Rating: Summary: Not Much Action, But It's Riveting Review: "GGR" is a great character movie. You really get a feel for all the characters. The bitter Ed Harris, the washed-up Jack Lemmon, the insecure Alan Arkin and the slick and slimy Al Pacino all make this one of the better movies of the 90's.Alec Baldwin gets a lot of praise for his intense 10 minute portrayal of the superstar from "Downtown". I personally think he got into character by just pretending that Harris and the others were fans/photographers approaching him on the street (given his reputation for being rough with both), but it is a great performance with numerous memorable quotes. We also see Kevin Spacey before he really got famous and he does a tremendous job of being the straight-line office manager. It was a hint of things to come. If you want a movie where there is no action, plenty of profanity and a good story, look no further than "GGR".
Rating: Summary: THIRD PLACE IS YOU'RE FIRED. Review: GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS is a masterpiece of writing and performance. From Pacino and Lemmon to Arkin and Harris, this is not only a superbly written yarn, it's also comic genius. Baldwin's scene is a thing of beauty and I quote it often. "These are the Glengarry leads, and to you they're gold, and you don't get them." Full of typical David Mamet prose, this is clearly one of the best "actors" films to ever come along. WHERE IS THE DVD for this movie? Am I the only person waiting for it?
Rating: Summary: Ominous cast makes this film a Powerhouse Review: Never before has such an ominous cast been assembled: Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon,Kevin Spacey,and Ed Harris. Superb film depicting the pressure and ambivalence on the part of the Real Estate Salesman, when meeting their quota. This film manages to get into the minds of these puppets and show the insignificance of probably the most important people in this particular business, The Closers. Harris plays Ross, the fed up closer who hasn't closed a sale in months. Tired of the "Mitch and Murray" firm's newly found polcy of low level closer extermination, eats away at his soul to no end. Harris's insightful performance is a superb depiction of the angry insignificant worker's attempt at self revival, in his case, through thievery of the infamous "Glengary leads." Lemmon, plays the pitiful "Shelly the Machine Levine," who at one time, was the best of closers, but now is on a losing streak, worrying about his sick daughter while trying to keep a sense of pride. Lemmon's gritty dive into depseration is what makes this film, the desperation to not only keep a job, but keep himself afloat. Pacino (as always) never ceases to amaze me. He plays the suave Richard Roma, who is on a streak of good luck, conniving and lying to simply get them to sign on the dotted line. His performance, as bravura as it is, shows the day in the life of the closer, what amazes me is that his performance is given so much depth, so much significance; he is introduced to the viewer through a conversation he is having with a buyer, the manipulation on his part is flawless, he seems to know the insecurities of his clients...he knows exactly what to feed on. All of this however, only done for a Cadillac? It seems that he is doing it for much more, he loves the art of manipulation, it is evident in his performance. Pay attention to the final scene in the office, where Pacino and Lemmon work together in an unforgettable scene of artistic manipulation...then the GRAND FINALE scene, in which Pacino Destroy Spacey's Ego. Overall, FLAWLESS Film with an unprecedented cast. Look for another brilliant performance from both Pacino and Spacey in "Looking for Richard," Pacino's stimulating and flawless take on Shakespeare's Richard III.
Rating: Summary: Put... the coffee... down! Review: And be prepared to enter a world of cold economic, professional and personal reality. The film is about business, life, and the results of the choices we make for ourselves. It examines the many varying perspectives of employment so prevalent in our society today. Great acting... forgetaboutit! These guys were brilliant. Losers, winners, yes men, con men, excuse makers, middle men and perhaps most poignantly sales men. My personal favorite has to be Alec Baldwin in what may be considered perhaps the most compelling 10 minutes on film. 'Third prize is your fired... oh... do I have your attention now?" Phenomenal! Plus you get the feel of reading a great novel while you watch the characters unfold and take life on every page. NOT TO BE MISSED!
Rating: Summary: My favorite movie! Review: It doesn't have special effects. No fight scenes, no sex, no hot chicks, no giant plot twists, no chase scenes. It's not particularly inventive or revolutionary as far as a movie goes. However, it is perfect in what it does. The performances are absolutely flawless, and the dialogue is simply genius! Mamet is like a modern day Shakespeare. I watch lots of movies, and what I like sci-fi and action the best. So why would I say this is my favorite movie of all time? Well, it is the only movie that I can watch over and over without getting bored. There is always something to analyze, and the creativity and timing of the conversations never gets old. Admirable! If you are open-minded and really like movies, I would recommend this. But don't expect to get blown away when you see it. I didn't really know what to make of it the first time I saw it. I thought it was neat, but not very interesting. I had to watch it again. And again. And again. Now, where is my DVD version of this with two commentary tracks? I'm dying to see this in widescreen.
Rating: Summary: My favorite movie of all time Review: It took a bit of guts to move this to my #1 spot (my personal spot, it is by no means the best movie ever made). After all, there are no special effects, explosions, futuristic environments, in-your-face plot twists, hot chicks, etc. What it does have is the best dialogue ever written, hands down, in any movie ever. The performances have not one fault. I can honestly say, out of all the movies I have ever seen, this is the only one I can watch endlessly without getting bored. Sure, I like Aliens, 2001, etc. But I can't watch them over and over. If I had only one movie to watch for the rest of my life, this would be it... a movie for movielovers, not for the casual moviegoer. And it takes a dozen viewings before you even catch on to 50% of what is going on. I still haven't fully absorbed this masterpiece.
Rating: Summary: AIDA! Review: This movie is an outstanding conversion of the play by David Mamet, with the exceptional extra dialogue of Alec Baldwin thrown in for good measure. It might seem slow for people looking for a moving, changing plot, but if you're looking for character development and sheer attitude, this movie is for you. You'll definitely want to watch this one just to exchange insults in the office -- in my office, we actually had people watch it when we brought them on staff so they wouldn't be insulted when we started exchanging lines.
Rating: Summary: for closers only...the rest of you can go watch Double Team Review: This movie has the best performances I've ever seen by some of these actors. Al Pacino and Jack Lemmon were the best. There's no action, no sex,no violence, and no intended comedy, even though a lot of the dialog is hilarious. It's about a day in the life of some real estate sellers, most of whom are at a low point. All this information would normally persuade someone to skip this movie, but it is definitely worth the couple of dollars it takes to rent it. Al Pacinor Jack Lemmon should have got an academy award for their performances. Maybe the same for Alec Baldwin if he had a bigger part. He's only in the movie for five minutes, but his character is very memorable. If you're afraid of a lot of relentless profanity, then maybe you should skip this movie and rent It Takes Two. Otherwise, you most likely won't be disappointed.
Rating: Summary: One of the top 100 flicks of all time Review: This is one of the best movies ever made. James foley is a brilliant director, and the ensemble cast is amazingly good, especially Jack Lemmon and Kevin Spacey. If you like great cinema, you can't miss this film.
Rating: Summary: Don't Miss It! Review: Nothing frames the "other side of the eighties" like this modern classic. But the story takes second stage to brilliant performances by Pacino, Lemmon, Baldwin et al. The symbolism and dialogue are truly enhanced by the all star cast - Baldwin's brief performance is his best ever. If you're looking for an inspiring story, stay away. If you're a fan of acting perfection it's a must see.
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