Rating: 
Summary: A powerful film about the nightlife
Review: Bright Lights, Big City is a powerful film about how the seductive nightlife swallows one man up in a current of cocaine and liquor.Jamie Connaway is a small town guy who heads to the big city of New York to find succes. He gets a job at a stuffy magazine that is specific about facts. His boss, Claire, is the type of woman who walks around without expressions on her face and purposely slams her high heels down when she walks. Jamie is often helped out at work by a woman from the same office who seems to feel for him. His boring days lead to nights full of nightclubs, cocaine, and booze. He goes out every night with his buddy Alagash. Alagash is a yuppie who goes around telling people that Jamie's wife is dead even though she really left Jamie. Alagash seems to feel for Jamie's wife leaving Jamie but looks at it as more of a joke. We really do not see why there is a friendship between Alagash and Jamie besides the fact that they both love booze and drugs. That's what BLBC is all about. It follows Jamie through about a week or so of craziness until he finally has a little to much coke and begins bleeding one night at a party. He then decides that his life is going nowhere and that he needs to start over. The film along with the book is excellent. The adaption, from book to screen, is well done. I also highly reccomend the book wich has a great narrative style.
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie with an Excellent Sound Track
Review: Even if you do not get the storyline, how can you not like the music? This is like the ultra eighties music track. And I thought the story line was excellent. This movie is about an innocent guy, nice guy, who is trying to make the best of a life that should have been more. If you do not like this movie than you must not have a heart.
Rating: 
Summary: NO WIDESCREEN?
Review: First Touchstone Home Video releases New York Stories in Full Screen only, now MGM does the same thing with Bright Lights Big City. Is this the beginning of a new trend? I sincerely hope not. At least give the option of selecting full screen or widescreen on the disc. Really liked this movie but the DVD release could have been better to say the least. I give this 2 stars for DVD quality only. One star for that the movie got released in a decent transfer (even without widescreen), the other that at least they bothered to include the theatrical trailer. Other than that, disappointing.......
Rating: 
Summary: Could've been better
Review: Good acting and good story that just doesn't live up to its potential. If not for Kiefer Sutherland's dead on portrayal of a yuppie, Manhattanite scum, it would have been less stars. But his performance raises it a notch if only in a supporting role. Look for a then unknown Niles from "Frasier" as a bartender at the fashion show.
Rating:
Summary: Welcome to the greatest city on EARTH!!!!
Review: Good performance by M Fox, but some aspects of the book do not translate well as Leonard Maltin points out. Worth seeing for a glimpse of NY in the 80's during the greed period. Read the book, it is very good.
Rating:
Summary: I agree - No Widescreen :(
Review: Great movie. I had it on VHS but wanted it for DVD. But, sadly, it was not released in Widescreen, and not having that option kind of bothers me about DVD releases. Given all that, since I got the disk for free (at Best Buy they offered a free DVD from a small set if you bought The Sure Thing and Valley Girl together), I can live with this format (for now). Maybe they'll do a special edition some day (though I doubt it as it wasn't a high profile film). Sigh.
Rating:
Summary: I agree - No Widescreen :(
Review: Great movie. I had it on VHS but wanted it for DVD. But, sadly, it was not released in Widescreen, and not having that option kind of bothers me about DVD releases. Given all that, since I got the disk for free (at Best Buy they offered a free DVD from a small set if you bought The Sure Thing and Valley Girl together), I can live with this format (for now). Maybe they'll do a special edition some day (though I doubt it as it wasn't a high profile film). Sigh.
Rating:
Summary: A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF A COKEHEAD
Review: Having lived through the cocaine 80's, I can assure you this flick hits the nail on the head. Forget about getting up and going to work tomorrow, where's the party? Humorous, compelling, and sad, with a marvelously redemptive ending. I'm not a big fan of Michael J. Fox, but I have to say this is the biggest role, in a small film, of his entire career. Forget TEENWOLF, this is great acting. Especially compelling is his soliloquy as he reassesses his marriage while he's swinging around a wine glass and bouncing off the walls of his living room. Great stuff. The funniest scene is when Sutherland is looking for coke in the dust of Fox's apartment and takes a freeze to the gums. Wow. Been there, done that.
If you think the book was better than the movie, think again. The screenplay was written by the author, Jay McInerney. So it actually resembles the novel. Nice job.
And those of you who think this is a stretch for Fox, think again. Michael had his own coke problem which is what drew him to this role in the first place. Great job, Michael. I think this the most mature performance of your career. Best of luck to you, brother. Sutherland is great too.
And yes, I'm in total agreement with previous reviewers, this begs to be rereleased in widescreen.
Don't be fooled by the lackluster reviews for this flick, it's one of the best films ever made about being lost in addiction. Hope this brings up the reviews a little. IT'S A WONDERFUL FILM.
Rating: 
Summary: no widescreen, that's just scandalous
Review: I am honestly shocked that MGM released this DVD with NO WIDESCREEN OPTION. I did not realize this was the case until the DVD arrived here at my apartment and I noticed on the back of the box it said, "Modified to fit your screen." ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?! I didn't just do a double take, i did like a 15 take; 'total disbelief' is the only way to describe my reaction. Bright Lights Big City is a CLASSIC era film that helped define the '80s, one of the most culturally important decades in the history of the U.S. This film deserves a special release DVD, not some two-bit 'modified to fit your television' joke of a release. This 'modified to fit your television' release is a slap in the face to all fans of Bright Lights Big City, the '80s, Michael Jay Fox, Kiefer Sutherland, or any of the the cast and crew of this film. Do not buy this dvd, for protest alone if for no other reason. If you really need to see it then go rent it instead. Now I can't decide whether or not to return this joke of a 'DVD' and order the UK release which actually has a Widescreen option. I guess MGM just likes to spit in the face of North America. Be very wary of any DVD releases produced by MGM -- they obviously have no respect for the films or the format.
Rating:
Summary: no widescreen, that's just scandalous
Review: I am honestly shocked that MGM released this DVD with NO WIDESCREEN OPTION. I did not realize this was the case until the DVD arrived here at my apartment and I noticed on the back of the box it said, "Modified to fit your screen." ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?! I didn't just do a double take, i did like a 15 take; 'total disbelief' is the only way to describe my reaction. Bright Lights Big City is a CLASSIC era film that helped define the '80s, one of the most culturally important decades in the history of the U.S. This film deserves a special release DVD, not some two-bit 'modified to fit your television' joke of a release. This 'modified to fit your television' release is a slap in the face to all fans of Bright Lights Big City, the '80s, Michael Jay Fox, Kiefer Sutherland, or any of the the cast and crew of this film. Do not buy this dvd, for protest alone if for no other reason. If you really need to see it then go rent it instead. Now I can't decide whether or not to return this joke of a 'DVD' and order the UK release which actually has a Widescreen option. I guess MGM just likes to spit in the face of North America. Be very wary of any DVD releases produced by MGM -- they obviously have no respect for the films or the format.
| 
