and characters motivated by nothing more than pure greed. Put 'em together in the Everglades, and you have one hot movie.

I generally don't like movies that mess with the audience by hiding information, and then springing it on them later as a "twist." But twists work beautifully if the character is just as befuddled by them as the audience. Since "Wild Things" offers nothing but characters who think they have secrets and alliances but are actually only pawns in a game, every twist is justified.

This new "unrated" version incorporates scenes that aren't necessary, but are joyful anyway. If you have the original cut and you've got the money to throw around, go for it. If you haven't seen it, well, it's probably not for anyone. But if the thought of a wicked little Hitchcockian melodrama, dripping with sex and humor and directed with a wink, appeals to you, you can't go wrong with "Wild Things." ... Read more

Amazon.com

Meyer Lansky, along with Bugsy Siegel and Lucky Luciano, helped mold organized crime in America into "the Syndicate," a business run as efficiently and ruthlessly as any corporation. Richard Dreyfuss plays Lansky (as do Max Perlich and Ryan Merriman). Starting out with Lansky as an aging, ill, cranky man taking refuge in Israel, the film tells his life in a series of flashbacks, starting out as a young Jewish tough trying to hold his own against Irish gangs in New York. Lansky and his associates climb the ladder of crime over the years, turning Las Vegas from a quiet desert town into a swank gambling hot spot, eliminating any rogue elements or competition that could hurt the cause. Senator Estes Kefauver came along to put a dent in the Mob's activities by the l950s, but Lansky and company came through fairly unscathed. With direction by John McNaughton and a pungent David Mamet screenplay, this should be top-drawer stuff, but, oddly, it comes across as only average. The movie's chronological structure, jumping back and forth in time, becomes a little confusing, then irritating. Three actors playing the same man over the years make it a bit difficult to nail down his real essence, while several other characters are barely more than window dressing. Also, the Judaism of Lansky, Siegel, Rosen, and Rothstein is given short shrift in the story. With tighter editing and firmer direction, Lansky could have been very good, but as is, it's just what it is: a made-for-cable biopic. --Jerry Renshaw ... Read more

Reviews (7)

What was this?
What was this movie? Meyer Lansky did a lot of good for this country. He was a wonderful, Jewish gangster. There should be more people like this mensch. This director and Richard Dreyfuss, dare to tell the story of a great man such as Meyer Lansky? Oh Please!!!!!!!

Dreyfuss and Perlich are Incredible as Meyer Lansky
The overall production quality of "Lansky" is barely adequate. This HBO TV special comes across as a film made under severe time and financial constraints. Nonetheless, the acting talent of Richard Dreyfuss is utterly fantastic. The now middle-aged star gives a performance that ranks among his very best. Dreyfuss clearly understands this low keyed Jewish gangster who lead much of American organized crime in the previous century. The character actor Max Perlich also does a splendid job of portraying Lansky during his earlier years. Perlich is a skillful thespian who deserves greater respect and attention. He ought to have received at least an Academy Award nomination for his splendid supporting work in "Rush."

Meyer Lansky was something of a highly intelligent mob boss who essentially perceived himself as a misunderstood polite business man; neither better nor worse than the titans of that era's capitalist business organizations. Lansky rationalizations conveniently ignored the fact that murder and other forms of violence are not everyday realities of conventional American capitalism. Lansky, though, was probably correct to conclude that FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and Senator Estes Kefauver hounded him mostly out of less than noble reasons.

"Lansky" accurately depicts the Jewish gangsters as far more intelligent than those generally found in other ethnic groups. Also, the Meyer Lanskys, "Bugsy" Siegels, and Alfred Rothsteins were the only generation of that ethnic tradition that chose careers in organized crime. Their progeny did not follow in their father's footsteps! Meyer Lansky, for instance, made sure that his own son attended West Point and became a U.S. military officer. "Lansky" earns four stars. I highly recommend this movie if you are someone genuinely interested in understanding the motivations of a Meyer Lansky. He may not be an American hero, but Lansky cannot be ignored if you truly desire to comprehend the difficulties of many to assimilate into our national culture.

What a Disappointment!
As a big fan of mafia related movies, I was very disappointed with this movie. Lansky floats back and forth from past to present making it hard to follow and irratating. This film has a plot as good as any, however this plot is shot with poor actor selection and goofy directing. Don't waste your time on Lansky.

Nice try
One should know Lanky's story in advance to follow. However, Dreyfus does not seem to be the best selection for Lansy

please!
Who wants to see Richard Dreyfus in a mafia movie? Of all the actors who could have played Lansky, why did they select Dreyfus? ... Read more

Description

Big-screen stars Anne Heche (SIX DAYS, SEVEN NIGHTS) and Ione Skye (ONE NIGHT STAND) heat up the big house in this cool and campy takeoff of "women-behind-bars" movies! Aggie is a sweet young songstress having a hard time making it in the sleazy music biz ... though it's not nearly as hard as the "time" she'll have to do for a murder she didn't commit! Yet even in the slammer, she's targeted by the same shady characters responsible for her fiendish frame-up! Featuring some of Hollywood's most memorable "bad-girl" performances, including the year's steamiest shower scene -- you're sure to get caught up as Aggie fights to be declared innocent before she's silenced forever! ... Read more

Reviews (17)

A Little Known Gem
I found MAD DOG & GLORY completely by accident. I didn't even know it existed and, judging from the little written about it on this page, not many people do. However, a bored look into DeNiro's filmography got me interested in watching this.

I wasn't disappointed. DeNiro plays a quiet cop (ironically nicknamed Mad Dog) who saves a small-time gangster (played with zest by Bill Murray) during a holdup. As thanks, Murray "lends" one of his bar girls to DeNiro for a week. However, DeNiro's character falls in love with the girl (Glory, played by Uma Therman) and refuses to let he go back to Murray.

That's the premise. It seems like a basic love story, but the complexity of MAD DOG & GLORY lies in its characters and dialogue. Scenes that would otherwise drag with tedium are injected with a strong script and characters that are well crafted.

in protest
the only reason i'm typing this is to offset the hyperbolic one-star review below. i didn't run from the theater shouting 'incredible' after seeing mad dog, but when i saw it in a store... used, i bought it. i run it in the background often, and i've watched it intently about 4 times. this movie is funny, well-paced (slow!), and NOT painful. is it believable? no. nice atmosphere though. in my opinion, there are enough good characters and moments to justify the price. deniro's cop buddy, mike, is entertaining and different. the hood guys are amusing. the music is soothing and classic. i enjoyed watching deniro's personality change on the job after getting a little; that scene was a blast. bottom line? don't believe a review which criticizes in the harshest terms but, after proclaiming the task hopeless, doesn't even begin to justify its view. that's lazy, and it's unfair to a movie which was obviously made with care and affection. i like this film very much.

Mad Dog and Glory very disappointing comedy
"mad dog and glory" don't let the catchy title and blockbuster cast of robert deniro, uma thurman, and bill murray fool you, this is a bad movie from 1993. yes despite this talent of stars, the movie is a big let down for fans of deniro's and thurmans. however bill murray gives perhaps one of his comedic/dramatic performances ever. in fact not surprising

as far deniro goes though, his performance is bloody awful. some people say an actor acts "effortlessly" when he gives a good performance, however in deniro's case that seems to be opposite as their is hardly any acting all. however, this stems from the fact that most of the characters in mad dog and glory are utterly weak and pathetic, with the exception of murray.

In fact i still found the movie hard to watch despite murray's performance. the plot of the movie is that bumbling cop (deniro) name mad dog doobie stumbles onto a robbery in progress. he sees a man holding up a liquor store with a tall man (murray) as the hostage. murray's character is a riot, telling mad dog to blow away the sucker like dirty harry.

Mad dog doesn't and the assailant escapes, though i believe he is captured later on though that isn't relevant here.
Murray's character as we learn is a top and tough mafia boss named frank milo. milo is quite a character almost larger than life, he demands respect and if you cross him your dead.
milo though loves mad dog as he has just saved his life in this holdup. milo knowing that mad dog is a cop (although not a good one) offers his services as a mafia boss to mad dog.
Dobie refuses using one of the few morals he has, however milo comes up with another proposition, he wants to be dobie's "friend". lol in fact he wont take no for an answer.
dobie accepts for the mean time, not seeing any harm in that.

Milo eventually introduces the lame brain cop to his new girl "Glory" (Uma Thurman) an attractive woman who we learn is Milo's main squeeze, however better put, she is a prostitute, she is one of many objects that Milo owns".
When Dobie sees Glory and Milo offers "Glory's" services (i.e sex). Dobie refuses. It seems this cop actually lives up to his mom of being clean unlike other corrupt cops or is he?

(Some possible spoilers)

Well not exactly, despite Dobie's claim that he is a good cop and he is sworn to upload the law, he breaks his own rules and laws and decides to "borrow" Glory. When he is through with the companionship, he agrees to give her up.
Trouble is he doesn't. When Milo comes looking for Glory an altercation erupts that basically sets up the conflict and what happens in the rest of the movie. Milo wants Glory back at any price. He is willing do anything including messing up Dobie's life to do it.

I actually made that sound more interesting that it really is. "Mad Dog and Glory" is essentially a part black comedy and part dramatic film. Problem is I wasn't really in the areas I should of probably because of the set of repugnant characters on screen no matter how dysfunctional and stupid they are.

A cop who despite his own morals decides to break them when it suits em, doesnt obviously appeal to me or audience. Glorys character despite being the "victim" of sorts doesn't always come out. In a couple of scenarios her reactions dont have the reactions that a victim would have.

However as far as performances go I definitely think Uma Thurman did a much better job and any good critic could see that as her character is much more complex that Deniro's.

A woman whose caught in the middle of the bad situation and whose life depends on what she'll do next is pretty interesting. However the Glory character despite isn't as well developed as that. She gives in too easily to intimidation and greed instead of firmly making a decision one way or other.

Now the Milo character (Bill Murray) is great, in fact this character is hilarious as hell, despite his presence of being a Mafia boss, who can kill anyone at will and get away with it, hes extremely funny and clever. During one point, he fools the donut eating precint where Dobie works into thinking that he is a "baker" and that he is an old friend of Dobie's. LOL During other instances, he sends it goons to do his dirty work against Mad Dog in such a vile pathetic way that it's almost a joke. Murray is great as this character, for his performance the movie is worth watching.

However again, "Mad Dog and Glory:" is still a heavily flawed film, you kinda what your gonna get in the film and Deniro's utterly, weak, spineless and hypocritical character almost leave you feeling dry and bitter by the end of the film. Hell you want this character to die by the end of the film. It's awful, one of a long string of weak characters that Deniro would play in the 1990's up until "Analyze This".

The movie was directed by John McNaugton if you never of him that's because he's not that good. Hes made a dozen or so films however only really two stand out in my mind "Wild Things" (1998) and "Henry Portrait of A Serial Killer" (1986) with Michael Rooker which is by far the scariest and best movie about serial killers in general (forget about that trash called "Monster" with Charlize Theron) this movie is the real thing.

Uma Thurman of course is hot , she's sizzling ever since she and Quentin Tarantino, did "Kill Bill" everyone seems to be hopping on the Uma Thurman bandwagon, yet a couple of years they were writing her of after she a couple of flops like "The Avengers". Hilarious

A strange but good movie
For people who have been walking around with a conception of Bill Murray as a funny nice guy, this movie is a wake up call. Those who would speculate that Murray vs. DeNiro would be a cinematic mismatch would be correct, but likely for the wrong reason. Murray steals the movie and DeNiro can't match him. The better actor is Murray. Slowly but surely people are starting to understand that Murray is a fine actor with an amazing presence.

This is a GREAT film especially w/the usual roles reversed!
1st off let me say I have alot of trouble with the reviewer whom
said that "Cape Fear" "really hurt DeNiro's career."

To me nothing could be further from the truth! I also disagreed
vehemently with the 'professional critics' whom said things about
DeNiro's performance in "Cape Fear" like the one whom said DeNiro's performance was "overboard" & that, "He was chewing the
prop scenery, up, with his over the top performance."

This is ridiculous, and DeNiro's performance as the unstopable
Max Cady, to me is one of his finest performances! But to the review:

I always thought "Mad Dog and Glory" was a great film & a great vechicle for the great DeNiro...& a superb performance!

What a novel idea to switch roles from DeNiro's 'always'(seemingly)playing the hated bad guy, & allowing him to play a somewhat cowardly policeman, & to have the
similarly always used for comedy, Bill Murray play the underworld figure!

DeNiro's work as that other than a 'tough guy' or 'mobster' was always dismissed by 'critics' & film goer's until his roles in films "Meet The Parents" or "Analyze This". I knew DeNiro could play ANY role in a great way ever since I saw the early film "Bang the Drum Slowly"(where DeNiro plays a sickly southern
boy baseball catcher)or an even earlier film that 'apparently" NO
ONE else saw, "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight", a low budget film based on the Jimmy Breslin novel, that DeNiro actually saves!!

The plot of "Mad Dog & Glory" is a solid one, and gets2 fine
actors(DeNiro & Murray)to play roles the viewer's are unacustomed
to seeing them in! I thought DeNiro's Mad Dog was brilliant, as was Murray's 'gangster! Also, Ms. Thruman's role is very good as is that of David Caruso(who's career has really been mostly in the tank after he left "NYPD Blue", a curse that seems to follow
everyone that leaves!(Just look at Kim Delaney-Nick Tuturro-Jimmy Smits, to name a few!) Caruso's part of the tough as nails
partner to Mad Dog is 1 of his best!

This is another of my many favorite films by Mr. DeNiro, and there are ALOT of them out there. Unfortunately DeNiro, much like his friend & cohort director Martin Scorsese,often have had their great performances & directorial jobs, slighted by the
snobbish "Academy Award" people! That's not that big a deal because this is usually offset by both winning awards from either the Cann Film Festival, or NY & L.A. film critics awards
along with others!

If you love a good story, & fine acting check out "Mad Dog & Glory" it's a film worthy of praise. I'd give you my list of other great film performances by DeNiro, & films by Scorsese, but we be here all day! Steven ... Read more

Reviews (203)

Worth a viewing, but rent it.
WILD THINGS is definitely worth a viewing, but only one. Save some money and rent it from the video store, but get it on DVD if you are able, because the colors, picture quality and cinemotography are excellent. All of the leads are fabulous in this film. Denise Richards is a standout as a spoiled and vicious teen.

The twists and turns that Leonard Maltin spoke of aren't THAT clever. And the film does wind up shooting itself in the foot, because too much of something is never good--the viewer does catch on quickly and the surprises are no longer unexpected, hence the "gotchas" at the end are predictable. WILD THINGS could've learned something from THE USUAL SUSPECTS. There is one character surprise at the end that will have you laughing with malicious glee. They're not Keyser Soze, but they're just as clever!

A word of advice: if you rent the DVD, do NOT watch the theatrical trailer before viewing. It reveals too much of the plot.

A cool movie, twisted and sexy plot, great cast
A sexy movie churned up in a twisted plot, Neve Campbell, Denise Richards, Matt Dillion, Kevin Bacon, and Bill Murray make this a very worthwhile film to see. Guys will probably oogle over the threesome scene with Denise, Neve and Matt, and it's a really nice scene :-) The acting is very good, and the cast played their parts well. I knocked off a star because I didn't need to see Kevin's sausage. That could have stayed in the towel. (All I can say is, fast forward through the shower scene!) Great movie to see, and its worth buying it!

Great ending.
Great Movie I loved the ending. Did not know what to expect from this movie but it turned out great. BUY IT....

(Can not give it 5 starts since no movie is that good.)

Hot Chicks, Man's Shlong?
Probably the best movie I have ever seen, except for Kevin Bacon's bacon in the shower. I did not need to see his noodle. Nice looking Girls. Best plot I have ever seen. I have seen other movies copy their plot and it wasn't as good.

Wild Things lives up to it's title
If it's not sex, it's murder. This movie continuously keeps you wondering what's going to happen next. With great performances by Neve Campbell and Matt Dillon, this movie is all about who's telling the truth. Though this movie has a few holes as to what happened, they are all filled up when you watch the credits. It has lots of violence, some drugs, a good story, and a few interesting sexual scenes. Very interesting. For the good acting, good ending, and suspense, I give this movie four stars. ... Read more

Description

When a soft-spoken detective saves the life of a local gangster, he receives an unusual thank-you present: a week with a beautiful young bartender. They fall in love, however and a murderous showdown looms! ... Read more

Reviews (17)

A Little Known Gem
I found MAD DOG & GLORY completely by accident. I didn't even know it existed and, judging from the little written about it on this page, not many people do. However, a bored look into DeNiro's filmography got me interested in watching this.

I wasn't disappointed. DeNiro plays a quiet cop (ironically nicknamed Mad Dog) who saves a small-time gangster (played with zest by Bill Murray) during a holdup. As thanks, Murray "lends" one of his bar girls to DeNiro for a week. However, DeNiro's character falls in love with the girl (Glory, played by Uma Therman) and refuses to let he go back to Murray.

That's the premise. It seems like a basic love story, but the complexity of MAD DOG & GLORY lies in its characters and dialogue. Scenes that would otherwise drag with tedium are injected with a strong script and characters that are well crafted.

in protest
the only reason i'm typing this is to offset the hyperbolic one-star review below. i didn't run from the theater shouting 'incredible' after seeing mad dog, but when i saw it in a store... used, i bought it. i run it in the background often, and i've watched it intently about 4 times. this movie is funny, well-paced (slow!), and NOT painful. is it believable? no. nice atmosphere though. in my opinion, there are enough good characters and moments to justify the price. deniro's cop buddy, mike, is entertaining and different. the hood guys are amusing. the music is soothing and classic. i enjoyed watching deniro's personality change on the job after getting a little; that scene was a blast. bottom line? don't believe a review which criticizes in the harshest terms but, after proclaiming the task hopeless, doesn't even begin to justify its view. that's lazy, and it's unfair to a movie which was obviously made with care and affection. i like this film very much.

Mad Dog and Glory very disappointing comedy
"mad dog and glory" don't let the catchy title and blockbuster cast of robert deniro, uma thurman, and bill murray fool you, this is a bad movie from 1993. yes despite this talent of stars, the movie is a big let down for fans of deniro's and thurmans. however bill murray gives perhaps one of his comedic/dramatic performances ever. in fact not surprising

as far deniro goes though, his performance is bloody awful. some people say an actor acts "effortlessly" when he gives a good performance, however in deniro's case that seems to be opposite as their is hardly any acting all. however, this stems from the fact that most of the characters in mad dog and glory are utterly weak and pathetic, with the exception of murray.

In fact i still found the movie hard to watch despite murray's performance. the plot of the movie is that bumbling cop (deniro) name mad dog doobie stumbles onto a robbery in progress. he sees a man holding up a liquor store with a tall man (murray) as the hostage. murray's character is a riot, telling mad dog to blow away the sucker like dirty harry.

Mad dog doesn't and the assailant escapes, though i believe he is captured later on though that isn't relevant here.
Murray's character as we learn is a top and tough mafia boss named frank milo. milo is quite a character almost larger than life, he demands respect and if you cross him your dead.
milo though loves mad dog as he has just saved his life in this holdup. milo knowing that mad dog is a cop (although not a good one) offers his services as a mafia boss to mad dog.
Dobie refuses using one of the few morals he has, however milo comes up with another proposition, he wants to be dobie's "friend". lol in fact he wont take no for an answer.
dobie accepts for the mean time, not seeing any harm in that.

Milo eventually introduces the lame brain cop to his new girl "Glory" (Uma Thurman) an attractive woman who we learn is Milo's main squeeze, however better put, she is a prostitute, she is one of many objects that Milo owns".
When Dobie sees Glory and Milo offers "Glory's" services (i.e sex). Dobie refuses. It seems this cop actually lives up to his mom of being clean unlike other corrupt cops or is he?

(Some possible spoilers)

Well not exactly, despite Dobie's claim that he is a good cop and he is sworn to upload the law, he breaks his own rules and laws and decides to "borrow" Glory. When he is through with the companionship, he agrees to give her up.
Trouble is he doesn't. When Milo comes looking for Glory an altercation erupts that basically sets up the conflict and what happens in the rest of the movie. Milo wants Glory back at any price. He is willing do anything including messing up Dobie's life to do it.

I actually made that sound more interesting that it really is. "Mad Dog and Glory" is essentially a part black comedy and part dramatic film. Problem is I wasn't really in the areas I should of probably because of the set of repugnant characters on screen no matter how dysfunctional and stupid they are.

A cop who despite his own morals decides to break them when it suits em, doesnt obviously appeal to me or audience. Glorys character despite being the "victim" of sorts doesn't always come out. In a couple of scenarios her reactions dont have the reactions that a victim would have.

However as far as performances go I definitely think Uma Thurman did a much better job and any good critic could see that as her character is much more complex that Deniro's.

A woman whose caught in the middle of the bad situation and whose life depends on what she'll do next is pretty interesting. However the Glory character despite isn't as well developed as that. She gives in too easily to intimidation and greed instead of firmly making a decision one way or other.

Now the Milo character (Bill Murray) is great, in fact this character is hilarious as hell, despite his presence of being a Mafia boss, who can kill anyone at will and get away with it, hes extremely funny and clever. During one point, he fools the donut eating precint where Dobie works into thinking that he is a "baker" and that he is an old friend of Dobie's. LOL During other instances, he sends it goons to do his dirty work against Mad Dog in such a vile pathetic way that it's almost a joke. Murray is great as this character, for his performance the movie is worth watching.

However again, "Mad Dog and Glory:" is still a heavily flawed film, you kinda what your gonna get in the film and Deniro's utterly, weak, spineless and hypocritical character almost leave you feeling dry and bitter by the end of the film. Hell you want this character to die by the end of the film. It's awful, one of a long string of weak characters that Deniro would play in the 1990's up until "Analyze This".

The movie was directed by John McNaugton if you never of him that's because he's not that good. Hes made a dozen or so films however only really two stand out in my mind "Wild Things" (1998) and "Henry Portrait of A Serial Killer" (1986) with Michael Rooker which is by far the scariest and best movie about serial killers in general (forget about that trash called "Monster" with Charlize Theron) this movie is the real thing.

Uma Thurman of course is hot , she's sizzling ever since she and Quentin Tarantino, did "Kill Bill" everyone seems to be hopping on the Uma Thurman bandwagon, yet a couple of years they were writing her of after she a couple of flops like "The Avengers". Hilarious

A strange but good movie
For people who have been walking around with a conception of Bill Murray as a funny nice guy, this movie is a wake up call. Those who would speculate that Murray vs. DeNiro would be a cinematic mismatch would be correct, but likely for the wrong reason. Murray steals the movie and DeNiro can't match him. The better actor is Murray. Slowly but surely people are starting to understand that Murray is a fine actor with an amazing presence.

This is a GREAT film especially w/the usual roles reversed!
1st off let me say I have alot of trouble with the reviewer whom
said that "Cape Fear" "really hurt DeNiro's career."

To me nothing could be further from the truth! I also disagreed
vehemently with the 'professional critics' whom said things about
DeNiro's performance in "Cape Fear" like the one whom said DeNiro's performance was "overboard" & that, "He was chewing the
prop scenery, up, with his over the top performance."

This is ridiculous, and DeNiro's performance as the unstopable
Max Cady, to me is one of his finest performances! But to the review:

I always thought "Mad Dog and Glory" was a great film & a great vechicle for the great DeNiro...& a superb performance!

What a novel idea to switch roles from DeNiro's 'always'(seemingly)playing the hated bad guy, & allowing him to play a somewhat cowardly policeman, & to have the
similarly always used for comedy, Bill Murray play the underworld figure!

DeNiro's work as that other than a 'tough guy' or 'mobster' was always dismissed by 'critics' & film goer's until his roles in films "Meet The Parents" or "Analyze This". I knew DeNiro could play ANY role in a great way ever since I saw the early film "Bang the Drum Slowly"(where DeNiro plays a sickly southern
boy baseball catcher)or an even earlier film that 'apparently" NO
ONE else saw, "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight", a low budget film based on the Jimmy Breslin novel, that DeNiro actually saves!!

The plot of "Mad Dog & Glory" is a solid one, and gets2 fine
actors(DeNiro & Murray)to play roles the viewer's are unacustomed
to seeing them in! I thought DeNiro's Mad Dog was brilliant, as was Murray's 'gangster! Also, Ms. Thruman's role is very good as is that of David Caruso(who's career has really been mostly in the tank after he left "NYPD Blue", a curse that seems to follow
everyone that leaves!(Just look at Kim Delaney-Nick Tuturro-Jimmy Smits, to name a few!) Caruso's part of the tough as nails
partner to Mad Dog is 1 of his best!

This is another of my many favorite films by Mr. DeNiro, and there are ALOT of them out there. Unfortunately DeNiro, much like his friend & cohort director Martin Scorsese,often have had their great performances & directorial jobs, slighted by the
snobbish "Academy Award" people! That's not that big a deal because this is usually offset by both winning awards from either the Cann Film Festival, or NY & L.A. film critics awards
along with others!

If you love a good story, & fine acting check out "Mad Dog & Glory" it's a film worthy of praise. I'd give you my list of other great film performances by DeNiro, & films by Scorsese, but we be here all day! Steven ... Read more

Amazon.com

Wild Things
Wild Things is the kind of lurid, trashy thriller that you'll either dive into with unabashed pleasure or turn away from in prudish disgust; it's entirely your choice, but we suggest the former option since it's obviously much more fun. The plot's so convoluted it's hardly worth describing, except to say that it's set in humid Florida and involves a respected high school teacher (Matt Dillon--yes, Matt Dillon as a teacher!) who is faced with accusations of rape by a student (Denise Richards, from Starship Troopers) who had been giving him the kind of attention most people would consider improper for such a "nice" young lady. Another student (Neve Campbell) raises a similar charge against the teacher, and that's when a police officer (Kevin Bacon) begins to investigate the allegations. Just when you think the movie's gone overboard with its shameless sex and absurdly twisted plot, in drops Bill Murray as an unscrupulous lawyer (of course) to spice things up with insurance scams and welcomed comic relief. As directed by John McNaughton (who has a way of making just the right moves with this kind of film noir melodrama), Wild Things is a bona fide guilty pleasure--the kind of movie you may be ashamed to enjoy, but what the heck, you'll enjoy it anyway. --Jeff Shannon

Body Double
Even Brian De Palma's staunchest defenders had to swallow hard with this gaudily gory bauble of a thriller that is built around a gruesome (yet surprisingly wittily staged) stalking and murder involving a female victim and a killer with a giant power drill. This is De Palma at his most sensational, in a story about a B-movie actor with career problems (Craig Wasson) and a habit as a voyeur. He witnesses the aforementioned murder, then teams up with a porn actress (Melanie Griffith) to try and find the killer. De Palma has a blast going inside the porn film industry, and even films a pseudo rock video with one-hit wonders Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Wasson is an unlikely leading man, bland and pasty, but he's perfect in the role of a decidedly imperfect hero. --Marshall Fine ... Read more