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The Leading Man

The Leading Man

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Delightful, touching and often funny
Review: "The Leading Man" opened to acclaim at the Toronto Film Festival in September 1996. It's appeal was lost on whoever was there shopping for films to buy for distribution. A year later it showed up in a few cinemas in the UK. In March of this year, it had a limited release in America, a year and a half after it premiere in Toronto.

I'm sorry that whoever financed it lost a bundle, because it's a really neat little film. I think people didn't get the fact that it's a comedy because its wit is so dry. Because of this, I suspect no one knew how to market it. The people I've met in marketing departments are surprisingly unoriginal.

I found it to be utterly delightful. I would not have thought much about it when it went to video, if I hadn't been intrigued by the fact that Bon Jovi was listed as its star.

"The Leading Man" is so obscure in origin that, even though it is obviously set in London, much of it may have been shot in Australia. That country's film commission is given credit at the end of the movie, and its director has done almost all his films there.

Don't be put off by the fact you never heard of it either. It's well crafted, acted and photographed It's also a lot of fun.

Lambert Wilson plays a hugely successful British playwright. The film opens with his eleventh play going into rehearsals. He truly loves his wife, played by Anna Galiena, but is having an affair with a young actress played by Thandie Newton. It's safe to say this man is having a major mid-life crisis. Of course, he casts the young actress in the new play to assure that he will be near her all day. A cliche is avoided here because the actress happens to be first rate. She's no bimbo!

Enter Jon Bon Jovi, playing a young star who's last film was a smash hit. He is the costar of the new play. He is self assured, to say the least. His talent on screen and on stage extends to the bedroom. While he'll be the first to tell you how wonderful he is, Bon Jovi plays him not as a man who runs around bragging about himself, but as one who is unafraid to speak the truth. In Bon Jovi's capable hands, the character comes off as rather lovable.

At first the actor comes off as someone who has a scary dark side. As the film progresses, it turns out that it's more a matter of acting things so that those around him get what they really need in life. For example, Galiena [Elana] dwells on how Wilson [Felix] is ruining her life because he can't keep his zipper up. Bon Jovi [Robin] suggests to the philandering husband that the best way to get her to see reason is for him to seduce her.

What ensues is a delightful - and often funny - look at how people deal with relationships. Robin is also attracted to the young actress, while she seems infatuated with him. It also shows in a humorous way how things are not always what they appear to be.

I am delighted to have discovered this little gem, and I hope that you will check it out.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent acting by Jon Bon Jovi!!
Review: As a Bon Jovi fan, i just had to watch it. And i was quite suprised of his acting ability. I loved the charector he played, it just seemed so different to his known nature, that it made me see him in totally different ligth. Good watch, and mmmmm, good body!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent
Review: As Bon Jovi fans we thought Jon was brilliant in the Leading Man. He is obviously as good an actor as pop star, we just wish that here in England we could buy the video and get to see his other films. Very enjoyable film, well done Jon!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Romantic thriller with good acting and unexpected twists.
Review: Even if you are not a fan of Jon Bon Jovi this film is very good. It centers around an American movie star, played by Bon Jovi who wants to get artistic recognition by starring in a London play. Thandie Newton plays the playwrights mistress and Anna Galiena his unhappy wife. The playwright is played by Lambert Wilson as Felix Web. The desperate playwrite asks the American star, Robin Grange to seduce his wife so she can leave the marriage with her self-esteem intact. The plot thickens from there with a surprise ending. Well worth taking a look at the slick European film.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A sharp little gem, shame it didn't get better distribution
Review: I admit, I first watched this movie just because I knew JBJ was in it, and I knew there were some steamy scenes. ;) I was pleasantly surprised, however, to find an intelligent thriller with amazing character development and plot twists on multiple levels... it's one of those things you have to watch more than once to catch all the subtle meanings. It's definitely a "chick flick"; the plot development rests almost solely on the evolving interactions between the characters and there's not a lot of action. Cerebral, I guess you'd call it. If you're into that sort of thing, it's a great flick. And the gratuitous shirtless scenes with Jon don't hurt either. ;)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Fun Movie
Review: I discovered this movie on cable ..I rented it a few times... I love it and now I'm buying it.
Bon Jovie is a natural.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Fun Movie
Review: I discovered this movie on cable ..I rented it a few times... I love it and now I'm buying it.
Bon Jovie is a natural.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Jon Bon Jovi makes this movie
Review: I had to see this movie just because Jon Bon Jovi was in it. I thought it was a very boring movie, but for those of you who like romance and drama, this is for you. Otherwise stay away from it unless you are a true, die hard Bon Jovi fanatic. But even then, its is kind of hard to sit through, but seeing him without his shirt on makes it all worthwhile.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Pleasantly Surprised
Review: I have seen Jon Bon Jovi in a few movies before and he has always impressed. However this movie is at the start of his acting career and he is "The leading man".

So it was lucky that he had a smart script, excellent support actors and talent to burn.

The story revolves around an american actor who is to star in a play in London and his relationship with the writer, his mistress and his wife.

Take it seriously, its a good movie.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Pleasantly Surprised
Review: I have seen Jon Bon Jovi in a few movies before and he has always impressed. However this movie is at the start of his acting career and he is "The leading man".

So it was lucky that he had a smart script, excellent support actors and talent to burn.

The story revolves around an american actor who is to star in a play in London and his relationship with the writer, his mistress and his wife.

Take it seriously, its a good movie.


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