Amazon.com

Oscar®-winner Adrien Brody has a nifty role in Dummy as a shy loser whose life is transformed by... ventriloquism. Living with his parents and his caustic sister (Illeana Douglas in good form), tongue-tied Steven can't hold a conversation to save his life--until he sits a wooden dummy on his knee. Others find this kind of creepy, but Steven parlays his newfound voice into a date with his pretty lady at the unemployment office (she's played by Vera Farmiga, from 15 Minutes, a soulful actress destined for big things). Writer-director Greg Pritikin doesn't oversell this modest premise, instead nicely filling in the corners with sly comedy and character bits. Milla Jovovich plays Steven's punk-rock buddy, and Jessica Walter and Ron Leibman are his parents--it's a surprisingly strong cast for an indie effort. Dummy won a release when Brody got the Oscar for The Pianist, but this is a worthy and entertaining picture all on its own. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (15)

an unanticipated delight
Is there anything in this world creepier than a ventriloquist's dummy? Rod Serling apparently didn't think so when he turned one into a raving psychopath in a memorable episode of "The Twilight Zone." In "Dummy," the delightfully quirky comedy by writer/director Greg Pritikin, the dummy turns out to be just about the least creepy character in the film - and I mean that in the nicest way possible.

Adrien Brody, in a film made prior to (but released after) his Oscar-winning triumph in "The Pianist," stars as Steven Schoichet, a mild-mannered, socially backward man in his late 20's who still lives at home with his parents and his equally dysfunctional sister. One day, Steven decides to purchase a ventriloquist's dummy, a move that finally gives him the courage to break out of his shell and pursue the woman of his dreams.

Pritikin has come up with an extraordinary ensemble cast that includes, in addition to Brody, Illeana Douglas, as Steven's lovelorn, perpetually frustrated sister; Milla Jovovich, as Steven's foulmouthed wannabe punk rock star friend and companion; Jessica Walter as Steven's off-the-wall mother who figures she can keep her son happy if she perpetually feeds him sandwiches; and Ron Leibman as Steven's father who just wants to spend his time putting together model ships and who can't understand how he's ended up with two children so obviously devoid of purpose and direction in life. Vera Farmiga is charming and winning as the unemployment counselor - perhaps the one "uncertifiable" character in the film - who opens her heart to both Steven and his dummy companion.

Pritikin has taken some very simple material and woven it into a many-splendored tapestry, hitting just the right tone all the way through. The film is wickedly funny one moment and touchingly romantic the next. Yet, Pritikin never violates the uniquely quirky spirit of the premise he's established. It is particularly fun watching Steven engage in long-running conversations with himself, using the dummy as a sounding board for working out his own insecurities and fears.

Beautifully written, directed and acted, "Dummy" is one of the genuine, certified sleepers of the past several years.

Don't be a Dummy...this is very funny!
I saw this film at the Independent Film Festival in Boston.
I was so psyched because the director Greg Pritikin and Illeana Douglas were there...
but when the film ended, my sides were hurting and I was smiling.
It's so nice when a fresh film like Dummy can come out of nowhere and totally steal your heart.
Brody is really good as Steven, the offbeat quiet loner,
whos best friend Fangora, played with spunk and inspired hilarity by Milla Jovovich.
They're not in college...they don't have jobs.
So Steven decides to persue the act of being a Ventriloquist.
And upon getting work, he falls for his Unemployment counselour, played by Vira Farmiga.
Fangora wants Steven to get with her, so she schemes to woo her for him.

Milla Jovovich steals the entire show.
She is never offstep with her delivery and antics.

Steven's family is especially disfunctional....
his father is recently retired and sits around making model boats, while his mother...cooks.

His sister played by Illeana Douglas has a stalker ex-boyfriend, which doesn't help because she's a wedding planner under lots of pressure.
---
Even if you don't like this film (which I doubt you will), you cannot deny the extremely well played performance by Jovovich.

Likable film with lovable cast
Adrien Brody was amazing in this film, which was funny and insane. Some of the characters were a little unnecessary, and even annoying (Milla Jovovich), but the plot was great and the comedy was generous. I'd recommend it to anyone but small children.

Are you a retard?
A quote from this movie. It's very funny and along the same lines as punch drunk love and Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind. The format of Widescreen is larger than most Tv's support if they are older, I am not sure why this choice was made, but most HDTV's support the format. (True widescreen)

Either way, I strongly reccomend this movie. It's a must own.

Beautiful
Like American Splendor and Ghost World, this is one of those films that I can really relate to. Adrien Brody is wonderful in his portrayal of the Jewish loner who still lives with his parents and the only way he can easily communicate to the world is through his ventriloquist dummy. Artisan did a wonderful job in their casting. Ron Liebman and Jessica Walter are the perfect real couple to play the parents of Adrien and his sister played to perfection by Illeana Douglas. Vera Farmiga plays Brody's love interest in such a way that you get the sense that she too has led a somewhat disoriented life. Milla Jovovich, wow. This is the first role I've seen her in where she actually speaks a lot and gets to sing. She is remarkable as Brody's best friend Fanny...I'm sorry Fangora! I had my mother watch this film with me and being Jewish, she loved it when Milla sang punk versions of Klezmer songs!

The DVD is packed with wonderful features such as lessons on how to be a good ventriloquist with the help of Jeff Dunham, a cute mock featurette that shows Jeff teaching a class on Ventriloquism, commentary from Jeff and two of his own dummies, a Widescreen presentation of the film, and deleted scenes. There's even a mini DVD game called "What Kind Of Dummy Are You?".

Powered by a lovely acoustic soundtrack and good direction from Greg Pritkin, Dummy is a lovely tale of dreams and ambitions and comedic drama that can tap into the artist in all of us.

Be sure to listen for Fangora's references to Borders! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Family Ties are Stronger than Anything
If you believe that a close family is important, then you will like this movie. All of the siblings in this movie come together in their childhood home because their father is dying. They all have their ups and downs, and there are many disagreements. Despite all of the sibling rivalries in the end their love for each other wins out. Anyone who watches this will be able to identify with a lot of the situations in this movie, which will make it that much more memorable. This is one movie that is worth getting

Made in Texas
If you were raised in Texas, you will really be able to appreciate this film. And if you come from a large family, these characters will look awfully familiar. This is one of my favorite films.

Clever and Original
This is an extremely funny movie. The 3 southern sisters are very realistic southern characters. Beau Bridges and Beverly D'Angelo are particularly brilliant. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

The Funniest Movie You've Never Seen
If you haven't seen "Duck", you have no idea what a treat you've missed. This way-ahead-of-its-time, outrageous black comedy has held up amazingly well, despite it being made 35 years ago.

Tuesday Weld (in what is arguably her best performance) plays an "Everygirl" with a somewhat mercenary edge, Roddy McDowell plays her best friend who will do anything to please her-ANYTHING.

The action centers around Consolidated High School in Los Angeles, a school so "progressive" botany is called "Plant Skills"; and where the only way Tuesday Weld can be accepted by the popular girls is by joining something called the "Cashmere Sweater Club"

The movie skewers the youth culture, Southern California, sexuality, teen romance, public education, so effectively and hilariously you would think it was made yesterday. My favorite line: "Honey, in this family, we don't divorce our men, we bury them".

Lord Love A Boom Mike
First time I saw this I could hardly believe the many, many visible boom mikes throughout the film. Loved the picture regardless, and now I've come to accept those boom mikes as characters as central to LORD LOVE A DUCK's frazzled beauty as Roddy McDowall & Tuesday Weld, its stars. Most knowledgeable film fans hold 70s films in reverence for their embracing of a deeper, richer reality more inspired by novels than by prior Hollywood films. 60s cinema tends to suffer by comparison: it often seems like a clumsy standoff between the death-throes of the old studios and their formulas, and the insisting beating on the door of a new, artistic, more experimental aesthetic: DUCK is one of those, subverting the soundstage-bound Mickey & Judy cliches by emulating that shot-on-indoor-sets look, with the vital modification of peopling this familiar artifical environment with the hyperAmerican grotesques who routinely populate Geo Axelrod's universe. Thus, like a lot of the best 60s movies, DUCK is part-fish, part-fowl and suffused with an atmosphere of strangeness beyond its subject matter - yet, given how Real Life in that decade similarly swayed on unsteady footing in two seperate realities, it works beautifully. And it definitely doesn't hurt that Tuesday Weld is a goddess of apple-cheeked carnality and conspicuous consumption. She may not be Everywoman exactly, but she IS Everywoman who ever dreamed of marrying Elvis, and that's good enough - like the King, you can't help falling in love with her. As has been noted, the 'cashmere sweater' scene is among the most erotic ever caught on film - unnervingly so, given she's playing the scene with, and for, her father. The movie is chockfull of scenes that similarly push black humor and social satire past the threshold of good taste or story logic; you're either going to go with it, or reject it altogether. I recommend the former: like a lot of underrated and outright ignored 60s movies that don't comfortably fit into any standard category, LORD LOVE A DUCK rewards the viewer who's willing to suspend disbelief for an hour-and-a-half with a totally absorbing and unique unreality all its own. It's a buzz you can only get from an American film made between JFK's fall and the rise of Tricky Dick, and it's a hoot besides.

Tape was of poor quality
Like the title states, the tape was of poor quality and skipped alot, making viewing difficult, and it is to much of a pain and just as costly to ship back.I do not recommend buying from this media distributer.

One of the oddest (yet funny) movies ever made
The only way I can imagine this movie got made was that some Hollywood executive who was completely confused and clueless about what would appeal to younger viewers in the sixties agreed to allow this very strange George Axelrod film to be filmed. In a vague way, it seems almost to be an updating of FAUST, with Roddy McDowell as Alan "Mollymauk" Musgrave playing Mephistopheles to Tuesday Weld's Barbara Ann. Through all manner of devious means Mollymauk brings Barbara Ann's every dream come true.

Viewers are either going to love this or hate it. I showed it to my daughter, and she thought it one of the strangest films she had ever seen. And so it is. It is one of those films, like BEING JOHN MALKOVICH or THE 5,000 FINGERS OF DR. T that seems too off-the-wall for anyone to have agree to finance it.

If you are feeling like something different, and completely unlike anything else you have ever seen, you could do worse than give this film a chance.

Down on your Luck-O? Stuck in the Muck-O!!
This movie is unbelievabe. One of the best ever. If you like black comedy and satire, you'll like it too. Every line spoken in this movie has some satirical edge to it. The same can be said for every camera shot. The movie deals with fame, greed, vanity, education, sexual promiscuity, california culture, the exploitation of minors, religion, law enforcement, family values, high school life, and talks at length on the "be careful what you ask for..." concept. There's more still, but you get the idea.
This is a movie that even goes out of it's way to make you aware that it's a "just a movie" Some people think the direction is sloppy, because of all the boom mics visible, but I think they're actually supposed to be seen. The opening credits feature a montage of shots showing the filming of the movie while in production, and the entire philosophy of the film falls in with the idea that things are not really what they seem and that you should never believe what hollywood tells without questioning first...you're even supposed to be aware that what you're watching is a movie.
The music is a riot, especially the opening song.
This movie is hard to find but worth the trouble.
Non-stop hilarity from beginning to end while making you think about anything and everything. There are scenes that are funny and disturbing at the same time.
A real gem! ... Read more

Reviews (282)

You Betcha!
Whenever I rave about a movie I've recently seen, there's the inevitable question "What's it about?" With regard to this film, I recall responding that it's about a pregnant police chief who eventually solves a series of brutal murders somewhere in the Upper Midwest. (Brainerd, Minnesota? Fargo, North Dakota?) It is always a pleasure to observe Frances McDormand's performance in a role for which she received an Academy Award for best actress in 1996. The film was directed by Joel Coen who co-wrote the screenplay with brother Ethan. This film effectively combines some of the most dead-on (albeit affectionate) cultural satire of Scandinavian Americans in "Small Town U.S.A." with severe physical violence as when one victim is stuffed upside-down in a wood chip machine. (When I first observed "Margie" methodically gathering information, I was reminded of Colombo whose keen mind is also underestimated.) The basic story involves Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy), a desperate swindler. After his wealthy father-in-law Wade Gustafson (played by Harve Presnell whom I did not recognize) refuses to become involved in a real estate project, Lundegaard hires Carl Showalter (Steve Buscemi) and Gaear Grimstad (Peter Stormare) to kidnap his wife Jean (Kristin Rudrud) so that he can use most of the ransom to cover his debts and thereby conceal his crimes. Of course, his plan fails and several lose their lives as a result. As the film ends, the camera focuses on Chief Gunderson as drives her police sedan across the bleak winter landscape (think of the surface of the moon beneath three feet of snow and ice), with one of the two kidnappers in custody. She claims not to understand how anyone could behave badly in such a "beautiful" world.

Yes, this is a nasty film...at times severely violent. It also has a number of delightful comic moments, notably during Chief Gunderson's conversations with her husband Norm (John Carroll Lynch) as well as with Lundegaard. The acting by all members of the cast is consistently brilliant under Coen's crisp direction. After numerous viewings, what I still enjoy most in this film is McDormand's performance. Chief Gunderson may have a trusting heart but also a remarkably sharp mind. She wants so much to believe in goodness, to think the best of others, but she is by no means naive. As played by McDormand, she invests this film a warmth which is all the more remarkable, given the physical setting and time of the year.

Fargo
The Coens did it again. In their production of Fargo, they create an atmosphere of incompetence in the northern Midwest, poking fun at the people of Minnesota. Frances Mcdormand definitely deserves her Oscar, adding that humorous accent. William H. Macy also puts in a great performance as car salesman Jerry Lundegaard, whose wife is kidnapped by two men he paid to do it, Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare, and then his wealthy father-in-law can pay the ransom, then he would split the money with the kidnappers, and get out of his financial trouble. Instead of just asking his father-in-law, he hires these two numbskulls, and they screw it up big time. I'm possibly the biggest Steve Buscemi fan, and he's great in this one. I think it would have been interesting, however, if he had tried the Minnesota accent. That probably would have added some more humor to his role, even though it is hilarious already. His interaction with the parking booth attendant his great. Playing his partner, Peter Stormare doesn't talk much, he only has about 15 lines, but is funny and ruthless as it is. This movie also recieved the Best Screenplay Oscar, which was well-deserved. This moive is great.

"..that was your accomplice there in the woodchipper."
Fargo fits into a tiny crack between popcorn flick and truly interesting, and not just because it's based on a true story. It feels the right amount of homely and immersing to be just another irrelevent kidnapping "drama", all the while keeping its simplistic "movie feel".

The story is told from mutliple perspectives of the main characters. A less-than-successful car salesman Jerry Lundegaard [Macy] agrees to pay two crooks, Carl Showalter [Buscemi] and Gaear Grimsrud [Stormare] to kidnap his wife Jean [Rudrüd]. But along the way, complications happen and the body count rises as Lundegaard and his two hired crooks try, unsuccesfully, to follow through on their plan. Through this, we meet the primary character, or the one whose perspective we look through most--Marge Gunderson [MacDormand], a 7-months-pregnant police officer who takes it upon herself to figure out the situation.

Fargo has more of a small town murder investigation plot than a dramatic something-isn't-quite-right kidnapping focus, which does nothing to worsen the quality of the overall storyline and how it plays out, but there are points where you can spot editing errors and total blandness, but the movie itself is shorter than you would expect and manages to work in such an innovative take on the genre to the frame. The acting is done well and is completely convincing, and the good direction goes hand-in-hand with it. As mentioned, there are spots were the script could be better done, but so much whereas it takes away from the feel of the movie.

FARGON CONCLUSION
i SAW THIS MOVIE ONLY TWICE. The first
time I was drunk i also love guys but holes , the second time i was giving birth and the third tme I WAS IN THE LOCAL JOINT FOR STRONG BODY ODOR ROBBERY. I think that thisd movie was so extremely sad that i was laughing for three hours as i swallowed my underarm deoderant tablets.buy this movie now its good

A Shocking Film that took me completely by Surprise.
I expected Fargo to be a light hearted comedy that was set in the midwest. The movie not only was funny but it was thrilling and violent as well. The movie was good, very good actually. Frances McDormand did a wonderful job playing Marge the pregnant police officer. All the other performances are great including Steve Buschemi's as the ransomer of William H. Macy's wife. The plot is very gripping and the low score and cinematography was good too. I highly reccomend this film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It takes place during the Russian-Chechen war, but House of Fools has the aura of the 1960s about it, specifically the anti-war picture of the King of Hearts variety. Set in a mental hospital near the front lines, the movie poses the age-old question:what happens when the inmates take over the asylum? The doctors have fled from the fighting, so the patients create their own society. Julia Vysotsky, a livewire actress, plays the central role, a blissfully unbalanced woman convinced she is the girlfriend of the singer Bryan Adams (and, game for the challenge, Adams plays himself, endlessly crooning his hit "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman"). Director Andrei Konchalovsky (Runaway Train) finds suspense here, and also absurdity, but it's hard to see what the film adds to the roster of "war is hell" movies. The conflict in Chechnya deserves attention, but Konchalovsky overstates his case. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Bets Movie of 2002
This film deserved an Oscar but as always the academy does a horrible job at giving credit where it is deserved. This movie is one of the best anti war movies of the last 40 years it is on par or above such classics as "Full Metal Jacket" but just below "Apocalyps Now", it really is a great movie to watch and enjoy. Filled with symbolism and Fellinian characters that you cannot help but laugh and cry with them on this crazy journey. It makes a stronger case against war since you really see the absurdity of it all and how people become entagled in a vicious circle of death and absurdity. The ending is very symbolic as a soldier finds salvation in embracing the crazies since they are the only ones sane and humane in a crazy world.
P.S. The other two guys whom gave this movie 4 out of 5 stars really need to expand their cinematographic understanding and familiarity with good movies because this movie is not on par with loosers like "As good as it gets", I saw their reviews. Its like saying that Steven King is on the same level with Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, big error.

Mad Good!
what can i say? this is one of the most odd and amazing and beautiful and gorgeous movies i have ever seen!! With its beauty and literal insanity all rolled into a Russian film, you will find yourself moving from emotion to emotion. Try to catch it on tv (as i have done) and wait to buy it later because, honestly, $73.00?? that;s a little much. but you definitely need to see this Russian treasure!

Awesome.
Excellent film. Everything from the story line to acting is absolutely outstanding. In fact, I have a really hard time coming up with something negative to say... The only thing that I can pick at is the scene where a helicopter falls to the ground - it was obvious that the fall was staged. But other than that small technical nitpicking, it's an awesome film.

An exquisite, hauntingly beautiful Russian masterpiece
I come to this review with as much humility as I can muster, knowing that I cannot possibly - no matter how many fantastic things I say about this Russian movie - truly do it justice. House of Fools is a flat-out masterpiece, in my opinion. Some critics express dissatisfaction with the film, and I believe their dissatisfaction stems from a desire, be it conscious or unconscious, to make this film "say" what they want or expect it to say. Thus, some criticize the movie for a failure to truly examine or perfectly satirize a problematic war; some say the film is too disjointed to adequately express any kind of serious message; some seem disappointed this isn't some sort of reborn King of Hearts; others call it pretentious and over-done. I personally carried very little baggage with me into this film, which allowed me to let the film communicate whatever it wanted to communicate to me. Certainly, warfare is central to the story and there are scenes that wonderfully depict the horror and inanity of war, but House of Fools is so much more than an anti-war movie. This is a story about nothing less than the heart of humanity itself, and I believe multiple viewings would impart an almost limitless number of emotional epiphanies for the serious viewer.

The background for this powerful motion picture is the war in Chechnya in 1996. We meet the residents of a Chechen psychiatric hospital (oblivious to the war being waged outside their protected walls) just before their ordered, insulated lives change forever, and each of the many characters touches your heart in some way. Of course, none grab the viewer's attention as forcefully as Janna (Julia Vysotsky). Janna can at times seem quite sane, and the care and love she has for those around her can easily be seen in everything she does. She is always quick to help out, shares a strong bond with even the most uncommunicative of patients, and in no small way holds the group together with her beautiful attitude, ethereal charm, and spirited accordion-playing. When conflict or trouble rears its head, she reaches for her accordion, and we are provided a glimpse into her own momentary vision of everyone enjoying themselves as she plays; of course, reality intervenes all too quickly, but her kind-hearted efforts normally do help ease the tension. Janna is clearly delusional, though; she has a veritable shrine to singer Bryan Adams in her room and believes she is his fiancée. Clearly, I wasn't expecting Bryan Adams cameos in a Russian film, but these segments of the film are masterfully done.

One night, the splendidly-lit train that the patients all love to watch does not come, and the next morning the hospital staff is gone. The institution quickly becomes a radically different place, and the patients have little choice but to stay there when war finally knocks on the door in the most unmistakable of ways. Chechen forces eventually take over the hospital, treating the patients in quite a humane manner. One of these soldiers jokingly asks Janna to marry him after she plays and dances for the men, not realizing that Janna would take his offer seriously. We watch her undergo the agony of saying goodbye to her friends even as they transform her through clothes and makeup into a strikingly beguiling young woman. From here on out, the movie really pulls on the old heart-strings. Janna is as endearing a character as I have come across in a long, long time. While her troubled state of mind continues to reveal itself more and more emotionally, we can do nothing but helplessly watch her endure heartache, pain, and numb terror in the face of spiritual as well as military warfare.

This was Julia Vysotsky's first starring role, and I personally would give her any best actress award she asked for. Some critics feel as if she did not truly blossom into the role or succeed in giving it the depth it required; these are obviously some of the most demanding people on the planet, as I don't think any actress could have given a better performance than Vysotsky delivered in this film. House of Fools did win some prestigious awards, and rightly so. At the Venice Film Festival, it took home the jury grand prize. It was also Russia's official submission for consideration by the Academy Awards in the Foreign Language category, but the Academy did not nominate it for the award (proving once again how capricious and questionable Academy Award nominations can be). I don't know if this was the best foreign language film of the year or not, but I can't possibly understand how House of Fools did not merit nomination.

Just as I suspected, I have not been able to communicate at all satisfactorily my sense of the power, exquisite beauty, and poignant grace of this film. A number of scenes remain vivid in my mind: for example, the meeting of opposing Russian and Chechen leaders in which the two discover a strong bond from the past, as well as the scene in which Janna states that we are all alive because someone somewhere is praying for us. As far as I am concerned, writer and director Andrei Konchalovsky - a name already familiar to Western audiences - is a cinematic genius, Julia Vysotsky is one of the most impressive young actresses in the world today, and House of Fools is a film that all who love movies and hold them up to the highest of standards should see and experience.

Great Russian Import
"House of Fools" deserving received an Oscar nomination for 2002's Best Foreign Film. It combines war action, drama, and fantasy wonderfully. The plot was written beautifully. They desplict the true story of a woman staying in a mental institution while in the middle of the Russian-Chechian War. Her high spirits are the only hopes of everyone else's survival. The writer's creative side shines in the scenes of her dreams about Bryan Adams. The creates another war: her love for Bryan Adams vs. her newfound love for a war soldier. Such conflicts combine as one brilliantly. Yuliya Vysotskaya, the lead actress, played her role emotionally. She could become a worldwide success someday with such level of talent. All other actors also played their roles wonderfully. The special effects in the war fighting scenes were created realistic looking. The elaborate scenes desplict the realisms of war gruesomeness. This allows the characters' deathly fears to be expressed much more. Such movie quality makes "House of Fools" worth watching. Many will enjoy this regardless of genre favorite. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Waste of money
thi is a low i mean below low budget film that is terrable dont order this movie

Very interesting
This movie was truly a trip, I really don't know what to make of it, even though it looks like a movie that was just put together by some brothers with one camcorder, and no lights, I still in a lot of ways found it interesting. I think all the people in the movie have a lot of potential. Jarell whom I've worked with before on a project, acts a lot like Chris Tucker, but if he can just find some of his own style and mix his Chris Tucker style, that boy will go places. I would have liked to have seen the Asian girl (Kumi) whom I also worked with, I wanted to see her more in the film, she is funny. The one that really got me, was the little boy, that little brother is FUNNY. I was a little
uneasy about his cursing at his age, but I kept over looking it cause that little ni@#$% is funny, If he keeps going he is going to be a star.

Another thing I found very interesting, is the producer/director did a low budget movie like this, with some up coming comedians with a lot of potential, and end up having it distributed by Artisan Entertainment, very clever Joe!

Tony

Garbage at it's purest...
Wow, I've never seen a movie so awful in all my life.This movie is the result of 8 or 9 friends getting together one day and thinking to themselves, "Hey!Lets make a movie!With our connections we could make SOME money."

This movie has no plot, and no direction.It's just a bunch of really crappy actors, with crappy stereotypical urban black dialogue.

A Place to Place the Bodies Life Births
Being low budget isn't the mark of many a good movie, and having defects in the plots doesn't normally allow one to succeed. In fact, this movie, through that combination, will be considered a failure to a plethora of people watching and shouldn't be checked out by everyone. Many will see this movie, touted as a mixture of How High and the Friday series, notice that it was made in the low finance world outside of the monster money movies, and they will scoff at it. And rightly so if they picked it up for these reasons, because it is none of the above. Unfortunately for people who leave the setting angry, the scoffing misses out on something else the movie has; the essence of what can only be called humor.

Through campy dialog, streams of profanity, a variety of strange twists, and "gangsta" cracks, this movie follows the lives of two "thugs" trying to make their way through a jobless life. They happen through the day in a fashion that can only be consider disturbingly surreal, with one motion leading to another motion until they end up with a dead crack addict in their trunk and need a way to dispose of the body. So, how does one dispose of a body like that? By getting sidetracked in a way that only those two can.
They find themselves all sorts of political and social issues that are important to us all, confronting sexual issues like the acquisition of undergarb sealife and the ways to make means by "jacking up" people, letting things roll on and on until they seem out of control.
And it only goes further.

Before you buy this movie, be warned. It is very low quality, has no actors you'll see again, and it has some sound problems. It also flows out-of-control, much like life does in an unstructured setting, and people who don't appreciate humor for humor and find language, sexuality, and anything else that can be joked about offensive don't want this.
If you still want to approach it after these warnings, however, then go rent it, don't expect anything, and you might find yourself laughing.
And that's the point of all stand-up comedy that people buy, spending just as much as this to watch on DVD, and it has no budget as well. And it offers a whole lot less in the realm of situational laughtracks.

Remove From The Stores
This has to be the worst low budget film I have ever seen.It has no plot.The acting was horrible.It has only one funny seen in it.I don't know what type of life this is suppose to display but I assure you that it is not the life of young black men growing up in the hood where all odds are against them!It appears that they have no idea what it's like to grow up in the hood.I myself walked the streets in Georgia and this is not remotely close to what I have seen in my lifeThe sound quality is all messed up.It sounds distorted.I'm glad I only rented this garbage or I would be upset. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This dark comedy from 1989 was a good showcase for Winona Ryder, playing a high school girl brought into a clique of bitchy classmates (all named Heather), and Christian Slater, doing his early Jack Nicholson thing. While Ryder's character muddles over the consequences of giving up one set of friends for another, her association with a new boy (Slater) in school turns out to have deadly consequences. Director Michael Lehmann turned this unusual film into something more than another teen-death flick. There is real wit and sharp satire afoot, and the very fusion of horror and comedy is provocative in itself. Heathers remains a kind of benchmark in contemporary cinema for bringing surreal intelligence into Hollywood films. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (127)

The HEATHERS Have Never Looked Better.
This Digitally Remastered VHS Letterboxed Collector's Edition is a lovely gift. Anchor Bay Entertainment has recently revived some long-lost titles in its library and, thankfully, they have restored the prints to the proper format. No more EP videocassettes!

I do feel I should clarify, however, that this VHS edition does NOT have clamshell packaging. Rather, its front cover opens to juxtaposed messages from scripter Dan Waters and director Michael Lehmann.

For $13.99, this edition of HEATHERS is quite the bargain. For starters, it is 100 times more worthy than the DVD format release. Anchor Bay does well in its VHS territory, but its DVD format releases are problematic. The special features rarely work and my DVD player has actually refused its discs before.

What is also nice about this edition is its inclusion of several theatrical trailers (far too many!) and promotional interviews with lead actors Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. Too bad these recorded sessions couldn't have been digitally remastered; they haven't aged well.

As for a previous reviewer's joy at the absence of Molly Ringwald in this 1980s black comedy for the teen set, she is way off the mark. Molly Ringwald was hardly featured in every '80s teen flick--just the good ones. Just what, exactly, is she overjoyed at? Christian Slater in a '80s teen pic is supposed to be a relief? I don't get it. Let us leave Molly's good name untarnished, OK?

A Cynical and Twisted Tale
This movie was creepy in a good way. I loved watching Veronica give sarcastic and twisted view on the Heathers' ruling of the school. I also loved the way that Christian Slater played a romantic yet utterly insane guy bent on helping her get bitter-sweet drain-o revenge. Watch the movie and you'll see whatI mean. I reccommend it to all of those who get sick of happy little pay-back movies and want something more like a dark comedy.

GREAT!
Many people think that this movie is terrible, horrible, and has no point. But if you look behind that, You see a greta and original movie about teen life.

good movie, but sorry people it's not original.
watch massacre at central high, then you'll know where the idea of "heathers" came from. watch both movies back to back and you'll see how much "heathers" is like "massacre at central high."

Horrible.
Couldn't Wait For Movie To End ... Read more

Amazon.com

An early entry in the '90s trend of African American comedies,Talkin' Dirty After Dark plays like a prototype of Friday,Barbershop, and other films that followed its example. It's not as goodas those other comedies, but it's got the same hip-hop energy that favorscharacter and big laughs over any meaningful plot. It's also got MartinLawrence, then on the verge of stardom, joining a stellar cast of comic talentrecruited from the Def Comedy Jam TV specials that were popular at thetime. Lawrence plays an aspiring stand-up comedian (much like himself) who'scoping with flat material and lusty come-ons from the wife of Dukie (JohnWitherspoon), the owner of the L.A. club where comics convene to polish theiract, onstage and off. Writer-director Topper Carew (who produced Lawrence's TVseries Martin) likes his humor raw and sexy (hence the title), and thiseasygoing comedy owes a lot to Richard Pryor, whose legacy looms large over theraucous proceedings. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The films of Hal Hartley, New York's modern beatnik cinema laureate, are not for everyone. His self-consciously clever ping-pong dialogue sounds like a cross between song lyrics and Samuel Beckett, while his deadpan direction gives a wry cast to it all. It's romantic comedy skewed through a thoroughly modern perspective, and it sprung fully formed in his debut feature. Gloomy redheaded pixie Adrienne Shelly, a neurotic high school student fixated on doomsday scenarios, falls for the tall, dark, and mysterious Robert Burke, a black-clad, philosophy-spouting mechanic who is constantly mistaken for a priest and rumored to be a convicted murderer.

An enigmatic, intellectually playful farce played with ironic understatement, Hartley's austere film was shot on the cheap with a handsome, restrained style and directed with an approach straddling verbal slapstick and modernist irony. Shelly mixes the goofy, obsessive distractions of a screwball heroine with smarts, determination, and hardball negotiating skills, while Burke's quiet calm and confidence radiates warmth and sincerity even while playing the loner. Hartley explores the line between truth and rumor, and he takes satirical swipes at the culture of cash and contracts--yet for all his irony he remains an optimist. For all its hip '90s attitude, the unbelievable truth is that Hartley is a romantic at heart. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (10)

...at last, a Hal Hartley feature film on DVD!
When I heard about a year ago that Hal Hartley's "The Unbelievable Truth" is going to be out on DVD in 2001, I feared some low quality production - but this release should prove worthy for this masterpiece. The picture will be 1.85:1 anamorphic and hopefully the image quality is going to be excellent considering Anchor Bay's good reputation... Having been the directorial feature film debut for acclaimed director Hal Hartley, the film does not long for any big extras to be on the disc - an audio commentary would have been illusory - but we do get an interview with Hal, and the theatrical trailer of course. This is definitely a disc to get for all Hal Hartley fans, and the only thing that could make me even happier would be more DVD releases of his movies: Trust, Simple Men, Amateur, Flirt, his short films, etc... I'm desperately waiting!!

The Best Movie My Brother Ever Bought Me
The Unbelievable Truth is the only movie I have ever seen that captures the exact feeling of falling hard in love with someone that you hardly know. Ah, planetary gears and Robert Burke...What's a girl to do?! It's a truly funny film and it turned me into a Hal Hartley [director] fan.

My favorite Hartley Film
If you like Trust and Simple Men then you'll love this film. Personally I love all of Hartley's works, but to me these three films just go so well together. They're all earlier works and in these films you witness an incredibley inspired director do more with a low budget film than most high paid directors could ever dream of doing. I'd also like to say that if you've never seen a Hal Hartley film then this is probably the best point to start out at.

Unbelievable Fun
Fraught with over obvious symbolism, Hartley's early feature is nonetheless a joy to watch. Hal here shows us his uncanny ability to cast his characters perfectly came early in his career.

Adrienne Shelley is a near perfect foil to herself, equal parts annoying teen burgeoning in her sexuality (though using sex for several years); obsessed with doom and inspired by idealism gone wrong she is deceptively - and simultaneously - complex and simple. Her Audrey inspires so many levels of symbolism it is almost embarrassingly rich (e.g., her modeling career beginning with photos of her foot - culminating her doing nude (but unseen) work; Manhattan move; Europe trip; her stealing, then sleeping with the mechanics wrench, etc.)

As Josh, Robert Burke gives an absolutely masterful performance. A reformed prisoner/penitent he returns to his home town to face down past demons, accept his lot and begin a new life. Dressed in black, and repeatedly mistaken for a priest, he corrects everyone ("I'm a mechanic"), yet the symbolism is rich: he abstains from alcohol, he practices celibacy (is, in fact a virgin), and seemingly has taken on vows of poverty, and humility as well. The humility seems hardest to swallow seeming, at times, almost false, a pretense. Yet, as we learn more of Josh we see genuineness in his modesty, that his humility is indeed earnest and believable. What seems ironic is the character is fairly forthright in his simplicity, yet so richly drawn it becomes the viewer who wants to make him out as more than what he actually is. A fascinatingly written character, perfectly played.

The scene between Josh and Jane (a wonderful, young Edie Falco . . . "You need a woman not a girl") is hilarious . . . real. But Hartley can't leave it as such and his trick, having the actors repeat the dialogue over-and-over becomes frustratingly "arty" and annoying . . . until again it becomes hilarious. What a terrific sense of bizarre reality this lends the film (like kids in a perpetual "am not"/"are too" argument).

Hartley's weaves all of a small neighborhood's idiosyncrasies into a tapestry of seeming stereotypes but which delves far beneath the surface, the catalyst being that everyone believes they know what the "unbelievable truth" of the title is, yet no two people can agree (including our hero) on what exactly that truth is. A wonderful little movie with some big ideas.

rereleased at last.
As in The Book of Life, Hartley exaggerates the limitations he's given so that they seem like a style. And, they are. Burke isn't the block of wood he seemed to be the first time I saw this, and Adrian Shelley crawls under your skin and lays eggs that hatch days, weeks, and even months later. And the script? Hard to do it justice, but I will say that this is one for repeated viewings. Don't rent it, buy it! You won't be sorry.

Also available on VHS again. Finally. ... Read more

Description

Dominick DiNapoli has always had a love affair… with food.He realizes it might be a real problem; however, when his overweight cousin dies of a heart attack and complication due to a lack of exercise and proper diet.With prompting from his sister and brother, Dominick attempts to diet, but it's an up hill battle.Until he meets Lydia.Dominick is instantly attracted, but has to decide: Is Lydia the love of his life or is food? ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The definitive NYC Italian family flick
You'll love this movie.Dom DeLuise and Ron Carey are the brothers and Anne Bancroft is the sister.I believe Dom and Anne came from the same neighborhood in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn.Anyway, the chemistry is fantastic.These three actors take you inside a really funny, loving, quintessentially NYC Italian family with great entertainment value being the result.Now if only "Bye Bye Braverman" would come out on DVD !!

The "Weight" is over!
I have been waiting years for this underrated comedy gem to come
out on dvd! How this film escaped becoming a classic is beyond
me. Anne Bancroft's "tour de force" as writer, actor and director
is a masterpiece. She seems to have "absorbed" some of hubby
Mel Brook's comic sensibilities, but that's a good thing. As
someone who's Italian, hates that good food is fattening, and loves to laugh, this movie has it all!! Maybe the dvd box
will smell like buttered beans, and remember "NO nougat!"

Long Overdue!!
This is not a review of the DVD, obviously, but a hearty recommendation of the film.Dom Deluise is fantastic in this sentimental romantic comedy.Fine performances all around in a film that shows everyone has his/her match out there! ... Read more

Description

What do you do if your father, a former all-star shortstop and mad bomber anarchist, breaks out of jail? Go after him, of course! Two brothers trek through the deep, dark wilds of Long Island, only to discover that sometimes even the oddest things really are just what they seem. Directed by independent film favorite Hal Hartley (The UnbelievableTruth, Amateur, Trust) Starring Robert John Burke (Tombstone, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind), Bill Sage (American Psycho, Boiler Room), Karen Sillas (The Sopranos, CSI Miami), Elina Lowensohn (Schindler's List, Nadja), and Martin Donovan (Insomnia, The Opposite of Sex). ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Should be on a Top-100 List to see
Perfect in it's balance of unnatural dialog and incredible insight into life and relationships, this is a fabulous movie. As surreal and funny as Raising Arizona, Simple Men's subtle humor isn't quite as redundantly over-the-top. If you appreciate dry wit and intelligent rapport, you are in the right vicinity.

Although I love his films, Hartley isn't for everyone. The obscure dialog and sparse camera work is tailored for artistic sensibilities.

Why isn't this film maker famous?
As a film fan with a brand new DVD player, my first priority in begining my movie library was to obtain a copy of 'Simple Men', and another Hal Hartley film, 'The Unbelievable Truth'. I have been unable to track down the latter, but was happy to find more Hartley films available. I believe fans of 'Repo Man' and 'Clerks' would be very pleased with 'Simple Men'. I just hope Hartley's great films make onto the more durable DVD format. Hartley fans need to unite!

poor effort
This is one of Hartley's lesser efforts.
He recycles characters and mannerisms to
the point of tedium. It's too bad
considering his many other fine films.

Amazing
A few years ago I was looking for some movie in TV when in wrong move I put one of this channels you never watch cos the quality of the image is bad and the movies are in my spoken languaje (spanish, I prefer with subtitles). I don't remember what scene but I remember the face of Robert John Burke from Robocop III, talking some very clever dialogues. After just a few minutes I couldn't change the channel till the movie ends leaving me absolutely impress.
Just a few weeks later by the same reason I catch "Trust" and from this same moment I became fan of Hal Hartley.
Why?
Because after years watching more than one hundred different movies of any style and director, Simple men and the rest of the Hartley's work show me another vision of life and another way to make movies, thinking more in a good and very deep script with a few good actors than a good budget with great special effects.
It reminds me the movies of Terrence Malick, because in the chaos of the existence both directors show the path of the real survivors, not those guys who are born to be heroes, just those one only wanna some moment of peace and true love, that's it's more than all the glory of the universe.

Simple Men on DVD
For all you Hal Hartley fans who have desired having a copy of Simple Men on DVD, your time has come. Simple Men will be released on DVD widescreen format January 27, 2004. I can't wait to get my copy!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Rose McGowan vamps it up mercilessly as the "Satan in heels," a teenage-bitch queen whose birthday prank gone terminally wrong leaves her best friend dead, choked to death on a jawbreaker the size of a fist. Rebecca Gayheart, with her sparkling eyes and a smile that could melt an iceberg, is the good girl at heart who becomes a social pariah when she drops out of the group, trading her plunging necklines for librarian-lite sweaters and long skirts. Jawbreaker wants nothing less than to be the Heathers of its generation, but only intermittently hits the mark, such as when McGowan turns a mousy nobody into the next big thing, a slutty tease whose craving for attention soon challenges McGowan's supremacy. "She's evil," someone finally realizes, "and she's only in high school!" That's unfortunately the best Darren Stein's film gets. For all its catty talk and surface glamour, it's a flat, broadly directed satire that never lives up to its evocative title. Features an appearance by teen rock punks the Donnas as the prom band. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (131)

this movie rocks !!!!!
Jawbreaker is a must see movie. it's totally cool. Rose McGowan potrays her character perfectly, and i love the clothes she wears in the movie. Rose does a wonderful job playing an evil popluar girl, who is mean to an innocent, geeky girl. it reminds me of the pepole at my school. I think it was funny. Rose, keep up the great work ! you are my idol !

Unoriginal And For The Most Part Bland
This movie reminds me of the film that came out around ten years age called Heathers, only Jawbreaker isn't as good. This movie is quite prosaic and unoriginal. There's nothing new or surprising. The acting is fine, and the plot is okay, but that doesn't always add up to make a great film. Not recommended. Forgettable and predictable. Watch Heathers instead.

Funny,Hip,Cool
This was a funny movie,but the bitchiest girl and we all know who that was,is a total snob!I thought this was a great and cool movie.My cousin and her friends told me I could'nt see this with them but I did and I did not see what the big deal was,Only some parts were gross!

Pam Grier......What were you thinking?!?
The only justifiable and redeemable quality of this movie that is worth mentioning is that Pam Grier has a supporting role in it. Although her character was written as 2 dimentional and left no room for any depth or development, she did give an almost "oscar-worthy" performance when she slammed the jawbreaker on the table while trying to intimidate one of the girls. You go Pam! I watched in discomfort as Pam (who so brilliantly played "Jackie" in "Jackie Brown") tried to no avail to bring her lame character to life. I only saw the boredom in her eyes. The entire time i viewed this piece, i wanted to take over for the director and do this film some justice. There were so many opportunities to make this movie work but it seems as though the filmmakers had a creative blockage holding them back. A jawbreaker maybe?

Heathers Wannabe? Maybe.
This movie was great...in a sick, twisted sort of way. Almost surreal. The acting wasn't bad at all, and Rose MCgowan portrayed the ultimate teen bitch! She's beautiful and pure EVIL! I love it! My high school was nothing like this, of course, but I could imagine some being like that. Jawbreaker is a must see if you like that dark type comedy. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Motorama : B-Movie with allstar cast
Motorama is about 10 year old Gus who steals a car , and runs away from home collecting Motorama cards , if he collects them all he wins 500,000,000 $. Gus is played by Jordan Christopher Michael. the film also features special appearances by Jack Nance as a crazy hotel assistant, Meat Loaf (spectacular singer) as a biker who makes his living by armwrestling for money,Drew Barrymore as a Dream Girl , Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) as a busboy with a couple of loose screws ,Garrett Morris & Micheal J. Polliard as auto-Mechanics.also featuring music by Andy Summers and songs by Range Wars.Not suitable for children due to swearing , brief nudity , & Brief violence. Although the movie is kind of slow moving overall , it is pretty fun to watch out for cameos by some well known actors and singer/actors. it's pretty good

A surreal little gem of a road movie
This is an entertaining surreal road movie about a ten year old kid named Gus, who drives a red Ford Mustang across some fictional states with names like Tristana, Essex, South Lyndon... in search of eight elusive Motorama game cards from various gas stations. The film has a surreal feel to it because a lot of the things are unusual; like the money for instance, which is like blank paper with numbers on.

Most of the characters are nasty to Gus on his trip. They tattoo him, punch him, but this doesn't stop the kid on his relentless quest. Some oddball actors like David Lynch incumbent Jack Nance, Meat Loaf & Flea also make appearences. Jack Nance plays a motel owner, who when he first meets Gus tells him, "If you see any Squirrels, give them to me." An odd little gem of a movie.

What the Hell?
Okay, so the kid is getting the letter. No one notices he is 10, gets the R, blah blah blah. The reason this movie is abysmal is the ending. What in God's name were they thinking? He gets "motorama" and tries to claim his prise, but there is none; and after being thrown out of a sckyscraper what does our protaginst do? He hitchhikes back to the first gas station and takes the attendent job, fills up the car of a man who won 1 million dollars..the man is hit by a truck.. Credits roll after he has a meaningless 3(short)sentence conversation with the owner......and that's all. I feel the need to repeate, What in God's name were they thinking?

Zero stars wasn't an option.
Others have outlined the plot, so I'll get to the point.

The film is dull, listless, and offensive.

Here's a brief list of some "clever" moments:

* The protagonist (a ten year old boy) is beaten so that he loses an eye (in part because he's maliciously denied medical care)

* After dining in a biker bar, the protagonist is forcibly tatooed (which is depicted as excruciatingly painful).

* Some parents who are low on cash intentionally abandon their young children at a rest stop.

I *like* odd ball films (e.g., After Hours, Eraserhead, Dark Star, Moulin Rouge, Big Lebowski, Repo Man, etc. etc.) and am not easily put off by weirdness.

But this film is so mean spirited, tawdry, boring, and poorly performed that I couldn't find anything about it to like. I don't understand the favorable reviews it has received here and suggest you check out some more mainstream reviews (in reviews I read it was not just panned but reviled).

Ps. Despite the child protagonist, this is definitely not a children's movie.

Surreal Masterpiece
10-year old Gus (Jordan Christopher Michael) steals a car and travels across a bizarre Southwestern landscape, playing a road game called "Motorama." He encounters many eccentric characters, mostly nasty, and endures all sorts of abuse, growing gradually older until, at the end of his life.... Ignore the idiotic cover; oppressive heterosexism is refreshingly absent here. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

If God could do the things we do ...
... he'd be a happy man!
I just finished watching the DVD of "The Stunt Man." It's still a smart, amazing, funny, scary, exhilirating experience. This is what great movie making (and great acting) is all about. Richard Rush's direction, the acting from Peter O'Toole and the rest, the terrific screenplay, the great music ... it's just ... perfect. As fresh now as the day it rolled out of the camera.
It's a shame Rush hasn't been able to make more films, but with this classic to his credit he can rest assured that his place in cinema history is complete. Thanks, Mr. Rush!
And Peter O'Toole ... nothing will top his work in "Lawrence of Arabia," but this comes darned close. Eli Cross is the classic "film director as god." O'Toole makes him more than just a petty movie-set tyrant. Cross is sly, witty, mysterious and all-knowing. He's frightening but fascinating. You wouldn't want to introduce him to your mother but you would want to take him out to dinner just to listen to him spin his stories. When he descends from above in his camera crane you'll begin to think he's god incarnate ... just as the stunt man does.
And the plot? That's what made "The Stunt Man" such a hard sell to the movie studios and what makes it a classic. What is reality and what isn't? Are we in control of our lives or aren't we? How do we know what's really going on and what it all means? Is Eli trying to kill the stunt man or just trying to finish his movie on time?
Anchor Bay's DVD transfer is superb. The "Limited Edition" includes Rush's documentary on the making the film. Don't miss it!
If you've never seen this film, get it FAST and enjoy! If you haven't seen it in a while, rediscover why it's so great.
Amen!

Lost Classic!
Most films that rely heavily on stunts don't provide much of interest in between the airbag falls and vehicle pile-ups - Hooper, Cannonball Run, The Blues Brothers and their ilk being prime examples, and even the revered likes of Bullitt tend to sag a bit when the protagonists get out of the car. Fortunately this overlooked gem manages to mix stops-out stunt sequences with a borderline-pretentious paranoia plot to cover all bases with ease. Jobbing greenhorn Steve Railsback gets a job in the stunt team of Peter O'Toole's director's World War One action romance, falls for the leading lady, has his every waking moment interrupted by O'Toole on an ace crane-mounted director's chair, and finally takes on the escape from a sinking car stunt that killed his predecessor. There's plenty of elementary-grade symbolism thrown at it (O'Toole's messianic character is called Eli Cross, in true ramming-the-point-home style), and the whole "What is reality after all? Eh? Think about it" ethos of the film won't impress everyone, but it's all done with a light touch, and you really won't see anything like this anywhere else, and the set-pieces, particularly the rooftop gun battle and aerial dogfight, are brilliantly staged.

One of the top cult movies from the eighties!
Through this clever , ingenious script , the brilliant film maker Richard Rush (nominated as best director in 1980) made a emblematic and glorious film for those people who wante to taste something different . Built as a smart chines puzzle , a man suddenly in a location film and the delicate boundaries between the reality and the fiction are broken . Under this perspective the viewer is challenged moment by moment and obilgated to establish who is who and what is what . Think that you are in a mirror hall (Lady of Shangai's ending sequence) and try to find the object and not confuse with its image .
Link this premise with another two film made in the sixties (Blow up of Antonioni)and Belle de jour (Luis Buñuel) and more recently Parole des enfants (1995) Open you eyes (Alejandro Amenábar 1997) or The rules of engagement (William Friedkin 2000) and you'll be rewarded by that intelligent plot , loaded with thrills, chills, suspense , riddles and surprises , plus an outstanding cast: Peter O'Toole (nominated as best actor in 1980 for this performance) and Hershey .
I'm absolutely convinced since the moment you watch this film , it will become one of your timeless and favorites films.
The doubt for acquire this film never must prevail in your mind even for a second.

o'toole should have gotten the oscar
this is a marvellous cult classic and has three fabulous performances in the vastly underrated barbara hershey and steve railsback.
of course the main thing here is o'toole. this and my favorite year were made close together and amounted to nothing less than a 'comeback' for the actor.
unfortunatley hollwood hasnt made such excellent use of o'toole since then but its a proud spot on this wonderful actors resume

DIDN'T FLIP MY MINNOW
Don't get me wrong. This is not a bad movie. It just doesn't compare to Citizen Kane in innovation. Really, some LA Times reporter wrote that! I guess I'm supposed to watch this numerous times, but it just wasn't that interesting to me. Where's the innovation? The crane?(Golly gee Cletus, I never seen a crane that big before) The reflected faces? The cliched lines of the Vietnam Vet? Then there is that quote that's always bandied about, "You're an actor playing a stuntman playing an actor..." I understand what he is saying, it's just not very pithy.

I kept waiting for the big suprise, the part of the movie that floored me. It never came. I wasn't drawn into an anti-reality, didn't see a dual reality and did not see any allegory. To some reviewers this is the greatest film ever. There's a guy at DVD Verdict who wrote that this film changed the way he looked at movies. I didn't see that. I watched a movie, that while good, was not thought provoking. I suppose I should watch it again, but it just didn't flip my minnow. ... Read more

Amazon.com

That rare thing, decency, shines out of Wilbur (Wants to Kill Himself), a wonderful and dark-humored comedy about a would-be suicide. The depressive Wilbur (Jamie Sives) is the opposite of his big-hearted brother, Harbour (Adrian Rawlins), yet he remains irresistible to women--including Harbour's new live-in girlfriend. Director Lone Scherfig uses the gray-skied Edinburgh location in much the same way she did her native Denmark in the terrific Italian for Beginners; the gloomy setting belies the vaguely magical things that might happen to the characters. Scherfig knows just how to balance different tones (and in a comedy about a suicidal man, she has to), and she's great with actors, even in small roles. Special standouts here are the beaming Rawlins and Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen (King Arthur), as a stoical, chain-smoking doctor. How nice it is to see a movie that makes you feel good without coming on all icky about it. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Amazon.com

A harsh, cutting, and wickedly funny look into the darker side of showbusiness, Swimming with Sharks tells the story of a naive and eagerassistant (Frank Whaley) and his slide into the cutthroat world of Hollywoodpower struggles. Whaley goes to work for a top movie executive (Kevin Spacey)who almost immediately begins to wear down his new assistant's exuberance withhis whining, egomaniacal tantrums and relentless verbal abuse, even as he promiseshis young charge a chance to move up the ladder. Culminating in a violent andultimately ironic confrontation between mentor and protégé, thisbrutal 1994 black comedy benefits from some razor-sharp writing and terrific comicturns from both Whaley (Hoffa) as one whose idealism is irrevocably shattered,and Spacey (Seven, L.A. Confidential), deliciously funny as a caustic,belligerent, and ultimately sad figure. A savage indictment of both the movie businessand the price of ambition, Swimming with Sharks is one of the best blackcomedies in recent years. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (72)

Great actor, horrible movie!
I only gave it 2 stars because Kevin Spacey is my favorite actor. Had he not been in it, i would have shut it off half way through. i don't know why this movie is classified as a comedy?? Kevin Spacey insults that guy & screams at him, and that is funny when Kevin acts like that. But the whole movie is more of a drama, about a guy who holds his boss hostage. And the end of the movie is just plain STUPID! It was a straight to video movie, i now know why. I have went to the theatre and seen AMERICAN BEAUTY, and that is now my all time favorite movie, it's Kevin Spacey back at his best! also, other GOOD Kevin movies are, THE USUAL SUSPECTS, SEVEN, THE NEGOTIATOR, and THE REF is even better than this movie! So save your money for when AMERICAN BEAUTY comes to tape.

A must for Kevin Spacey fans and Hollywood Insider Wannabes
Kevin Spacey has emerged as one of America's leading actors in the past few years: "Swimming With Sharks" is a delightful exhibition of his unique blend of sarcasm, viciousness, and versatility. Few characters could be as much fun for an actor to play as Barry Ackerman, the immoral, hedonistic, abuse-spewing film executive idealistic young Guy toils away for. Spacey takes obvious relish in li