Reviews (11)

Surprisingly good movie!
I first saw The Jerky Boys movie back in 1995. I walked into the movie theatre with low expectations, but I actually liked the movie.

You may find this hard to believe, but this movie actually has a plot. Johnny Brennan (a comic genius and the voice of Frank Rizzo and Sol Rosenberg), gets in trouble when he crank calls the Mafia. Anyway, Johnny and Kamal spend most of the movie trying to avoid the Mafia.

There are some great scenes in the movie, such as the scene at Burger Bob's, a drive-through fast food restaurant. Sol Rosenberg takes an order from a family in a car. When Sol screws up the order, the driver of the car asks to speak with the manager. Then, the Frank Rizzo voice asks for the man's order. Rizzo says "Gimme your order there, toughguy!" I almost lost it when I saw that scene. It's hilarious!

Buy this movie.

Hey Toughguy, buy this flick fruity!
Jerky Boys Johnny and Kamal go from the audio crank calling world to Hollywood. This movie is basically just about the guys hanging out and doing what they do best: acting like wackadoos. A must watch movie for goombas like me! The movie was co-produced by Tony Danza and Emilio Estevez (an odd couple, what else have they teamed on I wonder?) Anyway, when the guys from Queens make a few calls to the wrong people they end up in the world of the New York mob. Vincent "Big Pussy" Pastore is perfectly cast here playing the character he's best known for. Also noteworthy for those who love the fictional mob world, Johnny's mom is the same woman who plays Carmela's mom on Sopranos and before that she was Karen's mom from Goodfellas. For all you other goofy fruitcakes out there, Ozzy Osbourne (whose lines are a little more understandable than on his MTV show--although not much), Tom Jones and many others make appearances in this wacky wild and hilarious film. The only missing cameo was by The Diceman.

fruitty ass
the story lags in a lot of spots but the pranks and the jokes from Johnny B. , Kamal and Ernie make this one a great view. Alan Arkin as Ernie is uproarous and the 2 Jerkys are great. Johnny B. looks like if Sean Astin was chubbier and had a mullet.

favorite lines
Ernie- wha...what the hell is a fruitty ass?

Frank Rizzo- what kind of fruitty ass opertion you running down there
Ernie- **ck you fruitty ass, thats what kind of operation we're running down here

Tough Guy Cinema
I don't know why I feel compelled to write a review for a movie this old and played out and forgotten except for the most die-hard Jerky Boys fans, of which I sincerely hope I may not be considered (but secretly know I am).

The Jerky Boys are prank callers extraordinaire, back in the day before *69 and prevalent Caller ID ruined all the fun. Using several personas, including Frank Rizzo, an irate tough guy, Sol Rosenberg, a slightly senile old man who comes off as your slightly senile grandmother, and random Indian cab drivers, the duo were underground until they signed a record contract and started churning out album after album of tracks like "Terrorist Pizza", "Roofing", and the classic "Drinking Problem".

Once you realize that this is The Jerky Boys and not Godard, you can sit back and enjoy every Jerky reference up to that point (they still had a few albums forthcoming when this appeared) including non-sensical yet inexplicably hilarious insults such as (and I'm sure [Amazon.com] will edit these out) "sizzle chest", "milky licker", and references to potato-hurling tennis ball machines and their use.

The two self-described "lowlifes from Queens" play themselves. On the one hand, we have Johnny B, aka Johnny Brennan, who is pretty much the whole Jerky franchise in my opinion. I don't care what people say, or even that he describes himself as a "lowlife", this guy has talent. Honestly, this guy has more talent than most Saturday Night Live alum these days and we still have to be punished with the Deuce Bigolos and the Corky Romanos. At least Chris Farley had the decency to check out not that long after it was realized that he just wasn't that funny.Riding his mullet is the less impressive Kamal. Folks, when you have to PLAY YOURSELF and you still can't act, there is a problem.

The "story" involves Johnny B, as Rizzo, prank-calling the Mob and getting into a lot of trouble. In a jaw-dropping turn of casting, Alan Arkin plays a mob boss and honestly looks like he's trying not to laugh as he delivers dialogue. We also get a pre-Sopranos Vincent Pastore doing a stretch and playing a mobster. Since being offed on the Sopranos I can only guess that he's hoping there's a Jerky sequel in the works.

There isn't.

If you're unfamiliar with The Jerky Boys, this might go right over your head. If you like The Jerky Boys, it's on the so-bad-it's-good level, occassionally slipping into just plain bad.

...

And, as if you needed more recommendation points for tracking this masterpiece down, Ozzy Osbourne has a walk-on cameo sporting an unstructured, mauve sports jacket and appearing befuddled that his bands' crew have been hired away by The Monkees.

on johns review
Great idea my friend would be fantastic to put on DVD
with the boy doing a call and having their face on camera
at the same time

Great movie for everyone you NOOKIE LICKERS

peace out

G Hatzis
(i have appered in video's with Human Nature) ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A hilarious surprise!
I decided to buy this to see if this really was any good. I figured that it would just be a rehash of some old bits with video. I was really surprised after the first 10 minutes. They really took advantage of the video form, and while the quality was a bit ameteurish, it was a hilarious addition to my video collection.

In some of the bits they start to make funny messages over a loudspeaker in the supermarket and a tour bus and you can see the peoples reactions. Also, they have hidden cameras around some of the MTV offices (This is partly made by them) and make prank calls. If you've heard "A Need To Dance" on one of the Jerky Boys albums, you will know what it's like.

It comes down to this. If you think prank calls and the Jerky Boys are funny, don't be at all hesitant to get this.

THIS IS NOT THE MOVIE THAT WAS IN THEATERS!
This is not Jerky Boys The Movie, this is the guys prank calling people and filming their reactions. It is NOT the hollywood movie with Ozzy Osbourne it it!!!! If you think it is, youre retarded. If you posted on here thinking it was, then you should find a way to remove yourself from the gene pool.

In my opinion, this was $4 well spent. These guys crack me up no matter what they do. i really dont know where they get their skills, words, and ideas from.

John's Review
The Movie was alright, but I think the cds are better. The plot wasn't really that good and there wasn't really any crank calls in it. The Jerky boys should make video tape of them making crank calls and only sell it on video and not in the theatre.

Just to clear up some confusion...
Some of the reviewers for this video have it confused with Jerky Boys Movie,wich is not available at Amazon."Don't Hang Up,Toughguy!" is a video compilation of HILARIOUS prank calls,tour bus Tom Foolery,and wild p.a. system antics.The latter strikes me the funniest,they really went all out over the supermarket's public address system.A well-earned five stars! Buy it now! As for the Jerky Boys Movie,it's a full-length feature film starring everyone's favorite pranksters,in which they make a prank call to the mob and get in a hell of a lot of trouble...if you see it anywhere,GET IT,it's pretty hard to find,and also deserves five stars.Well,I hope this clears up some of the confusion between these two vids...bye for now you bunch of loudmouth liverlips!

Hillarious prank calls!
Man, this is a hillarious video full of hillarious prank calls. All five of the Jerkey boys succeeded in this movie. The Jerkey Boys creators went on to announce on a tour bus also and were announce in a groecery store with the voices that made me take a big wizz in my pants. Now, I want this video for special occasions. ... Read more

Reviews (125)

Profoundly moving journey to enlightenment
I wonder if this movie could be made today - after all, it doesn't have any computer-generated special effects, it demands the viewer's complete attention, and really needs to be seen more than once to appreciate fully the meaning of all of the scenes. Incredible too is that the writer (Bruce Joel Rubin) was working on the filming of this and his more popular movie "Ghost" at the same time. Director Adrian Lynne wisely avoided some of the more sacharrine touches that Rubin had in the original script (such as the view of "Heaven") and added many subtle disturbing elements of his own. The final result is a film that you will think about long after you see it, a man's journey through the bardo state to his final enlightenment. In a way, this is the cinematic equivalent of a Pettersson symphony - an emotional catharsis after the long, dark night of the soul. I'm not ashamed to say that I cry like a baby every time I watch it.

Comparisons with Bierce's "Occurrance at Owl Creek Bridge" and "Carnival of Souls" are inevitable and not out of place, but "Jacob's Ladder" has more layers than either of those and ambitiously takes on the psychological layers of one man's life, the tension between the comforts of home, wife and family and the unfufilled desires he harbors.

There are some violent scenes and very disturbing imagery throughout the movie; after all, it *is* about war, fear, and death. However, none of it is gratuitous, and the use of strobe lighting, quick cuts, and odd camera angles keep the viewer from being able to see anything definite. But don't say you weren't warned....

The DVD's documentary and deleted scenes, along with the director's commentary, will enable the first-time viewer to get a more complete idea of what is happening. I've watched this film at least a dozen times, and never fail to see something new in it each time. Sound and image quality are excellent.

This one isn't for casual viewing; it is *certainly* not a Saturday-night time killer, nor is it a "horror" movie in the standard sense of the term. Still, absolutley my highest recommendation.

Good movie... but oh so strange
This movie freaked me out the first time I saw it. I began to understand it better after the 2nd and 3rd watch. Tim Robbins is one of my favorite actors - and if he appeals to you, you MUST see this movie. Robbins' character (Jacob Singer) is a Vietnam vet who is suffering all kinds of post war problems... most of which came about from the army testing a powerful drug on him during war time in Vietnam. Is it real? Is he dreaming? It's hard to tell at times what's real & what's not. Those men in the car without faces - what did they really want? Good supporting roles by Danny Aiello (as Jacob's chiropractor) and Elizabeth Pena (as Jacob's girlfriend). Haunting, disturbing, violent, nightmarish, suspenseful and SURPRISING (at the end) are all choice words in describing this film. Outside of "The Shawshank Redemption", this is my favorite Tim Robbins film.

True Horror is Psychological Horror
Deft director Adrian Lyne creates a world that draws you in
and horrifies you. Not because you know what you're seeing, but because you don't understand and want to so badly.
Tim Robbins does a masterful job as someone caught in situations he doesn't understand. Awful things begin to occur between him as he is swept between two lives, one with his ex-wife and (dead) son and another with the sexy Jesse, one of his co-workers at the post office. He feels trapped and is hunted by monstrous, malformed things he cannot fathom. This chilling film gave the creators of Silent Hill plenty of material to work with and combine with their own artistic visions.
Recommended for anyone who likes a good scare, and also wants a
film they can talk about with friends afterward.

THE ENIGMATIC PSYCHOLOGICAL RAVAGES OF WAR..
Jacob's Ladder is easily one of those underrated gems in the horror genre that aren't gory and don't feature a wisecracking slasher villain to appeal to the horror crowd, yet are surreal and disturbing enough to interest most mainstream audiences.

No doubt that Adrian Lynne has provided the inspiration for several films and music videos with its dark and extremely horrifying images of the rising paranoid insanity that appear in hallucinatory flashbacks at first.

As the story progresses the line between what is real in a war veteran's nightmares and what is not becomes blurred, both for the protagonist himself as well as for the audience, and in such a way that you cannot escape questioning yourself during and after the movie. Questions that do not necessarily lend themselves to easy answers. But the movie offers its own interpretations (in a somewhat watered down ending) while still allowing for the audience to draw its own conclusions.

Everything is right in this movie. The direction, acting and dialogue are intriguing. The plot is intricate but unfolds logically at a decent pace. The photography is atmospheric and and the special effects are understated yet effective. The character of the protagonist is developed immaculately, his anguish is almost palpable.

Unless you're super-squeamish, this is a fascinating movie. Especially if you have a taste for the ilk of Donnie Darko, Lost Highway, or pretty much anything by David Lynch.

Not even worth renting.
I enjoyed this movie when I saw it in the theatre when it came out. I used a lot of drugs back then, so that explains it. I just watched this again yesterday. Folks, I literally SUFFERED through "Jacob's Ladder" this time around. I couldn't wait for it to end. Tin Robbins is usually pretty good, but even he seems bored to death in his role. I would not recommend this film to anyone and I do not understand why it's gotten such high praise. ... Read more

Description

A mid-level Wall Street executive, lured by the quick, easy money available from selling crack, becomes entangled in a downward spiral of addiction and faces losing his wife, his children and even his own life as he struggles to free himself of the drug and the desperate society of crackheads, dealers and users. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A must see for all young adults
If anyone ever wanted a reason no to do drugs, this is the movie. More powerful than any lecture or discussion could ever dream of being, this film shows so clearly what crack addiction is like. This movie should be shown to every high school senior.

LIFE OF SWEET NOTHINGNESS
Sweet Nothing is a fantastic movie portraying the lives of a young couple struggling to have a life in NYC.A young Michael Imperioli,and Mira Sorvino lend credence to a story of drugs,love,and loss! A MUST SEE!

Amazing!!
This movie is not just about drugs but its about a family's struggle to get out of an endless ditch that is drugs. Amazing acting, storyline and directing. I think its a must see for anybody, it really shows you the meaning of true survival. I loved it and i want to thank everybody that made this movie possible for me to watch. ... Read more

Amazon.com

John Candy has one of his finest opportunities in this film by John Hughes (The Breakfast Club) about a perpetual screw-up (Candy) who gets his act together enough to watch over his brother's kids effectively. The late actor scores big points resurrecting elements of his more decadent persona from SCTV days, but he also has some persuasively touching, sentimental moments. Hughes's direction is not as focused as it was only a few years before, but there's no mistaking his touch. The DVD release has a widescreen presentation, production notes, biographies, Dolby sound, optional Spanish and French soundtracks. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (54)

The Whole Charm of John Candy!
When his sister-in-law's father suffers a heart attack and needs to travel, UNCLE BUCK (John Candy ) is called in, the last available person to come and watch the kids. Certainly, an uncle should be able to take off without hitches. But, UNCLE BUCK, is one of those playful adults who has been dances his way out full-time employment and a marital contract with his frustrated girlfriend, Chanice Kobolowski (Amy Madigan). The plot thickens with humor as UNCLE BUCK tries to deal with an snobish teenager trying to undermine every aspect of his life in her home.

This is a comical story and adult guardians and the difficulty of growing up. If you have scene the chopped-up verion on TV, you haven't seen the whole of John Candy. I particularly missed the golf-lessons with Bug.

Look for great performaces by Laurie Metcalf ( Jacky, the sister from ROSEANNE the series), Jean Louisa Kelly, Gaby Hoffmann, Macaulay Culkin ( from Home Alone. He's about 4 or 5 in this), Amy Madigan, Elaine Bromka, and Jay Underwood.

Buck is.....well, Buck.
John Candy is Uncle Buck. Directed by John Hughes this movie is anything but boring. Buck's sister in law just found out that her father who lives out of town just had a heart attack. Desperately needing a baby sitter for their three young kids, (one of which is Macaulay Culkin from Home Alone), they turn to Buck, a party going guy, who at the age of 40 is still un-employed, un-married and un-knowing in the art of raising children. But "no problem" he thinks...."kids are easy". Wrong, what he finds is a house full of responsibility with a rebellious teen to take care of as well as her younger brother and sister. Meanwhile his girlfriend keeps more pressure on him about the two of them getting married, despite the fact that Buck just doesn't want to settle down. Uncle Buck is a classic comedy thats just plain fun to watch so don't miss it.

I give this movie only 4 stars despite its appeal to me due to the fact that I give only movies that overly hilarious from beginning to end a 5 star rating. Uncle Buck though does have a few parts that are without comic relief, but that doesn't stop the story or that particular part of the movie from being entertaining. Its still a great family comedy classic.

Another great John Candy comedy

Director: John Hughes
Format: Color
Studio: Universal Studios
Video Release Date: January 19, 1999

Cast:

John Candy ... Buck Russell
Jean Louisa Kelly ... Tia Russell
Gaby Hoffmann ... Maisy Russell
Macaulay Culkin ... Miles Russell
Amy Madigan ... Chanice Kobolowski
Elaine Bromka ... Cindy Russell
Garrett M. Brown ... Bob Russell
Laurie Metcalf ... Marcie Dahlgren-Frost
Jay Underwood ... Bug
Brian Tarantina ... E. Roger Coswell
Mike Starr ... Pooter-the-Clown
Suzanne Shepherd ... Mrs. Hogarth
William Windom ... Mr. Hatfield
Dennis Cockrum ... Pal
Joel Robinson ... Miles' Friend #1
Colin Baumgartner ... Miles' Friend #2
Erik Whipple ... Miles' Friend #3
Mark Rosenthal ... Party Boy #1
Doug von Nessen ... Party Boy #2
Wayne Kneeland ... Party Boy #3
Gigi Casler ... Party Girl in Bedroom
LaVerne Anderson ... Party Girl #1
Gina Doctor ... Party Girl #2
Rachel Thompson Perrine ... Party Girl #3
Ron Payne ... Maisy's Teacher

Jane Vickerilla ... Teacher #1
Kyle Lewis Eastman ... School Child
Dana Taylor ... School Child
Jennifer Kane ... School Child
Christen Loftis ... School Child
Genae Affrunti ... School Child
Anna Chlumsky ... School Child
Betsy Bottando ... Woman in Car
Julia Morgan ... Additional Voices
Granville Ames ... Additional Voices
Ramey Ellis ... Additional Voices
Leigh French ... Additional Voices
Patricia Arquette ... Additional Voices
Laura Jacoby ... Additional Voices

Devon Odessa ... Additional Voices
Arnold F. Turner ... Additional Voices
Garin Bouble ... Additional Voices
Tim Hoskins ... Additional Voices
Julie Payne ... Additional Voices
Jack Blessing ... Additional Voices
Todd Larson ... Additional Voices
Michael Berkowitz ... Student
Ryan Todd ... School Child

The Russell's have to go to Indianapolis because Cindy's (Elaine Bromka) father has had a heart attack. They can't find anyone to watch their three children while they are gone except batchelor uncle Buck (John Candy), Bob's brother (Garrett M. Brown). The little kid's, Maisy and Miles (Gaby Hoffman and Macaulay Culkin) are no great problem, with the exception of the teenage girl, Tia, (Jean Louisa Kelly), who is a pouting, angry, snotty, rebellious little jerk. She treats her mother disrespectfully, is self-centered, and carries that attitude on to Buck, who is trying to do the right things by the kids, In other words, she is playing the part of an ordinary 15-year-old who has never been properly disciplined by her parents.

This was a great movie. I particularly enjoyed the parts where Buck was threatening Tia's boyfriend, Bug (Jay Underwood), who has dishonorable designs on the girl. Buck's threatening attitude was delicious, and my appreciation no doubt reflects my own dislike of teenaged boys, the same feelings as any man who has had teenaged daughters to raise. Namely: that they should all be imprisoned until they are at least 40-years-old and rendered eunuchs, and the girls' fathers need to be well armed at all times with shotguns, and the boys in question should be left with absolutely no doubt as to the fathers' willingness--even eagerness--to use them with the intent to emasculate the culprits who dare to even think about touching their daughter.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

Uncle Buck Is Totally Funny!!!
When I first saw this movie on TV I knew I was going to like this even before I watched it.My favorite part in the movie is Macaulay Culkin who plays Miles Russell asks Buck those personal questions to him that part was just too Cute!!!Macaulay Culkin was such a very Cute Kid in this movie.And I also like John Candy,too.I feel so bad that he's dead now.This movie is the Best,I gotta get This Movie!!!!!!

Buck Russell... Best Uncle EVER!
John Candy has his BEST performance EVER in this film by John Hughes. "Uncle" Buck Russell (Candy) is a perpetual screw-up who HAS to get his act together enough to watch over his older brother's three kids & dog, Tia, Miles, Maisy and puppy, Parsey since his sister-in-law's father had a heart attack.

The cast includes Mac Culkin as Miles, Gaby Hoffman as Maisy, Amy Madigan as Buck's girlfriend, Chanice Kobolowski, & Laurie Metcalf (Roseanne's sister, Jackie) as the crazy neighbor lady, Marcie Dahlgren-Frost. Also billed in small parts are Anna Chlumsky (My Girl), Patricia Arquette, and Devon Odessa (My So-Called Life).

This film is totally hilarious but also has those wonderful John Candy touching/sentimental moments.

A wonderful family film that can be watched over and over again!

Happy Watching! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Vietnam veteran Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins) thinks he is going insane. Or worse. When his nightmares begin spilling into his waking hours, Jacob believes he is experiencing the aftereffects of a powerful drug tested on him during Vietnam. Or perhaps his posttraumatic stress disorder is worse than most. Whatever is happening to him, it is not good. Director Adrian Lyne sparks our interest and maintains high production values, but this confusing film chokes on its "surprise" ending. It owes much to Ambrose Bierce's haunting and more straightforward story, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek." Written by Bruce Joel Rubin, who also explored the "other side" in Ghost and My Life, it ultimately feels like an exercise in self-indulgence. A spirited performance by Elizabeth Peña outshines Robbins, who is surprisingly lethargic. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (125)

Profoundly moving journey to enlightenment
I wonder if this movie could be made today - after all, it doesn't have any computer-generated special effects, it demands the viewer's complete attention, and really needs to be seen more than once to appreciate fully the meaning of all of the scenes. Incredible too is that the writer (Bruce Joel Rubin) was working on the filming of this and his more popular movie "Ghost" at the same time. Director Adrian Lynne wisely avoided some of the more sacharrine touches that Rubin had in the original script (such as the view of "Heaven") and added many subtle disturbing elements of his own. The final result is a film that you will think about long after you see it, a man's journey through the bardo state to his final enlightenment. In a way, this is the cinematic equivalent of a Pettersson symphony - an emotional catharsis after the long, dark night of the soul. I'm not ashamed to say that I cry like a baby every time I watch it.

Comparisons with Bierce's "Occurrance at Owl Creek Bridge" and "Carnival of Souls" are inevitable and not out of place, but "Jacob's Ladder" has more layers than either of those and ambitiously takes on the psychological layers of one man's life, the tension between the comforts of home, wife and family and the unfufilled desires he harbors.

There are some violent scenes and very disturbing imagery throughout the movie; after all, it *is* about war, fear, and death. However, none of it is gratuitous, and the use of strobe lighting, quick cuts, and odd camera angles keep the viewer from being able to see anything definite. But don't say you weren't warned....

The DVD's documentary and deleted scenes, along with the director's commentary, will enable the first-time viewer to get a more complete idea of what is happening. I've watched this film at least a dozen times, and never fail to see something new in it each time. Sound and image quality are excellent.

This one isn't for casual viewing; it is *certainly* not a Saturday-night time killer, nor is it a "horror" movie in the standard sense of the term. Still, absolutley my highest recommendation.

Good movie... but oh so strange
This movie freaked me out the first time I saw it. I began to understand it better after the 2nd and 3rd watch. Tim Robbins is one of my favorite actors - and if he appeals to you, you MUST see this movie. Robbins' character (Jacob Singer) is a Vietnam vet who is suffering all kinds of post war problems... most of which came about from the army testing a powerful drug on him during war time in Vietnam. Is it real? Is he dreaming? It's hard to tell at times what's real & what's not. Those men in the car without faces - what did they really want? Good supporting roles by Danny Aiello (as Jacob's chiropractor) and Elizabeth Pena (as Jacob's girlfriend). Haunting, disturbing, violent, nightmarish, suspenseful and SURPRISING (at the end) are all choice words in describing this film. Outside of "The Shawshank Redemption", this is my favorite Tim Robbins film.

True Horror is Psychological Horror
Deft director Adrian Lyne creates a world that draws you in
and horrifies you. Not because you know what you're seeing, but because you don't understand and want to so badly.
Tim Robbins does a masterful job as someone caught in situations he doesn't understand. Awful things begin to occur between him as he is swept between two lives, one with his ex-wife and (dead) son and another with the sexy Jesse, one of his co-workers at the post office. He feels trapped and is hunted by monstrous, malformed things he cannot fathom. This chilling film gave the creators of Silent Hill plenty of material to work with and combine with their own artistic visions.
Recommended for anyone who likes a good scare, and also wants a
film they can talk about with friends afterward.

THE ENIGMATIC PSYCHOLOGICAL RAVAGES OF WAR..
Jacob's Ladder is easily one of those underrated gems in the horror genre that aren't gory and don't feature a wisecracking slasher villain to appeal to the horror crowd, yet are surreal and disturbing enough to interest most mainstream audiences.

No doubt that Adrian Lynne has provided the inspiration for several films and music videos with its dark and extremely horrifying images of the rising paranoid insanity that appear in hallucinatory flashbacks at first.

As the story progresses the line between what is real in a war veteran's nightmares and what is not becomes blurred, both for the protagonist himself as well as for the audience, and in such a way that you cannot escape questioning yourself during and after the movie. Questions that do not necessarily lend themselves to easy answers. But the movie offers its own interpretations (in a somewhat watered down ending) while still allowing for the audience to draw its own conclusions.

Everything is right in this movie. The direction, acting and dialogue are intriguing. The plot is intricate but unfolds logically at a decent pace. The photography is atmospheric and and the special effects are understated yet effective. The character of the protagonist is developed immaculately, his anguish is almost palpable.

Unless you're super-squeamish, this is a fascinating movie. Especially if you have a taste for the ilk of Donnie Darko, Lost Highway, or pretty much anything by David Lynch.

Not even worth renting.
I enjoyed this movie when I saw it in the theatre when it came out. I used a lot of drugs back then, so that explains it. I just watched this again yesterday. Folks, I literally SUFFERED through "Jacob's Ladder" this time around. I couldn't wait for it to end. Tin Robbins is usually pretty good, but even he seems bored to death in his role. I would not recommend this film to anyone and I do not understand why it's gotten such high praise. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Based on a memoir by former undercover cop Joe Pistone (whose daring and unprecedented infiltration of the New York Mob scene earned him a place in the federal witness protection program), Donnie Brasco is like a de-romanticized, de-mythologized version of The Godfather. It offers an uncommonly detailed, privileged glimpse inside the world of organized crime from the perspective of the little guys at the bottom of Mafia hierarchy rather than from the kingpins at the top. Donnie Brasco is not only one of the great modern-day gangster movies to put in the company of The Godfather films and GoodFellas, but it is also one of the great undercover police movies--arguably surpassing Serpico and Prince of the City in richness of character, detail, and moral complexity. Donnie (Johnny Depp, a splendid actor) is practically adopted by Lefty Ruggiero (Al Pacino), a gregarious, low-level "made" man who grows to love his young protégé like a son. (Pacino really sinks into this guy's skin and polyester slacks, and creates his freshest, most fully realized character since his 1970s heyday.) As Donnie acclimates himself to Lefty's world, he distances himself from his wife (a terrific Anne Heche) and family for their own protection. Almost imperceptibly his sense of identity slips away from him. Questioning his own confused loyalties, unable to trust anybody else because he himself is an imposter, Donnie loses his way in a murky and treacherous no-man's land. The film is directed by Mike Newell, who also headed up Four Weddings and a Funeral and the gritty, true crime melodrama Dance with a Stranger. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (85)

Based on a true story....
Working undercover as a jewel dealer Joe Pistone (Johnny Depp) earns the trust of Lefty Ruggiero (Al Pacino). Lefty vouches for Joe and brings him into his mob family. What was supposed to be a three-month assignment for Joe turns into several years. Joe begins to drift away from his own family and deep into the mob. He and Lefty form a strong bond and a father son relationship. When the investigation is coming to an end Joe realizes that his only way out of the mob is to betray his friend.

The film is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. It is a very nice transfer the only flaw I noticed was a hint of grain occasionally. A Dolby Digital 5.0 audio track is provided. The surround speakers are hardly used. When they are its mostly only for music. With a movie like this that is mostly dialogue its understandable. This special edition DVD has several extras. The highlights are a director's commentary, two featurettes, deleted scenes and trailers. The featurette titled "Donnie Brasco: Out of the Shadows" was excellent. It gives a lot of background on the film and contains several interviews with the cast and crew. The deleted scenes are nice to see but I can understand why they were cut from the film.

For those of you thinking this is just another mob movie, you are wrong. Instead of showing the top of the crime family tree like many other films this one shows the bottom. It shows soldiers that are scraping at the bottom of the barrel and are just trying to make ends meet. This is a film that stands on its own on many levels. It was perfectly cast with Johnny Depp, Al Pacino, Michael Madsen and Anne Heche. If you like mob movies or just fine acting this is one film you need to see.

A Mobster Masterpiece Worth Watching Over and Over Again
Based on a true story that is so amazing and shocking, "Donnie Brasco" is a fantastic film that hooks you from start to finish. With stars like Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, Michael Madsen, and many more, this is a movie that should be seen by all.

FBI Joseph D. Pistone is an undercover agent who's goal is to get into the violent and unpredictable mob world. He goes the by name of Donnie Brasco. Soon he is discovered by Lefty Ruggiero, who sees potential in the kid, not aware of who Brasco really is. He brings him into the family and the world of the Mafia. It doesn't take long for Joseph to get so deep into the action that he starts to become one of them. This unforgettable picture shows us that sometimes you can become what you chase if you're in too long, and that in order to catch a monster you may become one yourself in the process.

I became addicted to this film in no time. It's one of my favorites that I have seen over and over again, and it hasn't gotten old yet. The acting and directing is all fantastic. Al Pacino really shines, as always, and Johnny Depp gives an Academy Award performance as the FBI agent. He actually spent time with the real Joseph Pistone to get his character down, as he did when he was working on "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." Michael Madsen is also terrific and can once again send chills down our spines just as he did in "Reservoir Dogs."

This new special edition of the DVD is much, MUCH better than the original. First off, the sound and picture quality has really improved. Especially the picture; it looks a lot better than the first version that came out. There are also a lot of extras, including features such as director's commentary, and exclusive featurette, the original featurette, deleted scenes, trailers, and more. The featurettes are very interesting and makes the DVD that much more special. A very high quality special edition, if you ask me.

All in all, "Donnie Brasco" is an outstanding picture on all fronts. Filled with drama and suspense, this is a film that will take you deep into the world of the Mafia. The only question is how far would you go? And would you risk becoming one of them when it's all said and done? Excellent all the way!

More of the Same
There are so many great mafia/mobster movies out there. This aint one of them. Slow and preachy. Pacino plays a schmuck and Depp's character must have rocks in his head for going undercover. Kind of dull.

Finally we know what 'fuggedaboudit' means
Donnie Brasco is based on a true story but it is still gripping. Donnie Brasco is the alias of Joe Pistone, an undercover agent. He joins the mob as a help of Lefty played by Al Pacino. Pacino again plays a great mobster. This time as just a spoke, and sometimes not very smart.

But DB gets so involved that he does not know on which side he is, that is what loyalty does to him. Even his marriage is almost falling apart.

Depp and Pacino are of course brilliant as ever and this is another great maffia movie like Goodfellas are the Godfather.

Great Movie
Al Pacino learns what its like to be Fredo Corleone in this movie..being stepped on, stepped over, getting no respect, and finally getting killed by people he trusted...he plays a loser trying keep his head above water with great conviction. Johnny Depp holds his own on the screen and gives another great performance as well.. ... Read more

Reviews (131)

Loud, Flashy Excrement
A film designed simply to appall and disgust the audience, SUMMER OF SAM is the only film I've seen in a theatre in recent years which caused a sizable portion of the audience to leave before the film was over. Supposedly a film about emotional hysteria during the Son of Sam killings during the summer of 1977, SUMMER OF SAM is really just Spike Lee's exercise in thoroughly trashing and dehumanizing the Italian-American community.

It really is a sight to behold the utter contempt that Lee has for his characters. They are simply crude stereotypes, seemingly with little or no redeeming qualities, or even humanity. It is on parallel with watching the portrayal of African-Americans in D.W. Griffith's THE BIRTH OF A NATION. The script is awful, and the acting by an excellent cast is uninspired at best. The only sincere performance is that of Adrien Brody. His performance and SUMMER OF SAM's beautiful cinematography are the only virtues to this film crud, which seems to go on forever, despite plenty of gratuitous sex, drug use, and violence.

Fans of self-exalted trash epics that laughably take themselves seriously, such as CALIGULA, MANDINGO, and SHOWGIRLS, should definitely add this to their collection. All other non-masochists should steer clear of this one.

Great movie
I was hesitant to watch this movie, having read such mixed reviews. When I finally saw it the other night, I wished I had watched it sooner. Spike Lee does a great job of creating a story and characters that are totally absorbing. The film was intense and had me interested from beginning to end.

As other reviewers have stated, this is not about Son of Sam, but about the Summer of Sam. Even though this serial killer's character was kept in the background, he took center stage because of how he affected so many others. The story was just as suspenseful as any good thriller, and on many different levels.

What I found particularly interesting was how they portrayed the marriage of characters John Leguizamo and Miro Sorvino, and showed how Leguizamo's deeply ingrained religious/cultural beliefs impacted their relationship and kept him from having with his wife what he sought out with other women.

The acting was great and -- Wow! -- what a cast. It was a veritable feast of familiar faces -- Bebe Neuwirth, John Savage, Mira Sorvino, Ben Gazzarra, Patti LuPone, etc. etc. A real surprise was seeing actor Michael Imperioli and then reading in the credits that he was one of the writers of the film. It would seem that the story line for his character "Christopher" on the Sopranos (where he has writing aspirations) mirrors his real-life abilities. This is one talented guy.

All in all, this is a great film that keeps you thinking -- and one of those rare movies that, if you watch it again, will show you things you hadn't seen before.

Spike Lee's brilliant direction
Spike lee is a brilliant director and it show's with this movie. his direction and placement of camera positions and angels is just plain remarkable! this movie is a masterpiece of film makeing, good job Mr. Spike Lee!!! I only hope you continue to make more film's with this style.

interesting film on one neighborhood in 1977
In 1977, David Berkowitz aka "Son of Sam" was a serial killer in New York, targeting young brunette women. Spike Lee centers this film on one New York neighborhood as they react to the news and decide for themselves who is guilty, choosing their punk friend Richie (Adrien Brody) as their suspect.

Meanwhile, David Berkowitz lies in a squalid apartment in his own madness, sure that his big black dog Harvey is speaking to him (in John Turturro's voice, no less) and insrtucting him to go out and kill.

New York in 1977 was also struck with a heat wave, and the oppressive heat seems an appropriate metaphor for all the events that reach a boiling point and culminate into a tragic violent explosion.

Fair Effort on Spike's Part
I respect Spike Lee though I sometimes find his movies confusing and misguided, then again that's just his way. Summer of Sam is full of Spike's usual wit and charm brought to the surface by some colorful and very talented actors. John Leguizamo proves his range from comedy to drama in the role of Vinnie, a coke-sniffing womanizer who's married to ( Dionna )Mira Sorvino. I felt Mira wasn't needed. She just didn't have enough to do and her role wasn't sufficient. Dionna and Vinnie have no chemistry. You never really found out what Vinnie's sex-on-the side life had to do with the movie...I'm realizing nothing. Adrian Brody was wonderful as always. There were a lot of good supporting actors but somehow the script fell short. After the first thirty minutes of the film the movie turned into another " Crooklyn " or " School Daze " showing the old Spike Lee flavor. There is nothing wrong with the old flavor but with such A-list actors and such an intense story to follow up on, Summer of Sam falls short. It's full of exciting scenes but these are the same scenes that are not needed. The story drifted off the subject too often it lost its impact. I didn't appreciate the baffling camera movements, they only took away from the story. And by the way...was Spike Lee trying to prove how many times he could use the F word? If so I think Summer of Sam wins hands down with the most usage.

I would recommend this as something to see once because it's a different film experience. I can't say I was impressed or disappointed. I was just very...confused. ... Read more

Description

Drama. When a respected New York homicide detective (Robert De Niro) discovers the prime suspect in a murder case is his estranged son (James Franco), he is forced to return home to the decaying boardwalks of Long Beach, Long Island to confront the darkness of his past. During the course of the investigation, he realizes that his failures as a father - and his unresolved anguish about the painful estrangement - have deeply influenced his son's life, and he must put his own life on the line in order to do right by both his family and his profession. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Excellent Character Sketches
This is an above average cop drama. In addition to the typical murder plot and good guy vs bad guy theme, the primary focus is on the intense and tumultuous relationships between a few finely developed characters.

The guilt, regret and heartache of DeNiro's character do not allow him or the film to be be humorous however a few scenes generate an unexpected laugh. This film is virtually all drama. The relationship of Deniro's character with that of McDormand's and Franco's, richly illustrate man's ability to confront all of the grief and anguish of his past. Robert DeNiro, Frances McDormand and James Franco are all excellent in their acting.

Because the relationships are so intense and the characters so richly developed, you can't help but to empathize with every one of them. The twists and turns in the plot make you wonder how much DeNiro's emotionally closed off character can handle before something changes. This movie makes you sit with the discomfort of each of its characters.

City By The Sea was filmed in the decayed ruins of the shore town and boardwalk of Asbury Park NJ. The Atlantic Ocean and the dilapidated remains of the boardwalk and vacant buildings provide an excellent urban yet coastal set for this story which takes place in the seaside NY town of Long Beach just outside NYC. There are also a few excellent and vivid images of the Twin Towers in this film which only add to the emotional experience by reigniting more feelings of anguish and loss. The Dolby Digital background sound effect of the ocean surf in a few scenes adds a sense of tranquility to this drama.

Although the movie includes the typical shooting and violence scenes, this cop drama is more about real relationships.

A Solid Story Behind This Film Noir
From the outset of this very interesting and touching little film we view the glory days of Long Beach, New York - a grand Atlantic City-type place with Americana spread all over it and old time music as played on a tacky old Victrola. This Eden fades into the deserted and dilapidated smarmy place that today is home for druggies and derelicts. We slowly discover that a kid whose father was a 'murderer' was saved by a cop and now plays that life role, only to have deserted his own boy through a tangled divorce. Both the father and the son and the grandson need to love, to belong, to find some degree of sense to the mutations of time. The general driver of the film is a reconciliation of boys and fathers despite all the real and imagined distance that can occur. The film is beautifully atmospheric but the true glory here is the cast: Robert DeNiro, James Franco, Frances Dormand, Patti Lupone, William Forsythe, and some new faces that really light up the story - all are consummate pros and really deliver top notch performances. Predictable, yes, but then there are so many many ways to examine father/son relationships and this is certainly one of the better ones.

Good acting, Very Good storyline.
This is a movie with a good handle on reality-- warts and all. It focusses on imperfect characters who feel completely real-- incuding DeNiro, whose acting, bad haircut, extra weight, and "average joe" clothing all successfully overcome our preconceived notion of DeNiro as a top-of-his-game mafiosa.
Instead, we see DeNiro, but AS THIS CHARACTER: a warts-and-all cop & bad father, looking for a second chance.

Also, DeNiro's star power doesn't overshadow this movie's second plotline, about a junkie (DeNiro's son), also looking for a second chance....and some kind of family life.

Likewise, the physical setting and peripheral relationships all have a REAL feel. Viewers will come away with the feeling that this is the seamy, redeemable side of real life.. a place you wouldn't want to live, but a state you can recover from.

*spoilers ahead. Stop reading now, if you hate spoilers.*
We get a happy ending, but not a Hollywood unbelievable ending. Some of the relationships STAY fractured, and other elements of the resolution also have that real, imperfect, but therefore acceptably non-saccharine happy ending.

Good Role Model
City By The Sea is an excellent video for my collection of
DeNiro movies, keep up the excellent movie making.

The Sins of the Fathers . . .
"City by the Sea" begins as a typical cop drama - Vincent DeMarca (Robert DeNiro) is a good solid New Jersey cop with a history. His father was executed as a "baby-killer", and now Vincent's own son Joey (James Franco), whom he abandoned as a young boy, is a strung out junkie suspected of killing DeMarca's partner. The scenes are predictably dingy and muted, with Frances McDormand popping out of her apartment now and then as DeMarca's girlfriend. The first part of this movie honestly felt like the pilot for a new television drama - with calculated character introductions and back story. But then something marvelous happens: the quality of the acting kicks in to elevate the film beyond its script. James Franco is astonishingly convincing as a junkie who both loves and despises his father, and DeNiro fools us into believing he's just an ordinary guy until the moment when all the layers are stripped off. Frances McDormand does a competent job with what she is given (not much) while adding a needed texture to DeMarca's life.

This film is probably the quietest cop drama I've ever seen because it's not about crimes one can be arrested for. It probes the fragile relationship between fathers and sons, and the obligations each needs to face. The film never picks up the slow paces it sets up in the beginning, so those hoping for the high action of traditional cop dramas will be disappointed. Make no mistake: this is a three-star movie raised to four stars by the performances of DeNiro and Franco. Still, the pivotal scene is a powerful one. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's New Year's Eve and a serial killer stalks the streets of New York, looking for his next victim.Under pressure from the public and the press,Police Commissioner Frank Starkey (Harvey Keitel) and the mayor (Rod Steiger) reinstate Starkey's brother Nick (Kevin Kline) in the force to track down the murderer.Nick was pressured to resign some years back and bad blood remains between him and his brother; almost immediately he rubs his superior (Danny Aiello) the wrong way when he turns his office into a sort of beatnik den.Flanked by his eccentric buddy (Alan Rickman) and the mayor's daughter (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), Starkey goes about running the killer down his own way. This film is a confused muddle--not funny enough to be a comedy, not suspenseful enough to be a taut cop thriller, and without enough chemistry to be a romantic drama.The excellent cast is adrift in a screenplay that throws in everything but the kitchen sink; Keitel, Steiger, and Aiello go completely apoplectic every time they're onscreen together (which should please fans of over-the-top acting). The first screenplay by John Patrick Shanley after his Oscar win for Moonstruck is hardly cut of the same cloth. --Jerry Renshaw ... Read more

Reviews (15)

How come this didn't work better?
I ordered this, because I don't remember seeing it in Finland and because of the great actors. I mean: Kevin Kline, Harvey Keitel AND Alan Rickman! What more could a grown woman want?

The movie uses clichés with a twist: a heroic but difficult cop (Kline) who has been unjustly sacked and is now a fireman, but - being a genius in his work - gets called back to solve mysterious killings. Of course, the police department is against the idea. But there is no choice and he starts to work in his own terms, for instance bringing along an assistant, a moody artist (Rickman in a part where he speaks very little, which is always a shame). Brother (Keitel) isn't too thrilled either, because they still love the same woman (Sarandon). Mayor's daughter (Mastrantonio) gets sucked in, because her friend is murdered.

The movie has all the elements of comedy, humour, suspense and good actors and actresses - and still it misses something. Kline is fine as always and even in this small part Rickman makes an impression and it's hard to point out any flaws - but still it doesn't work as well as it could have.

Anyway, the movie is entertaining, not bad at all. Harmless fun with a couple of original jokes. Kline's cooking is very odd and Rickman's use of models even more personal.

Mark your Calendar..... good all year 'round..
sure, no car chases, no explosions....but an interesting plot with about a half-dozen twists...i first saw this film in spain in 1989....(in english, somehow) and have probably viewed it twice a year since. scores of friends (and my now grown son and daughter) have also found themsleves enamored of it.
rickman's turn is a far cry from his 'die hard' and 'quiqley down under' roles; kline is brilliant kline....no wonder he finally got an ocar for 'a fish called wanda'....allieo is just great, and steiger is, well, vintage stieger.
harvey keitel is semi-controlled sibling rivalry entrapped..the tension is palpable...susan sarandon is the tortured fatale that holds it together; mastrantonio's 'in a hundred years, we'll all be dead' has been my mantra ever since.
the tape's finally worn out. i gladly paid for the dvd...
would someone get me a cup of coffee, please? preferably an espresso?

Improbable? Yes, but...
It's the script that really brings this movie down. While the mystery itself is contrived and some of the acting is overplayed, the script is just pathetic. At least, that seems to be the only explanation for why this movie didn't work, since all of the actors have shown their talent elsewhere. I found it hard to immerse myself in the story when every other sentence was unbelievably stupid. There was one character, however, whose odd lines actually sounded right: Ed. Alan Rickman plays the eccentric artiste wonderfully, and the offbeat things he said didn't sound strange because the character himself was offbeat. Unfortunately, Ed is a man of few words. The story could have worked, but is instead undermined by the very weak script. One star for Alan Rickman as Ed, and another one for the chemistry between Rickman, Kline, and Mastrantonio. The trio's scenes together are the only ones worth watching.

Most Improbable Murder Method In The History Of Movies
The solution to the murder puzzle in this plot -- the manner in which the killer was choosing his victims -- was the most improbable and absolutely lamest contrivance in the entire history of mysteries -- and this extends backward in time to before the Big Bang, to include any films which might have been made in all the past universes which existed before our present one.

One interesting line of dialogue, however, was a comment Kevin Klein made to Susan Sarandon, asking about certain results when she thought about the money to which she now had access, due to marrying a rich man. It's the only time in a movie I have ever heard so precise a reference to that particular phenomenon -- it was simply something that is never referred to so specifically in mainstream cinema.

COMICAL CHARACTER STUDY WRAPPED IN A SUSPENSE THRILLER..
This movie is not a typical "mystery thriller," at least not in the usual sense of the genre. The characters unravel intriguingly but very fluidly, and it is easy to relate to almost all of them (I bet we can all think of parallels in our own lives.)

Theme-wise it is ostensibly presented as a suspense movie where an ex-cop (Kevin Kline) is re-instated into a homicide detective role to solve a brutal murder spree by a NY psychopath. There is an interesting subplot of unrequited romance between Kline's character and his brother's (who is commissioner of police) wife. Kline's artist friend, his new girl friend (the Mayor's daughter), and in fact the Mayor himself -- are all amusing characters. But Kline is clearly the pivot of the movie, he turned what many might consider a very below standard screenplay and turned it into a very keepable film.

The cinematography is neat, the dialog entertainingly scattershot and the movie flows with a very good pace. Most people who revile this under-rated but actually very watchable movie do so because it doesn't fit any Hollywoodesqe molds. It is not a suspense movie alone (clearly, to me, it didn't make any overt attempts to be) -- it is also a very adult and somewhat intellectual but credible study of multiple intertwined characters.

The ending surprised me a bit, but I don't think it was chinsy or overdone. It was probably supposed to try and imitate real life and I'd say it did so.

And with that kind of a price tag, this is definitely a steal. Recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Great Movie
Whoopi Goldberg stars in THE ASSOCIATE, a humorous movie about the stock market and a woman finding her way. She plays Laurel Ayers, a stock broker who is promised a promotion. When her co worker takes her promotion right from under her, she is determined to make it on her own. She quits and starts her own company. To her dismay she finds out that it's not easy making it in the world as a woman, doors are constantly slammed in her face because of her gender, so she sets out to take the world over by storm, by creating a fictional person, Robert Cutty. Yes she creates a man and even dresses up as one. Cutty takes the world by storm, but Laurel has to keep up with her charade. Eventually she realizes that Cutty has been nothing but trouble for her, no one cares about what SHE has been doing, and a man is still getting all the credit for her ideas. So she sets out to kill a fictional man that doesn't exist! She realizes she is no better than she was, because Cutty is getting credit for all her work and ideas. ...Overall a really humorous and well acted film, worth seeing many times.

Very Entertaining!
I truly love this movie! I have been trying to get it on DVD eversince I first watched it in March 1997 on my way to the UK. Whoopi Goldberg's acting is convincing but I liked Dianne Wiest's supporting role. A very entertainingly funny plot will keep you laughing most of the time through the whole movie.

He Look-a-Like-A-Man!
I must have seen this movie about twenty times or more! Each time I viewed it, I discovered something new in the movie!I loved
when Whoopi finally got a break-through and was given an account to prove her worth as a business woman! Women are still looked down in 2002 in many fields!The White Male is still given every thing over the Black woman and the white woman! Opray was the frist African American woman given close to a billion in revenue, we're cousins by the way Opray and I! No, really!!

viewing the movie helped me to make many successful deals without feeling like a helpless female!

Anyway Whoopi plays a guy as well as she does a girl! Five stars for you Whoopi!

Not a Great Comedy but Sometimes genuine humor film.
Wall street analyst (Oscar-Winner:Whoopi Goldberg) cannot survived in the World Business Men. So, she sets up with a Phony Fictitious business male partner and she decide to dress herself as a Man!

This Comedy is a Remake from a French 1982 film. Goldberg is Quite Good in the lead. Great suppoting cast:Including-Two Time Oscar Winner:Dianne Wiest, Eli Wallach, Timothy Daly, Bebe Neuworth, Austin Pendleton and Lainie kazan. Directed by Donald Pertie (Grumpier old men) has made a good comedy but he has made funnier films that this one. Grade:B.

Badly acted; not very entertaining
Any one who has the faintest inkling of how Wall St works will find this movie a joke. I can't believe the other reviews giving four or five stars. I was very disappointed with the whole thing. Whoopi seems very uninvolved in her acting. The movie just drags and drags. Many of the so called comic scenes are very contrived. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Bed of Nails" would have been a better title for this romance, an excruciating exercise that brings out all the worst in the genre. Christian Slater's performance is the high point of this flick, but his character is so obvious that even his subtle skills ultimately makes little difference. Slater plays Lewis, a florist who looks up one night during one of his habitual nocturnal walks and spies Mary Stuart Masterson weeping in a window. The next day he follows her to work and delivers a gorgeous arrangement of posies, leaving her guessing as to the identity of her secret admirer. We must wonder why Lewis pursues her with abandon, as Masterson's character Lisa seems nothing but a dull workaholic. Well, okay, she's also neurotic. First-time director-writer Michael Goldenberg's lopsided script lets us see the psychic damage harbored by both of the main characters, but doesn't make Lisa interesting enough to warrant all the attention heaped upon her, whereas Lewis is a model of perfection.Goldenberg often slips and slides over many details in thestory. Since the dialogue is not particularly witty or meaningful, andthe plot has pretty much withered by the second reel, there isn't muchleft on the screen to enjoy. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (48)

A GREAT LOVE STORY THAT WILL LIVE ON AND ON.
A very wholesome story that I can't stop watching. I bought two copies yesterday. One for me and one for my daughter. I fell madly in love with Mary and Lewis. Such a sweet love story-I loved the way Lewis allowed her to do the kissing and didn't demand to much of her. It was refreshing to see a man who respected a woman, who was close to his family. It's such a uplifting movie that anytime that I'm down I put it on. this is the first time I've ever watch anything over 3 times and I've lost count how many times I've watch this. I've rented UNTAMED HEART today and it's excellent but BED OF ROSES is way above it. I got on internet and have read all I could find about Christian and plan to watch all his work except the violent movies. I was just thrilled to see that he has become a christian and I for one will be praying for him.

Absolutely Wonderful - Can't Stop Watching It!!
Bed of Roses is the best movie I have seen in a long, long time. On a scale of 1-10, Christian Slater is a 30!!! This is just a great romantic movie, without the violence, sex and swearing that most movies have. I have watched it 4 times and plan to watch it again. Mary Stuart Masterson is also great. I would love to see both of them do another movie. They are great together - like Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. The music was also great. I love the songs that are sung and would love to know where I can get the soundtrack. I can't rave enough about this movie. Thanks for the GREAT entertainment!!

~Beautiful~
This is one of my favorite movie of Christian Slater, very sweet, soft & gentle, romantic heart-warming film. Christian plays as a florist. His passion, honest, and true love rescues a cold-hearted business-oriented New Yorker lady Lisa (played by Mary Stuart Masterson). They fall in love together quite fast, but some imprefect childhood and psychological barriers separate them apart. Unlike the other great movie 'Untamed Heart', this one has a good happy ending. This is truely indeed a beautiful story.

Sweet Story of Love
Lisa is a workaholic basically feeding her [adult] drive with promotions and accolades from her boss. She eats and breathes her work trying to cover up her pain. But one night it breaks through and a young man, Slater, sees her. He is a man who I would love to meet. Very sensitive, he gives her flowers, hiding the fact he sent them. He is so child like and sweet, Lisa can't help but fall for him. The scenery is rich with flowers and plants and pretty buildings. Lisa holds a terrible secret, the film doesn't delve into it to much just playing out Lisa's boderline behavior. Slater works to keep the relationship real. The movie works because of the sweetness. The plot is not unusual, but Slater's character is a nice touch.

Lisa Nary

Enjoyed this one.
The film, while it has some minor shortcommings, overall was very likeable. Both Christian and Mary played the parts with genuine feeling. And Kate Seagull ( I think!) almost stole the show with her performance as the best friend. One thing I noticed on the dvd was that the theatrical trailer carried some scenes that were not in the film, and I am wondering how to find (if there is) this film with those deleted scenes. The film was a little short and those scenes may elaborate the story line. Also add to an entertaining film. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

How come this didn't work better?
I ordered this, because I don't remember seeing it in Finland and because of the great actors. I mean: Kevin Kline, Harvey Keitel AND Alan Rickman! What more could a grown woman want?

The movie uses clichés with a twist: a heroic but difficult cop (Kline) who has been unjustly sacked and is now a fireman, but - being a genius in his work - gets called back to solve mysterious killings. Of course, the police department is against the idea. But there is no choice and he starts to work in his own terms, for instance bringing along an assistant, a moody artist (Rickman in a part where he speaks very little, which is always a shame). Brother (Keitel) isn't too thrilled either, because they still love the same woman (Sarandon). Mayor's daughter (Mastrantonio) gets sucked in, because her friend is murdered.

The movie has all the elements of comedy, humour, suspense and good actors and actresses - and still it misses something. Kline is fine as always and even in this small part Rickman makes an impression and it's hard to point out any flaws - but still it doesn't work as well as it could have.

Anyway, the movie is entertaining, not bad at all. Harmless fun with a couple of original jokes. Kline's cooking is very odd and Rickman's use of models even more personal.

Mark your Calendar..... good all year 'round..
sure, no car chases, no explosions....but an interesting plot with about a half-dozen twists...i first saw this film in spain in 1989....(in english, somehow) and have probably viewed it twice a year since. scores of friends (and my now grown son and daughter) have also found themsleves enamored of it.
rickman's turn is a far cry from his 'die hard' and 'quiqley down under' roles; kline is brilliant kline....no wonder he finally got an ocar for 'a fish called wanda'....allieo is just great, and steiger is, well, vintage stieger.
harvey keitel is semi-controlled sibling rivalry entrapped..the tension is palpable...susan sarandon is the tortured fatale that holds it together; mastrantonio's 'in a hundred years, we'll all be dead' has been my mantra ever since.
the tape's finally worn out. i gladly paid for the dvd...
would someone get me a cup of coffee, please? preferably an espresso?

Improbable? Yes, but...
It's the script that really brings this movie down. While the mystery itself is contrived and some of the acting is overplayed, the script is just pathetic. At least, that seems to be the only explanation for why this movie didn't work, since all of the actors have shown their talent elsewhere. I found it hard to immerse myself in the story when every other sentence was unbelievably stupid. There was one character, however, whose odd lines actually sounded right: Ed. Alan Rickman plays the eccentric artiste wonderfully, and the offbeat things he said didn't sound strange because the character himself was offbeat. Unfortunately, Ed is a man of few words. The story could have worked, but is instead undermined by the very weak script. One star for Alan Rickman as Ed, and another one for the chemistry between Rickman, Kline, and Mastrantonio. The trio's scenes together are the only ones worth watching.

Most Improbable Murder Method In The History Of Movies
The solution to the murder puzzle in this plot -- the manner in which the killer was choosing his victims -- was the most improbable and absolutely lamest contrivance in the entire history of mysteries -- and this extends backward in time to before the Big Bang, to include any films which might have been made in all the past universes which existed before our present one.

One interesting line of dialogue, however, was a comment Kevin Klein made to Susan Sarandon, asking about certain results when she thought about the money to which she now had access, due to marrying a rich man. It's the only time in a movie I have ever heard so precise a reference to that particular phenomenon -- it was simply something that is never referred to so specifically in mainstream cinema.

COMICAL CHARACTER STUDY WRAPPED IN A SUSPENSE THRILLER..
This movie is not a typical "mystery thriller," at least not in the usual sense of the genre. The characters unravel intriguingly but very fluidly, and it is easy to relate to almost all of them (I bet we can all think of parallels in our own lives.)

Theme-wise it is ostensibly presented as a suspense movie where an ex-cop (Kevin Kline) is re-instated into a homicide detective role to solve a brutal murder spree by a NY psychopath. There is an interesting subplot of unrequited romance between Kline's character and his brother's (who is commissioner of police) wife. Kline's artist friend, his new girl friend (the Mayor's daughter), and in fact the Mayor himself -- are all amusing characters. But Kline is clearly the pivot of the movie, he turned what many might consider a very below standard screenplay and turned it into a very keepable film.

The cinematography is neat, the dialog entertainingly scattershot and the movie flows with a very good pace. Most people who revile this under-rated but actually very watchable movie do so because it doesn't fit any Hollywoodesqe molds. It is not a suspense movie alone (clearly, to me, it didn't make any overt attempts to be) -- it is also a very adult and somewhat intellectual but credible study of multiple intertwined characters.

The ending surprised me a bit, but I don't think it was chinsy or overdone. It was probably supposed to try and imitate real life and I'd say it did so.

And with that kind of a price tag, this is definitely a steal. Recommended! ... Read more

Amazon.com

A refutation of then-President George Bush's notion of 1,000 points of light, this film by director Tim Hunter is about what happened when holes in the social safety net created a homeless population of unprecedented size during the Reagan-Bush years. The film focuses on two of the homeless: a sweet but troubled young man (Matt Dillon) and a more rugged, worldly-wise homeless Vietnam veteran (Danny Glover), who befriends him and tries to teach him how to survive on the streets. Dillon's character is schizophrenic, unable to get the medication or attention he needs to treat his problem. Instead, he winds up in a Manhattan men's shelter, a kind of Darwinian house of horrors haunted by streetwise predators (led by a scary Ving Rhames). Though overly sentimentalized at times, the film also serves as an indictment of a system that lets too many people like Dillon's character slip through the cracks. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Disturbing Look at a Darker Side of Humanity
The film borders on melodramatic at times, but the characters are beautiful and their realness add immeasurably to the impact of this film. Danny Glover is brilliant as the caring, street-wise Vietnam vet who takes care of Matt Dillon's character, a young man burdened with untreated schizophrenia. Both are homeless, through no lack of trying, and both are plagued by illness and a few members of a dumb but dangerous gang leader, Little Leroy, played well by a thoroughly nasty and vulgar Ving Rhames, who terrorizes the men's homeless shelter at Fort Washington.

Matt Dillon (Matt) plays the most sincere, nice guy on the planet. He's not immune to the fact that he's handicapped by his mental illness, but can't overcome it until he meets Danny Glover (Jerry). Together, armed with a little money and so much spirit (not to mention unrivaled positive attitudes), they set out to slowly climb the "economic ladder" - as Jerry calls it - and meet some of the most extraordinary characters. Unneccesary forshadowing gives the movie a constant feeling of sorrow, doom, and hopelessness, while the characters involved maintain an every-hopefull attitude about the future.

Not a happy film, but so well done it's hard not to feel it was money and time well spent. You will be forever changed.

Don't miss this one
hopeful honest friendship survival These are all word I relate to the Saint of Fort Washington.

This film inspired me to actually do something about the problem of homelessness. Danny Glover and Matt Dillon star in this wonderfully honest movie that might change your views on homelessness. Dillon gives the best performance I've seen from him. The characters are all very believable. A bit like Of Mice and Men. There are some gently humorous scenes with Matthew, Dillon's character, and Jerry, Glover's character. There are other scenes that can seem foolish on the surface, but touching once you think about it. More films like this should be made. I recommend it to everyone

Moving Drama -- Worth seeing more than once
Hollywood has a way of glamorizing the worst of life's problems and wrapping everything up in happy endings by a film's end. Not so with SAINT. Having dedicated 10 years of my life volunteering with the homeless on the streets of New York City, I can relate firsthand to the characters depicted by Glover and Dillon. There is no question that this movie is realistic. The emotions behind the words, the feelings behind the actions, all of it speaks to the portion of humanity that all of us are guilty of neglecting as we hurry past them on the busy streets. Stop and look, listen and lend a hand. If you buy or rent one drama this year, make it THE SAINT OF FORT WASHINGTON. And hats off to Matt and Danny for portraying a searing vision of homelessness from the bottom of their hearts and souls.

A must see if you love Matt Dillon
This movie was incredibly sad but definitly a different part of Matt Dillon.I think he was excellent in this movie.I hated Ving Rhames after this movie. i give matt dillon two thumbs up!!