You know who you are.
This has the approximate flavor of WELCOME TO COLLINWOOD (2002). Only less.
William H. Macy can do his thing even if he's on screen for less than five minutes. Not his STATE AND MAIN THING (2000) thing. No, his other thing, where you just know he was born with one chromosome too few. He's the best in the business at this.
Ten Danson is a surprise addition to the cast. I think I've never, EVER, seen him so fine. Thespian fine, not foxy fine. In the grand style of Jeremy Davies (THE MILLION DOLLAR HOTEL-2000; SECRETARY-2002) or Todd Field (BROKEN VESSELS-1998). Like he finally woke up and decided to do one great thing before it was all over.
Maury Chaykin did his usual disappearing act. In fact, except for UNSTRUNG HEROES (1995), when has he not?
Sam Rockwell. I could give away a lot to those in the know by saying that this should have been his movie. (They used to write Broadway musicals just for one person -- KISMET for example.) I don't know how he blew it. Maybe being in the company of Charles Durning and Joe Mantegna had something to do with it. Rockwell stumbled -- slightly. It's STILL "a Sam Rockwell flick".
There wasn't enough of Sarah Polley or Peter Riegert. However, it was comforting to know that they were in PLAN B if the plot or director needed to call upon them. You see what I'm saying -- great casting.
I'd be curious to know if this was filmed in "digital". (I'm not up on technical.) Some scenes on my screen seemed over-perfect.
That leaves director Saul Rubinek. By me? I love this sub-genre, so I'm giving him a "5" for general audiences and a "7" for fanciers of this breed. (Actually that's an oxymoron because this breed of losers-at-work comedy CAN'T breed.)
Jimmy Breslin started it all, I think, with THE GANG THAT COULDN'T SHOOT STRAIGHT (1971). And, as another reviewer correctly points out, a failing of this film is that it isn't clear enough about it's own identity. Is this another Breslin offspring or not? I'm side-stepping that because there is so much to enjoy either way.
I've always been a fan of Rubinek's character work. Even when he had to take the heavy fall as ADA Jed Kramer in the film abomination BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES (1990), that sell-out of Tom Wolfe's Great American Novel of Manhattan Americana.
I'd like to see Rubinek get some coaching before his next outing: he has some great ideas, but as a late-comer -- and already 55 years old -- he's understandably anxious to show off all his tricks at once. His made-for-TV BLEACHER BUMS (2002) is much better because it aspires to so little (a/k/a CHEAP SEATS (2002) in some markets).
Prowlers of used book stores, please catch BLEACHER BUMS: you will know what to look for despite its feeble showing (only 57 votes as of 5/21/2003). And no coincidence: it also casts Riegert, Durning, and Chaykin. Lo and Behold.
There are at least two other films I've seen recently portraying mentor and novice hit man. And that doesn't count TRAINING DAY (2001) which is mainstream and mega-star. I think this one will stick with me the longest because Mantegna and Rockwell make such an odd combination. And "odd" ..... That's the point, isn't it?
This has the approximate flavor of WELCOME TO COLLINWOOD (2002). Only less.
William H. Macy can do his thing even if he's on screen for less than five minutes. Not his STATE AND MAIN THING (2000) thing. No, his other thing, where you just know he was born with one chromosome too few. He's the best in the business at this.
Ten Danson is a surprise addition to the cast. I think I've never, EVER, seen him so fine. Thespian fine, not foxy fine. In the grand style of Jeremy Davies (THE MILLION DOLLAR HOTEL-2000; SECRETARY-2002) or Todd Field (BROKEN VESSELS-1998). Like he finally woke up and decided to do one great thing before it was all over.
Maury Chaykin did his usual disappearing act. In fact, except for UNSTRUNG HEROES (1995), when has he not?
Sam Rockwell. I could give away a lot to those in the know by saying that this should have been his movie. (They used to write Broadway musicals just for one person -- KISMET for example.) I don't know how he blew it. Maybe being in the company of Charles Durning and Joe Mantegna had something to do with it. Rockwell stumbled -- slightly. It's STILL "a Sam Rockwell flick".
There wasn't enough of Sarah Polley or Peter Riegert. However, it was comforting to know that they were in PLAN B if the plot or director needed to call upon them. You see what I'm saying -- great casting.
I'd be curious to know if this was filmed in "digital". (I'm not up on technical.) Some scenes on my screen seemed over-perfect.
That leaves director Saul Rubinek. By me? I love this sub-genre, so I'm giving him a "5" for general audiences and a "7" for fanciers of this breed. (Actually that's an oxymoron because this breed of losers-at-work comedy CAN'T breed.)
Jimmy Breslin started it all, I think, with THE GANG THAT COULDN'T SHOOT STRAIGHT (1971). And, as another reviewer correctly points out, a failing of this film is that it isn't clear enough about it's own identity. Is this another Breslin offspring or not? I'm side-stepping that because there is so much to enjoy either way.
I've always been a fan of Rubinek's character work. Even when he had to take the heavy fall as ADA Jed Kramer in the film abomination BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES (1990), that sell-out of Tom Wolfe's Great American Novel of Manhattan Americana.
I'd like to see Rubinek get some coaching before his next outing: he has some great ideas, but as a late-comer -- and already 55 years old -- he's understandably anxious to show off all his tricks at once. His made-for-TV BLEACHER BUMS (2002) is much better because it aspires to so little (a/k/a CHEAP SEATS (2002) in some markets).
Prowlers of used book stores, please catch BLEACHER BUMS: you will know what to look for despite its feeble showing (only 57 votes as of 5/21/2003). And no coincidence: it also casts Riegert, Durning, and Chaykin. Lo and Behold.
There are at least two other films I've seen recently portraying mentor and novice hit man. And that doesn't count TRAINING DAY (2001) which is mainstream and mega-star. I think this one will stick with me the longest because Mantegna and Rockwell make such an odd combination. And "odd" ..... That's the point, isn't it?