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The Spanish Prisoner

The Spanish Prisoner

List Price: $19.94
Your Price: $15.95
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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: This movie will keep you on the edge of you chair
Review: This is a movie of great suspense and action that does not end up in alot of blood and guts. You are used to seeing Martin in all of the funny and brainless movies, but not this one. He plays a kiniving and very serious part. If you have seen Dying Young or any other movies Camble plays in I think you too would say that this role tops them all. This is a movie every one should see.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Not as tense as "Glengarry Glen Ross"
Review: If you enjoyed the drama of David Mamet's "Glengarry Glen Ross," this one may be a disappointment. It's a mildly interesting "everyone's conspiring against me" movie, but the hero (Campbell "my names are reversed" Scott as Joe Ross) is too clever by half for someone who's supposed to be a "boy scout," and Rebecca Pidgeon annoyingly overenunciates all her words in her role as Susan Ricci. The part I enjoyed most was chuckling at Ed "Al Bundy" O'Neill's role as "FBI Team Leader."

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Smart and fun!
Review: First half goes by slowly, and, YET AGAIN, Mamet's writing saves us from boredom with his quick and witty lines which sound too spontaneous to be written, yet too good to be made up at that moment. Then we get the first twist and he piles them on, as naive Campbell Scott finds he can't trust with his precious "Process". Steve Martin is the biggest delight as Jimmy Dell. A lot of fun and you'll be watching it again.--wcg

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the best of the year
Review: A brilliant movie by a brilliant man! David Mamet is at the top of his game ( for more brilliance by Mamet, rent Glengarry Glenn Ross.) Bet you can't watch it just once. It will have you guessing from beginning to end. Buy this movie right now. Steve Martin is incredible.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Stilted dialog detracts from an otherwise excellent film
Review: I liked _The Spanish Prisoner_ but the delivery of the dialog often came off as stilted and awkward. I don't think that this was because of the actors involved, they're all excellent. I think it has more to do with Mamet's writing style. I got the after watching the movie that the actors were reading straight from the script of a play.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Another Great Con-Game Movie From Mamet
Review: First, there is Mamet's dialogue: punchy, pungent, at once surreal and downright earthy, a pidgin English that starts out sounding weird and contrived in the actor's mouths and ends sounding as honest as breathing. Remember, this guy is also a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright.

Then there's Mamet's plotting: we know there are going to be "bad" people--masters of the Big Con--conniving to steal Campbell Scott's lucrartive "process" (one of the best MacGuffin's since Hitchcock), but trying to determine who's in on it and who's an innocent (?) bystander is one of the ongoing delightful puzzles of the movie. Mamet slowly reveals the true colors of his characters like a master at stud poker. Eventually poor Campbell realizes he's been robbed, framed and screwed eight ways til Sunday (in a brilliant interrogation scene where most of the pieces come together), and as viewers, we feel as tightly trapped as he does.

Finally there are the perfomaces: Scott's nicely understated playing of the niave but brainy techno-geek, Steve Martin's deft characterization of the moody, mysterious millionare, and Rebecca Pigeon's suspiciously winsome gal Friday. Many of Mamet's old "Chicago school" regulars show up, though poor Ricky Jay gets stuck mouthing a lot of platitudes--one of the few weakness of Mamet's script.

Yes, maybe this film isn't quite as brilliant as "House of Games," Mamet's previous exploration of the Big Con, but darn few movies are. The deus ex machina ending is less satisfying than "House"'s more character-driven conclusion, and I sure miss Joe Mantegna (no one spits out Mamet's dialog with quite his authority). Nonetheless, "Prisoner" stands up to multiple viewings without losing its appeal or mystery, and may in fact require more than one viewing in order to be truly appreciated for its labyrinthine plotting and underlying themes.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A very worth while motion picture experience.
Review: This was one of the best thriller/mystery movies I have seen in an extremely long time. The writing was incredible and the story kept me interested all the way through. Also, some great, and eerily fascinating, performances from the entire cast, especially Steve Martin, who proves that he's not just some guy with an arrow through his head. A must see for people bored of the barrage of unoriginal garbage at their local video store.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: great integrated suspense with an existential overlay
Review: good suspense which lost the tightness about two thirds through then regained it at the end. Brilliant soundtrack; best jazz on a film I,ve seen since Jack Johnson. Mamet not at his best but damn close. I don't care that RPi s Mrs mamet; she captured the perfect level of stumbling innocence; what a trap innto which any of us would have tumbled.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: How do you copywright "entertaining?"
Review: The first reviewer of this film must work in a patent office. The writing, direction, and acting was superb. It's one of the most entertaining movies of the year even if it doesn't meet the standards of the Department of Consumer Affairs.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The movie was great!!!!!
Review: I really loved this movie!!! You really don"t Know what's happening till the end. You think you know the characters, but you don't. if you liked "The usual Suspects", Then you'll love this movie.


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