Rating: Summary: Always Be Closing! Review: Most people think of explosions, car chases and action/adventure films as guy movies. Well, maybe, but those are for boys. There's no car chase in this movie, no deaths and no guns. But it manages to hold your attention while telling its story of real estate salesmen. This is the quintessential guy movie. This screen adaptation of David Mamet's Pulitzer-winning play is incredibly stagebound, which was a stroke of genius: thus, the fast-paced dialogue and the desperate, macho facades of the characters become, and stay, the focus. This allows the amazing talents of the cast to flourish. Pacino and Lemmon are untouchable. Ed Harris is outstanding. Having just the four main characters makes the whole thing seem oddly forced at times. Baldwin's slick delivery of his ball-busting speech to the three underachieving salesmen, is a scene to remember. Highly recommended.
Rating: Summary: "Don't Open Your Mouth 'till You Know What the Shot is!" Review: Six desperate men, one week to keep their jobs by closing more leads for Premier Properties. The new and lucrative Glengarry leads are only available to closers. But all six guys need their jobs. So who robbed the Glengarry leads?That's the plot. Those that think it sounds dissapointing haven't seen the film yet, and those that think it sounds intruiging don't know how right they are! This is a great film; It has to be - it is from David Mamet's pullitzer prize winning play. Basically the film takes place over a two day period - the office is robbed halfway through and all we, the viewers, know is that there were several guys who would have done it. But who? While the film was a play first, there are a whole lot of monologues and dialogues and that is how the action takes place. And you've not lived untill you've seen dialogue between Jack Lemmon and Al Pacino! The only warning I can give is that those who don't like David Mamet (and it seems you either love him or hate him) will not like this film, though it is more accessible, say, then Oleanna. Those who get bored watching plays because of all talk and no 'real' action probably won't like this film either. Those who remain intrigued by how 6 characters in a film can create so much tension, drama, and fulness, get this film. You will not regret it one bit.
Rating: Summary: Get It Review: Should be every sales organizations beginning presentation to break in new salesmen! You have got to watch this DVD. Not only is it filled with "the don't give up attitude"! but it is hilariously entertaining. If you haven't seen it - GET IT!
Rating: Summary: If you are in Business see this one Review: This is an insightful movie into what motivates in a sales environment. Baldwin coming in with a sales contest after Jack Lemmon was such a successful sales employee for so many years. It developed the 'what have you done for me lately' syndrome in business. What you wonder is there any opportunity for someone who has been a successful sales person in his or her career and who has brought in business and more than paid for him/herself, then, because of short term thinking, loses his job. Lemmon suddenly becomes a washout, you feel the desparation of him and the bad feelings of his associates as his career implodes. Akin to the reengineering of American business and the increase in production required in the postal system, you feel the effect on all involved. Baldwin is akin to the college educated drivers who push postal service employees to do more and more in a mundane environment. A bit surreal, the movie shows the heartlessness of business. It is just that, business, no feeling, no heart. The movie reminds me of survivor, where only one person leaves the office. Yet, what happens each month thereafter? You are left wondering what happens next. You wonder, what things should be done in a sales environment such as this for the employees to achieve success. This movie is pre-internet, so things are slightly different today. One thing about this movie, it is relevant in todays economic climate. Do people matter when it comes to business? Eventually the law of diminishing returns will come to haunt us as a people as we continue to export jobs for the sake of business. Eventually, you would think, who will be there to buy what is made overseas? Of course, India, China and Russia, where the jobs are going. Let's have a sales contest.
Rating: Summary: Coffe is for Closers Review: The DVD version of this film is superb. David Mamet, one of the few terrific playwrights we have now makes it all come true. This is one of Baldwin's best performances( he is on screen just enough) Jack Lemmon leads a stellar cast along with Ed Harris, Alan Arkin and a very greasy Al Pacino. THe extra features on this DVD are basically tributes to a film great Jack Lemmon. Not only was he in the elite as an actor he was a true gent himself. I recall reading the life story about Dimitri Tiomkin and one of his first film scores( composition) Max Steiner was conducting and Tiomkin was taken aback a bit by what he saw. He saw Steiner, working very hard trying to get the most out of Tiomkins score. It was then Tiomkin knew that the greats had little ego and the only thing that mattered was the finished product. Well for Mr. Lemmon that is WHAT MATTERED. ..and that is the resonance of a true artist. Lemmon's Shelly Levine is on target and Lemmon fights to minimize any pathos around him in this sales den of evil. A unique film experience !! CP
Rating: Summary: I cannot figure out what everyone is raving about.... Review: This movie was just awful. I kept waiting for something to happen and then the movie just ended. A star studded cast sitting around an office dropping F-bombs. That is about the sum of the movie. It ranks up there with some of the worst movies I have ever seen.
Rating: Summary: As good as you would expect from a cast like this! Review: Frankly if the cast of this film aren't enough to make you want to watch it, and almost to a man they give the performances of their lives, then nothing I write or think is going to make too much of a difference to you. I have worked in sales all of my life and all that I can say is that I know these characters, David Mamet is considered by some to be America's finest contemporary playwright of his generation and he won the Pullitzer prize for this. Need I continue? Jack Lemon gives what I would say is his finest performance, and all Simpson's fans will readily recognize his performance from the many episodes parodying salesman. Al Pacino rarely gives a bad performance but rarely gives a better one, and Alec Baldwin who often seems to play the same character brings believability to the character that could convince you that the role was written for him. Frankly the dialogue, acting and cinematography are as good as they could be and if that isn't enough for you and you're disappointed that the effects are crap (the movie does have the feel of a play brought to film) then go buy Pearl Harbour or Jurrasic park!
Rating: Summary: my eyes "Always Be Closing" Review: The play become move became boring after 20 seconds. David Mamet's Pulitzer winning play was a waste of a movie. It gathered a star cast of people and did abosolutely nothing with them. A group of caniving men stuck in the office using darwins' theory of natural selection to the fullest was thoughtless. the plot was clear to early. And the countinous use of profanity is really the only reason that i could not shut my eyes. but most of all we must not forget the cliffhanger of an ending which made no since. if it wasn't for the fact that i hadd to do this as a class project i would have thrown this ... dvd outta the window
Rating: Summary: Go to Lunch!! Review: An excellently acted film with a great script. Each actor rubs on you the wrong way, which just draws you in more to see it unfold. Kevin Spacey and Jack Lemmon are rarely better than this. No bells and whistles, just a remarkable ensemble playing out a terrifically written piece.
Rating: Summary: Hated it! Review: This is a movie that stands out in my mind as one of the worst I have ever seen. It is so depressing, and unsavory. I'm sure the actors played their parts wonderfully, because I hated all of the characters by the end of this film. I guess I can't stand all of the slick SOBs that close deals! I can't believe I watched the entire thing, I was waiting for it to get better.
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