Rating: 
Summary: Poor
Review: This is a travesty on the original starring Bob Hoskins!
Rating: 
Summary: A clever take on an old genre
Review: This is a wide ranging musical comedy done in the style of post-depression era musicals, including brilliant performances from Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters, and Christopher Walken. One might take the movie literally as a love story, but upon further consideration we see that it's actually a movie dedicated to the upbeat songs and movies of days long gone by. I recommend movie highly as it is sometimes boisterous, and other times delicately romantic, but all the while very entertaining. @see-also "Radio Days" END
Rating:
Summary: A movie ahead of its time
Review: This is an ambitious movie that unfortunately was not appreciated when it was first released. Twenty plus years later when movies like "Chicago" and "Moulin Rouge" are so popular, you should take another look at "Pennies from Heaven." It is brilliant movie-making and confirms that Steve Martin is a rare talent.
Rating: 
Summary: Crude and vulgar.
Review: This movie sickened me. The music was great, but the way it was used in the movie didn't do it justice. To be frank- I hated this movie and couldn't find anything to like about it. Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters were as wonderful as they always are, but I really hate to see talent wasted. I really can't understand what kind of a sick and twisted mind would write a screenplay like that. I was completely disgusted with the utter lack of any kind of loyalty and honest, decent charity for mankind. It was very unrealistic and I found it not amusing at all. If it was supposed to be, it was only feeding the perverse minds of people who enjoy that.
Rating: 
Summary: What just happened on my TV Screen?
Review: This movie was very good in some areas and very terrible in others. I would say the movie is worth watching just for the number "Pennies in Heaven". It is a unique and gorgeous scene... but the rest of the movie left me feeling kind of awful. I guess I went into this expecting the wrong movie. I wanted something upbeat, or at least interesting. I wanted to like some characters.. but I found myself disinterested in all of the characters as well as beaten by the plot.
Rating:
Summary: A film waiting to be rediscovered
Review: Watching this beautiful, intelligent, Fosse-like musical on tape or cable is not enough. DVD, please.
Rating: 
Summary: A Solid B+
Review: Watching this version of "Pennies From Heaven" you might think gee, interesting concept, but it falls just short of brilliant. Looks like a great concept that lost something in the execution.And that's just what happened. Pennies From Heaven was originally a brilliant British TV miniseries written by Dennis Potter, where it attracted a lot of favorable critical attention. Potter then rewrote and shortened the original script for the American movie version. It does have some outstanding moments, and some exceptional performances. Christopher Walken's performance is stunning (and surprising). The cast is of course exceptional. But somehow it doesn't quite come together.
Rating:
Summary: A Solid B+
Review: Watching this version of "Pennies From Heaven" you might think gee, interesting concept, but it falls just short of brilliant. Looks like a great concept that lost something in the execution. And that's just what happened. Pennies From Heaven was originally a brilliant British TV miniseries written by Dennis Potter, where it attracted a lot of favorable critical attention. Potter then rewrote and shortened the original script for the American movie version. It does have some outstanding moments, and some exceptional performances. Christopher Walken's performance is stunning (and surprising). The cast is of course exceptional. But somehow it doesn't quite come together.
Rating:
Summary: Potter's Vision Clouded By Hollywood
Review: What made the BBC series "Pennies From Heaven" so great was the time it allowed the story to unfold. Simply put, there is no way this effect can be realized in a 90 minute Hollywood production. Regardless of Steve Martin's wonderful dancing and the always brilliant Ms. Peters, this telling of the story falls flat for those of us who were first introduced to this dark but oddly happy tale in its original form with Bob Hoskins as the hapless sheet-music salesman. If only it were as simple to purchase the BBC video instead of this weak Hollywood production.
Rating:
Summary: Potter's Vision Clouded By Hollywood
Review: What made the BBC series "Pennies From Heaven" so great was the time it allowed the story to unfold. Simply put, there is no way this effect can be realized in a 90 minute Hollywood production. Regardless of Steve Martin's wonderful dancing and the always brilliant Ms. Peters, this telling of the story falls flat for those of us who were first introduced to this dark but oddly happy tale in its original form with Bob Hoskins as the hapless sheet-music salesman. If only it were as simple to purchase the BBC video instead of this weak Hollywood production.
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