Made

Rating:
Summary: Good, solid movie.
Review: I don't think this is as good as Swingers, but it would be hard for vaughn and favreau to be together in a movie and it to be really bad - I think :)

This is the same sort of thing as swingers. Different plot, sure, but the two guys carrying on and favreau trying to play things down as vaughn is his typical outgoing, irritating self. In swingers, however, he was more or less a guy you'd want to hang out with once a month, just for the heck of it. In Made he's more of a jerk. He's incredibly self-centered, totatlly unaware of how to deal with people, and I kind of wanted him to die at the end (whether he did or not I won't say here).

In any case there are plenty of good scenes with vaughn (since he makes the movie) with his passive aggressive personality. All in all a movie worth watching!

Rating:
Summary: A try for comedy or an experiment in provoking stress?
Review: Vince Vaughn (Ricky) and Jon Favreau (Bobby) are two ex-boxers that are recruited by their mob boss to go to New York for a quick delivery. "Odd couple" Ricky and Bobby get into all sorts of trouble, and manage to mess up a simple job mainly due to Ricky's notions of how a macho mobster is supposed to behave.

Since everything else about Made was pretty straightforward, I think the comedy aspect was supposed to come in here in the form of Vince's character, Ricky; but what started out as a low chuckle at his ceaseless, stupid banter turned to groans and ultimately bored silence. The guy was so thoroughly clueless and relentless in displaying it that I felt a physical urge to slap him about halfway through the film. Yes, I know, shocking. But trust me - if you ever hear his little monologues (I strongly discourage that), you will find yourself wishing the same or worse.

One way of looking at Ricky is that he is the unique creation of Vince Vaughn's genius, a showcase of the power of creating a memorable character that can evoke strong feelings. I'll hand it to Vince, my feelings of disgust were strong all right. The only question that remains is, why sit through an entire film punctuated by such an irritating character? You'll never get those two hours back.
Andrea, aka Merribelle


Rating:
Summary: They ain't no Goodfellas...
Review: "Made" is the story of two misfit boxers who are best buddies (even though they're always arguing and fighting). Bobby is dating a dancer and doesn't like what her job entails, so he's hoping that he can find something that will solve their money problems so she won't have to dance anymore. Ricky is a fast-talking and always outspoken character who thinks he's all that when in reality he doesn't have a clue. The two friends are offered a gig by a mob boss that offers a big payoff. It's their chance to live the life of the gangsters that they grew up watching in movies. However, they're about to learn how different real life is from the movies... and how horrible they are at being gangsters.

This isn't the type of comedy that offers the obvious laughs or a "wacky" finale. There are no "zany" gimmicks or an over-the-top plot. The movie relies on the tone, which is very subtle and has great timing. The characters are real because they are written that way. While it may be hard to believe that any mob boss would give these two guys a job, we're able to buy it because it's written and structured in a very realistic manner. This is probably why the film isn't overly popular with many folks, but that's fine by me. I really enjoyed myself when I watched this, and even had a better time watching it the second time. Jon Favreau is great in his role, as he knows that he's not the showstopper and has to make sure that he's subtle and mostly quiet--that is, unless he's arguing with his buddy. Vince Vaughn is the definite showstopper, and you can tell that he has a lot of fun with the role. He plays it perfectly, and I'm convinced that nobody else could pull off such a stunt. We also must not forget the very funny Peter Falk, and it must be said that Sean Combs ("Puffy") does a very good job with his part as well.

I must warn you that the movie has TONS of profanities in it. It even outdoes "The Big Lebowski" in the F-Bomb department, believe it or not. If you're not a fan of non-stop vulgar language, then you better stay clear from this. I think the language works because the movie is trying to play like a "Goodfellas" gone completely wrong. The DVD has some really great special features. The picture looks really good, and the sound isn't bad either. Some of the extras include commentary, deleted scenes, outtakes, a scene edit workshop, documentaries and much, much more. Plenty of goodies to play around with.

"Made" is a movie that really worked for me. I think it's an extremely clever comedy that is character-driven all the way. It's entertainingly written and very well directed. Keep in mind that you will be taking a chance on this one if you decide to check it out. People have mixed feelings about it. With that in mind, I would suggest that you rent it first before you decide to purchase, just to be on the safe side. It's a short movie so it won't take up much of your life should you end up not liking it. If you're looking for a funny comedy that doesn't rely on the usual gags, then this is something that is worth checking out. -Michael Crane

Rating:
Summary: Laugh your a$$ off
Review: This is one of the funniest movies you will ever rent. Vince Vaughan is the best! The dialogue is fantastic. Make sure you watch the outtakes with Peter Faulk, you will fall off the couch. I almost like this better than Office Space!

Rating:
Summary: Falls Short....
Review: A mob movie for non-mobsters, this film involves two amateurs sent to NYC to do a money 'drop'. Written and Directed by Jon Farveau (Swingers) and also strarring Vince Vaughn, Peter Falk and Famke Janssen. Things get complicated when Vaughn's character flaws 'kick in' and piss everybody off. The best part of the film is Vaughn. Athough Farveau and the rest of the cast play their parts well, Vaughn is right on target. You can't help but want to bound and gag him all through the film. Production value is good but there isn't anything particular that would shoot this film through the top. It's a well written story and decently acted. Made is entertaining for those who like 'fish out of water' pictures.