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It's not Blazing Saddles, but there are some chuckles to be found in Mel Brooks's 1993 spoof of the Robin Hood legend. Cary Elwes is Robin (with a lighthearted jab at Kevin Costner's bad English accent in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves), while Richard Lewis plays an angst-ridden King John, and Roger Rees a snotty Sheriff of Nottingham. Comic David Chappelle has some good moments as the only black member of Robins's noble thieves, and Brooks does his own spin on Friar Tuck: Rabbi Tuchman. The song-and-dance sequences featuring a chorus line of the Merry Men ("We're men / men in tights") is vintage Brooks, but otherwise the film can't get any traction. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (115)

A spoof for people who hate spoofs.
If you're sick and tired of spoofs, especially the dumb ones of today, like "Mafia!" or "Scary Movie", this is the spoof for you. This movie has all kinds of crazy humor that doesn't offend anyone or go over the top, and has a mess of celebrities in it, like the main star, Cary Elwes, and a great supporting cast consisting of Amy Yasbeck, Dave Chappelle, Isaac Hayes, Megan Cavanaugh, and even Patrick Stewart, under the direction of comedy legend Mel Brooks, who also appears in the movie. This movie has all kinds of humor, from humor spoofing modern times, to "secret" humor, to metaphorical humor, and to simply wacky humor anyone can laugh at. Like the Monty Python movies and the Naked Gun trilogy, you'd have to be dead not to find this movie funny.

So in short, see this movie! You'll laugh till your sides hurt!

It is not one of Mel Brook's best but there are some laughs
I read that Mel Brook's made this movie because he is facinated with the Robin Hood legend (In particular the Errol Flynn version) Remember "When things were rotten" back in the seventies. He did this movie to poke fun at the Kevin Costner version "Prince of thieves". Apparently Kevin Costner refused to wear tights and as far as Mel Brooks was concern Robin Hood wore tights. I remember one line in which Rabbi Tuckman said to Robin Hood. Robin Hood you just won the heart of the princess YOU PRINCE OF THIEVES YOU!"

Robin Hood is played the versitile actor Cary Elwese, who has done both comedy and drama. One of his most memorable lines in this movie was "Unlike other Robin Hoods, I have a British accent."

My main complaint his that many of the Jokes are recycled from previous Mel Brook's movies. The scene with Dom De Louis as a Godfather like character was funny. It was a pretty good immitation of Marlon Brando.

The actor who played hangman in this movie was also the Hangman in Blazing Saddles.

Of course Mel Brook's always played a character in his movies. He played Rabbi Tuckman who made money by going to differevt villages performing circumcisions.

Funny?
I saw this when it was released in theaters. I had hopes for quite a few laughs. Instead there were just a few. Very few. Ever see a "comedy" where you keep waiting for the funny stuff to happen, but it never does? That's what happens with "Robin Hood-Men In Tights".

A Classic Brooks Adventure!
"Robin Hood: Men in Tights" was the first of Mel's movies that I saw. It was also one of the movies that sealed me as a Brook's fan! Cary Elwes was the classic Robin, with fun pokes at all the various others who had been in the role. The merry men were the funniest group gathered on one screen and the raps that began and ended the movie were a different idea, but still really cool. This movie should be given more credit as a hilarious comedy. In fact, when my school did the musical "Brigadoon' (which takes place in Scotland), a bunch of the guy actors did a parody of "Robin Hood" as a school broadcast commerial. They changed the words of the famous song "We're men in tights!" to "We're men in Kilts". It was classic! If you are looking for a good film, this is it!

Where is the DVD?
This is one of the funniest movies ever made. If Dracula: Dead and Loving It can make it to DVD, then why not this? Not only that, but it is available in Europe and Australia but not in the US. What are they waiting for? ... Read more

Amazon.com

Fern Rosenthal and Kay Clark are two women with almost nothing in common. Fern is a whining, kvetching Jewish socialite from "Lawngiland" (known to the rest of us as Long Island). Kay is a caring, optimistic, but naive bank teller from merry ol' England living in California to take care of her bedridden mother. Fern and her retired husband, Harry the pharmacist, are following their destiny; living in Boca Raton (Rat Mouth), Florida, dreaming of the day they will run the condo board. The sheepish Kay remains unmarried, but is always on the look out for a true love, wherever he may be. Fern spends much of her time dissecting her friends' and family's wardrobes and personalities, and strategically tosses around guilt, forcing others to succumb to her ways. Kay selflessly aids exiled Albanian royalty and houses illegal immigrant workers, all in the hopes of nabbing Mr.Right. The trait these two do share is that they both wear their emotions, hearts, and opinions on their sleeves for the whole world to bear witness. And with the talented Tracey Ullman breathing life into these lovely ladies, hilarity of course ensues. --Rob Bracco ... Read more

Reviews (2)

It's fun to laugh at ourselves!!!!
Tracy Ullman, the British mimic takes no prisoners when it comes to portraying the wonderful stereotypes of nationalities and eccentricities of humans. Fern is deliciously a JAP, Jewish American Princess! I don't know any New York Jewish people, living in California, but she's what I THINK they might be like, somewhat loveable like Fran Fine, "The NANNY" on TV. Her exploits keep me in stitches and I PRAY Tracy keeps on with more skits. Poor "Kay Clark", the perpetual virgin caretaker is so codependent with her mother it makes me spills soda from my nose because all of us can relate to her antics at "excaping" her mother and running away to indulge in her fantasies with the various infamous customers that come into her bank such as Pable Escobar! Cameo appearances with Cheech Marin only add to the merry adventures of Kay. ANY Tracy Ullman tape is worth the money and I have all that are commercially available and all the have come out on HBO. HIGHLY recommend for a great belly laugh!!!

A must own for Tracy Ullman fan's
Tracy takes on Fern & Kay is one of the funniest tapes I own. Fern is your average Long Island woman. She has everything down to the trashy Accient. Kay is one of my favioret Charactars that Tracy plays. The typical mousey english woman who enjoys her scooter and "Spotted Dick" pudding.There really isn't else to say beside"s. "BUY THIS MOVIE" it's awesome ... Read more

Amazon.com

Saucy character comedian extraordinaire Tracey Ullman dons the guise of her most famous personas and candidly lays the issues of Sex, Romance, Fantasy on the table for all to gawk at and admire.In this three-episode set, pulled from her successful HBO series, Ullman's characters act out and display the age-old issues that drive our desires. The elderly Chinese bakery lady philosophizes on the similarity of romance and the donut business.The Arabian stud Chic the Cab Driver tells the tale of how the "Chic magnet" came of age in the steamy desert of his homeland with a pro that begged him for more. Veteran makeup artist Ruby Romaine, Star Maker, gives professional words of wisdom and support to the rising starlets on a porn set. The middle-aged Jewish ladies duet, Fern and Kay, discuss the adventurous highlights and shady lowlights of their sex lives over a pastrami on rye. Sex, Romance, Fantasy may not provide answers to life's most complex questions, but, as always, Ullman's wry sense of humor won't disappoint. --Rob Bracco ... Read more

Reviews (3)

British Comedy Girl Wonder makes us laugh & think
The Tracey Takes On comedy series is definitely a cut above the usual "ha-ha" material out there. Tracey Ullman finds the comedy in every day situations, but also the absurdity and irony in life's little and big surprises.

Whether it's a stereotypical portrayal of a middle-class "New York Jewish woman" fearing for the health of her heart-attack victim husband, an elderly Asian woman fulfilling her American Dream with her donut shop, or a small-time golf-pro who hesitates acknowledging her gay relationship to the world, Tracey Ullman takes on every possible viewpoint on the issues of Sex, Romance and Fantasy.

The sketch about a woman reporting to the police that she had briefly been abducted by aliens is a gem! There are many great scenes in this batch of goodies cooked up by one of Britain's brainiest comedy stars. Tracey Ullman's gift for comedy rivals that of the up-and-coming "French & Saunders" team. Tracey Takes on receives a solid 5-star rating!*****

BRILLIANT, Hilarious, Classic Comedy
Tracey Takes On is one of the most outstanding comedy series that I have ever seen. The show combines the literate wit of British Comedy, the American pop culture sensibility of the Harvard Lampoon, and the "broken Hollywood dream" reality of a Tarantino film. This series is a true work of genius. Not only is Tracey Ulman to be applauded, but also the writers and the supporting cast. It's unbelievable that a show of this calibre was produced in the same country as Night Court.

Hillarious
Tracey is wonderful in this video. My favorite skit in this series is the Women's PGA Golfing Tour. All I can say is, "Come on baby, come to mama!" ... Read more

Amazon.com

Tracey Ullman can make absolutely anything funny, and when she works with material straight out of show biz, she can't lose.Tracey Takes on... Movies, Vanity, Fame, three episodes (plus outtakes) from her Emmy-winning HBO series, traces her interconnected cast of characters' relationships with the Dream Factory and all its trappings.Faded star Linda Granger gets a taste of the bitter side of fame, stuntwoman Rayleen Gibson saves the day (again), and legal hotshot Sydney Kross gets a head-to-toe courtroom makeover; all of these mix Ullman's barely contained mania with a refined, mature sense of humor that lets the viewers find their own laugh lines amidst the all-too-real vignettes and conversations.Her characterizations are as detailed and biting as ever, mocking Yanks, Brits, and practically everyone else with studied ease and showing us all our most embarrassing moments writ large.Whether you've watched her avidly or have yet to experience her crazed genius, Tracey Takes On... Movies, Vanity, Fame will keep you coming back to the TV time and again. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (1)

I thought it was hilarious!
this movie was really one of the best comedy acts that i have ever seen. i think that everyone should see this - tracy ullman is so funny! ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of Woody Allen's best films of the '90s, Bullets over Broadway stars John Cusack as a virtual Woody surrogate, a neurotic, Jazz Age writer whose new play sounds wooden and unrealistic to a low-level mobster (Chazz Palminteri) assigned to watch over his boss's actress-girlfriend (Jennifer Tilly). When the hood starts contributing better story ideas and dialogue than what the official playwright can conjure, questions (not unlike those of Amadeus) about the price we pay to make art at the expense of other responsibilities are intriguingly raised. Palminteri gives a very interesting performance as the enforcer waking up to the desperate (and almost feminine) demands of his own creative psyche, and Dianne Wiest (who won an Oscar), Tracey Ullman, Jim Broadbent, and Jennifer Tilly are very funny together playing the ensemble cast of Cusack's play. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Don't speak, just laugh!
Oh Woody, Woody, Woody. When he is funny, he is one of the best comic writers around, and in this movie his writing is hilarious. What other auteur in the cinema today can poke fun at those little idiosyncracies that we all see in ourselves, and get away with it?
Our hero, in a rare departure is not played by Woody Allen but rather, John Cusack, who gives a subtle performance, rather than the over-the-top pisstake by Kenneth Branagh in "Celebrity". He is trying to get his latest play staged, and can only do so by accepting money from the Mob and having a mobster's girlfriend, with no talent, take one of his lead roles. The humour that ensues centres around each of the plays characters, from the fading diva played by Dianne Wiest to the compulsive eater played by the magnificent Jim Broadbent, as they prepare for the play's debut on Broadway. All the performances are spot on and the only criticism comes in the ham-fisted fashion that the film concludes with a mobsters shootout and its all too happy ending.
Nevertheless this is well worth watching to hear great comic lines and the splendid cast who deliver them.

Pure hilarity
As a die hard Woody Allen fan, I can honestly state that this is one of his best efforts. The characters are so incredibly good (dare I say delicious?) and the actors who bring them to life are equally exquisite. From Dianne Wiest ("Don't speak...Don't speak") to Jennifer Tilly ("Hey, Venus, where's that hooch?") to Chaz Palmentieri("You don't write the way people talk")to John Cusack ("I think I'll go now and get the psychiatric help I need"). The rest of the cast is equally marvelous, especially Tracey Ullman. She really is nothing short of brilliant in everything she does. This movie is just a delight throughout. It is truly droll and clever, never once loosing it's intelligence. The attention to detail is admirable, so much so that the film seemingly leaps out at you from the screen. I've seen this film more times than I care to mention and each time I find myself enjoying it more. Only Woody Allen could have devised such an ironic plot twist. He is, without question, the O. Henry of the cinema. One final note: No one, and I mean no one, can make New York seem more fabulous and intoxicating than Mr. Allen. All his films are love letters to this the greatest of American cities. This is to the person who accused Woody Allen of preaching through the Rob Reiner character: Give me a major break. He was spoofing the tendency of some over-indulgent artists to dramatize and take himself too seriously. Sometimes a cigar, my friend, is just a cigar. Don't read so much into things. It can sometimes get you into trouble.

Funny, funny, funny!!
And funny. Great casting, great script, funny dialogue and good directing. The wonderful thing about this whole flick -- Woody Allen decided NOT to be in it. One of his better decisions he's made in years. (Thanks for giving us a break and breather from your repeatible and stale roles Woody!) Don't miss this little-known gem.

Were they trying to make a movie that makes no sense?
I'm not stupid, but this movie made no sense whatsoever. I didn't understand one bit of the boring, mindless conversations, characters, their purpose, etc. And a plot..? Don't even ask. This "sophisticated" comedy (where they got comedy I'll never know as this wasn't the least bit funny) was dull, shallow entertainment. The theme I got out of this movie was "You're not always who you think you are." A theme that could have easily been told in half the time it took this long, dragged out film. Don't believe what the critics say about this. Siskel and Ebert rated it two thumbs up but what do they know? They gave Gosford Park (warning: stay away) the same rating (Actually, that last one was Ebert and Roeper, but they're basically the same). Take my advice and rent something that wasn't directed by Woody Allen. Every one of his movies I've had the nerve to sit through entirely (without falling asleep or turning it off), have been a complete waste of my time. I kept waiting for the ending thinking (and hoping) it would make the movie. It didn't. Those who enjoyed this movie obviously classify it as a work of art much like Shakespeare: boring, but a masterpiece nonetheless. The only reason to watch this movie (by renting it, NOT buying it) is to see the always brilliant Diane Weist in her Oscar-winning performance.

decent
this movie was enjoyable, but not the best woody allen i've seen. ... Read more

Reviews (72)

NOT WHAT YOU EXPECT, BUT STILL VERY FUNNY
An ex-con (played wonderfully by Woody Allen), has a get rich quick scheme, and all it will involve is an empty store next door to a bank, a couple of other cons', and the help of his manicurist wife (the always funny Tracey Ullman).

The plan is simple...set up a cookie shop and have your wife run it (because she makes the BEST cookies, this serves as a big part in the plot), while you and the other bumbling crooks are digging a hole in the basement, a hole that will lead to the bank, and to the biggest heist you have ever pulled off.

"Small Time Crooks" is a very funny movie. It starts off with the bank heist plan (the digging in the basement contains some of the biggest laughs in this movie), and then in an unexpected twist shows that crime doesn't pay. The movie then goes into the study of Allen and Ullman struggling to deal with their new found wealth and each other.

In his funniest film in years, Woody Allen has assembled a great cast; Hugh Grant, John Lovitz, Michael Rappaport, George Grizzard, Tony Darrow, and Elaine May in the outrageously funny role of the dim-witted cousin.

Anyone looking for a good laugh riot will enjoy this...and you don't have to be an Allen fan.

Nick Gonnella

Small Time Crooks has big-time laughs
Woody Allen plays an inept ex-con who has a scheme for breaking into a bank. He plans to buy a store which is adjacent to the bank and then to make an underground tunnel to the bank vault. When he asks his wife, played by Tracey Ullman, to help finance the project, she balks. Eventually she gives in and becomes his "front man" by baking cookies in the store they buy. The cookies become unbelievably successful and suddenly they are richer than in their wildest dreams. Tracey decides that she must become more cultured to fit into their new social set and she asks an art dealer, played by Hugh Grant, to tutor her in the social graces. This he does willingly with an eye to cashing in on her fortune. This movie is well-written and well-acted. The lines are witty and there is even a moral here with regard to love and loyalty. No Woody Allen darkness here--just a delightful 90-minute romp!

If you liked "The Castle", then you may enjoy this movie
I've always liked Woody Allen movies, especially his early funny ones, and I just sorta ignored the awful "serious" ones, like "Stardust Memories". But this is a comedy, and it's dreadful. Thank heaven it cost me only five bucks.

OK, so Woody and his wife (Tracy Ullman) become rich and she wants to buy "class". The movie becomes a sneering put-down of her pretensions. It's just plain ugly.

Elaine May is terrific, though, and I'll give the flick an extra star for her performance (as the wife's cousin).

Rags To Riches To Rags - Very Funny and Heartwarming
This is such a funny movie. Woody Allen and his partners in crime play up their bumbling idiot characters so well! Tracey Ullman is a genius - She can play any character and make it believable.

This rags to riches to rags story is funny and heartwarming and just fun to watch. This was also the first time I saw Hugh Grant playing such a loathsome character - he was great! What can I say about Elaine May except she is so good that it looks like she's not even acting!

The comedic acting was very good in this movie and I can't wait to own it on DVD so I can sit back and enjoy over and over again.

Woody Rips Off Car 54
Why?

Why did you do it, Woody? Sure, the premise of Small Time Crooks was interesting - but then I felt the same way when I saw it the FIRST time on television - on Car 54, Where Are You? back in the 1950s! Created by Nat Hiken (who also wrote many episodes), that classic cop situation comedy had many very funny plots.

Plots that included the one about the small band of crooks, three male and one female, that open a business next to a New York bank in order to break into the vault next door. But business gets too good, proving to be a huge distraction to the original plan of emptying the bank of its big bucks, and hilarity ensues.

Sound familiar? It should - since Woody obviously lifted that entire scenario in order to make his far-inferior STC film! At first I thought maybe he wrote the original Car 54 script in question, and can therefore do whatever he wants to with his own property. But I checked it out, and no, he did not write that Car 54 script.

(BTW, Tracey Ullman is also particularly terrible in this - she's a Brit playing an Italian who's named Frenchy - try figuring out THAT cultural mess!)

So what happened Woody? Was the white paper in your typewriter that blank? Was your writers' block that insurmountable? Sure, one can always say it's not exactly script-stealing as long as a writer at least slightly changes a plot twist or a line of dialogue here or there, but c'mon, Woody, who did you think you'd fool?

You're not known as a hack writer - you were once considered to be one of the premier comedy talents of the movies, not just in acting but in writing too!

So again, we must all ask, Woody... why? ... Read more

Reviews (9)

I agree with Ashley S
A lot of people hate this movie because they believe that the people who made it were trying to cash it in as a sequel to the Disney movie. However, I loved this movie because this time it showed Snow White saving the day, instead of the seven dwarves. I also loved the seven dwarfelles, because they were funny and original. I don't think I would've liked this movie all that much if the seven dwarves (not the Disney versions) were in it. This way we get to see some new characters and how they paly out in the story. I really don't care for the animation as well. Remember, this is before technology made animation better.

Ive Loved It Ever Since I Was Little
So what if the graphics are kind of bad? I mean cmon! This movie was made over 10 years ago! When they didnt have top quality movies and such. But anyways! I love this movie, it has been one of my childhood favorites. Today I was searching for the song Thunderella sings cause i absoloutly adore it! And i come across this! Tons of people absoloutly hating it! I dont get why? I mean IT DID have a plot, a cute one too! The characters were original (cept maybe cinderella, but anywaysss) and the songs were fun to sing along to! So please dont listen to what those people say (cause they dont know a good movie even if it hit them in the face) and give it a try! Share it with your kids, parents, siblings, friends, everyone!

Good Grief this is Awful!!!!!!
Oh my god.... this was the worst movie I've ever seen!!! along with the horrable animation, there was absolutely no plot whatsoever! It seems like the animators were half dead when they drew this, and it seems like the storywriters were just making up the story as they went along. I liked it when I was a kid, but when I had to watch it as a teen, I thought I would die!!! Okay, okay, lets just review the plot, shall we? Snow White & her prince are off to invite the 7 dwarfs to their wedding (it's already starting to die...),but oh no... the dead-wicked-queen's brother wants to avenge snow white & her prince for killing his sister. So he kidnaps Prince Charming in the form of a dragon. Snow White is so scared and soon meets the 7 Dwarfelles (oh joy...). They decide to seek help from Mother Nature, who is no help whatsoever but sends the 8 of them on to the (dum-dum-duumm-DDDUUUUUMMMM) realm of doom. You can see the movie if you really want to find out what happens to them...
Along with a atrocious plot, the characters are equally as bad (think...a surly owl, a pathetic bat, and Thunderella). If you like the characters, then you'll love the songs. Thunderella sings her "I need to shine like the sun" or whatever it was called song. It was Absolutely HORRABLE!!!
Please... If you want to be spared from a lifetime of horror,Don't, I repeat, Don't watch this movie!! If i could rate it lower, I would.

A loathsome travesty
Anyone over 4 will recognize that this animation is fourth-rate Saturday morning material, the jokes fall flat, the songs are horrific, and the story is [shallow]. As for the younger crowd, my 3-year-old daughter found it too scary. So this movie should appeal to no one. It's no surprise that Dom DeLuise was involved; but Ed Asner, I am ashamed of you.

It actually has potential
I cannot say that I loved this movie now, but when I got it and I was 5 (1995) I loved it and it had class. These are a few technical errors which I will list:
1.The story is kinda drab and has a little annoying thing about it.
2. Lord Malis or whatever is not that scary and maybe we could have seen more of him like at the end when he was actully a little scary.
3. Please! What is up with that Thunderella song "If the sun can keep shining down, then why can't I shine too?" It was atrocious.
With all this said, it was a okay movie, but way more for younger kids, try 3-7. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

It's the female "Young Ones"
"Girls On Top" is, essentially, a female "The Young Ones" in that both shows concern four mis-matched roommates getting on one another's nerves (and, both shows feature a "wacky landlord" character) and both shows involved members of Britain's "The Comic Strip" comedy group (Ade Edmondson, Rik Mayall, & Nigel Planer in "Young," Dawn French & Jennifer Saunders here). However, the types of humor are quite different. "The Young Ones" was all about slapstick mayhem while "Girls On Top"'s laughs come from character and situation. This series was written by French & Saunders and Ruby Wax before they went on to greater triumphs (French & Saunders with their self-titled series, Saunders with "Absolutely Fabulous," and Ruby Wax with her own series of chat shows). They also star along with Tracey Ullman, just before she migrated across the pond to become a bigger star than her other three co-stars put together. Ullman is the [cheap] one, French the bossy one, Saunders the bore, and Wax the loudmouth Amercian. Unfortunately, the series is nowhere near the quality of "The Young Ones," "French & Saunders," or "The Young Ones." It's not without laughs, however. It's quite amusing quite often, with French and Ullman coming off the best. Wax is a bit TOO obnoxious for my tastes and, while Saunders plays dreary as funny as one can play it, she has much less to do here than in other series. Still, it IS funny and quite a slice of comedy history. A second, slightly superior season was produced without Ullman in the cast, but is currently unavailable.

Don't get your hopes up.
When I saw this video I thought Oh boy!!! Dawn French (Dibley, Murder Most Horrid), Jennifer Saunders (Ab Fab, French & Saunders), Tracey Ullman (you know), Ruby Wax, it must be wonderful!!! Unfortunely, I saw none of the biting wit, acid humor nor sharp edged satire of their later efforts. They play around with some sitcom conventions but the humor is all very conventional. I didn't finish watching the tapes.

Much Too Silly
Iam sorry, but I just did not like this one, and I usually love French and Sanders and Ulman. This, I did not like at all. Would not recommand.

A Classic British Comedy!
I was so happy to see that the videos of "Girls on Top" were finally available. This is an early effort by some of the best British comedians. It is fun to see some of these early efforts,especially because they were so successful. Dawn French and Ruby Wax are wonderful in the lead roles. Dawn French is now staring the series "The Vicar of Dibley", which is probably the best comedy now being produced. Anyone who is a fan of French and Saunders would love this set of videos. They are simply wonderful!

A Rare Gem!!
I discovered "AbFab" about two years ago and since have been hooked on Jennifer Saunders comedic talents. "Girls on Top" gives you a wide array of the comedic talents who were behind the creation of "AbFab," such as Dawn French and "AbFab" script editor Ruby Wax. All are very funny in this video; however, Dawn French and Ruby Wax seem to have the strongest roles in this comedy. Anyway, if appreciate britcomedy and French and Saunders, you'll really like this rare gem. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

A Small Masterpiece
This film needs your support! It was apparently completely disregarded by critics when it played theatrically... Written and directed by Henry Bromell, writer-producer of the Baltimore-lensed HOMOCIDE TV series, PANIC is a tight little masterpiece (clocking at less than 1 hour and 25 minutes) of ensemble acting and superior screenwriting. All principal actors hit just right notes in their roles, from William H. Macy (one of the best actors currently working in the US, who single-handedly made my experience of watching ultra-sophomoric FARGO durable), Donald Sutherland, John Ritter, Barbara Bain (Remember MISSION IMPOSSIBLE?), Tracy Ullman (TRACY ULLMAN?!) and, oh, Neve Campbell. The characters are so well-written and so devoid of historionics that some viewers may actually suffer from disorientation, adjusting their brains from the state of overexposure to usual mind-numbing stereotypes in Hollywood movies. Ritter's psychiarist, for example, is one of the two or three among hundreds of psychiarists I have seen in Hollywood movies who actually behaves like a NORMAL PSYCHIARIST and acts SENSIBLY. (MUCH superior to Lorraine Bracco's shrink in THE SOPRANOS) David Dorffmann plays Macey's son, and even though he is supposed to be a super-smart kid, he is NEVER annoying. The scenes are all underplayed with minimum of melodramatics, but they nonetheless pack emotional wallop. The quiet, beautifully lit sequence in which Donald Sutherland introduces the child version of the Macey character to "family business" is not only absolutely chilling, but also immesaruably sad. PANIC reminded me of Paul Schrader's AFFLICTION and Claude Chabrols' morally complex thrillers, such as THIS MAN MUST DIE. It is also like a particularly well-made 1950s film noir suffused with psychological insight ordinarily missing from them.

The DVD version includes a generally informative if a little reticent commentary by Director Bromell, and six deleted scenes. The deleted scenes provide additional background information for characters and deepen our understanding of them, but they also include some stilted and overblown dialogue completely absent in the actual film, the reason I suspect they were in the end dropped from the final product. I am a little disappointed that the audio commentary does not come with Macey, Sutherland and others discussing their acting strategies, given the fact that this film's success depends so much on their contributions, but this is nit-picking. I definitely recommend this movie for anyone who is a fan of Macey, Sutherland, Campbell and those who appreciate morally complex human dramas and/or thrillers. NOT RECOMMENDED, however, to those who want an action film like AIR FORCE ONE or a "quirky" movie like FARGO.

It's Hard Being Someone's Son
It's amazing to me that this film wasn't released as widely as, say, Memento or even Sexy Beast. It is an absolutely superb film featuring William H. Macy(Fargo) in his finest performance to date as Alex, a second-generation hitman railroaded into the business by his controlling monster of a father, played by Donald Sutherland(JFK).

The first thing that should strike any viewer about this movie is its cast. There isn't really a weak link in this movie, even though it does feature Neve Campbell. Campbell's performance, incidentally, really says something for Henry Bromell's direction: she's actually convincing, cast against type, and gives her strongest performance to date as the troubled love interest Alex meets in his psychiatrist's office.

The extreme circumstances featured in this film -- i.e. a middle-aged hitman seeing his shrink -- are really only a metaphor for the mid-life crises of half of America's middle-aged men, who went unwillingly into their father's businesses and sacrificed their own dreams. This movie is not about a love affair or a hitman; it is about how hard it is to be someone's son in America, about the expectations placed on men in our society and the outlets which we are given and which are denied us to express ourselves. Perhaps Neve Campbell herself delivers the most telling line in the film: "It's easier being a man, don't you think?" to which wife Tracy Ullman replies only with a knowing look, then turns her back.

It's a shame this film was overlooked. Henry Bromell's debut as writer-director on this film proves one of cinema's finest. William H. Macy gives the strongest performance of the year, far outdoing Russell Crowe's unintelligible stone-faced Maximus; it is also Macy's greatest role, the culmination of every unsure forty-something he's played. Do yourself a favor and see this movie. Then go home and love your son.

The Sins of the Father ...
What a find this movie was. Subtle, tense, occasionally laugh-out-loud funny and ultimately satisfying.

A hit-man wants out of the family business, and in to the pants of Neve Campbell. Which, I suppose, makes him a murderer and a philanderer. Not that you'll feel anything but empathy and compassion for William H. Macy's character: which, of course, is his genius.

In a story that explores, among other things, the whole family dynamic - from the damage our parents do us, to the effort needed to make a marriage succeed - you'll find it all rings true. The context of the story is alien and exotic, but the relationships aren't. Your father is probably not a controlling and manipulative sociopath (and, you know, small mercies and all that ...) but even so, how many of us would find it easy to step up and admonish him, when he steps over the line?

Donald Sutherland's performance as the sociopathic pater is astonishingly good. He actually had me shouting at the screen. And I'm British. We just don't do that ...

Give this movie a go. You won't find the experience entirely comfortable, nor will it be an escape from the rigours of the world (because there's too much of the world in the movie) but it will make you laugh, wince, cheer and, most importantly of all, it will make you think.

symbolic
There is a scene in the middle of the movie when Alex takes his son to see his grandfather, who has bought him a birthday present. It is the most interesting scene of the movie, and the heart from which everything else should radiate. It is the only time that Alex, his father, and his son are all onscreen at the same time and you realize that this is the conflict that is killing Alex -- he is his father's son, cynical, secretive, and ruthless, but he is also equally his son's father -- innocent, curious, and affectionate. Framed that way, both his father and his son can be seen as reflections of his own psyche. The reason why he is so blank, so tired and depressed, is that they cancel each other out. By then end of that scene I knew how the movie had to end.

The side story involving Neve Campbell isn't very interesting.

Great movie -- what a cute little boy!
The boy who plays Sammy, the hit man's son, is about the cutest thing I've ever seen! He's just darling! He reminds me of that kind from Jerry McGuire -- "the human head weighs 8 pounds" Soooo cute!

The rest of the movie was pretty good, but I just loved the little boy's scenes! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

GREAT VARIETY! JEANNE, WHAT A GAL!
Very entertaining not knowing what the next moment held. Matt deserved what he got, not knowing his daughter. Jeanne! A great performance and all from a small package. So much talent displayed. A wonderful cast. I absolutely LOVED IT.

A good idea was in there somewhere.
There certainly are flashes of brilliance in "I'll Do Anything". It conjures up some wicked satire and includes an extremely talented cast. However, this is a film whose flaws far outweigh its high points.

Nick Nolte plays Matt, a Hollywood actor who has gotten a few decent roles but whose current career is struggling. Tracy Ullman is hilarious as his estranged wife, Beth. Together they are the parents of a young daughter named Jeannie (Whittni Wright). Matt has moved on with his life and, being the caring father that he is, has little interest in ever seeing his daughter. It's been two years since he last saw her, when he gets a call from Beth. She needs him to come out and take Jeannie back to Hollywood for a few weeks. Once Matt gets there, however, he finds out that Beth is actually going to prison for several years and now he is solely responsible for taking care of their daughter.

So not even 30 minutes into the movie, Tracy Ullman's character is already gone. As if that's not bad enough, look at this absolutely amazing list of actors who have about five minutes or less of screen time: Joely Fisher, Vicki Lewis, Anne Heche, Ian McKellen, Jake Busey, Rosie O'Donnell and even Woody Harrelson. What in the world were they thinking by showing up glimpses of all these people without fleshing out any of their characters?!!

That's not the worst part though. Both the father and daughter characters are extremely unlikable. Extremely. Matt Hobbs is a self-absorbed jerk throughout the entire film. His daughter is even worse. In fact, I have been racking my brains to come up with a child in a movie I have disliked more. So far, I haven't been able to come up with one. Jeannie is one of the most shrill, spoiled and obnoxious little girls ever put on film. This all continues up until the last five minutes of the movie. Then, completely out of the blue, both of these characters turn on a dime and become very charming and loving. Sorry, but their transformation was too quick for me to buy.

Along the way, James Brooks (writer/director) is at least able to give us some funny moments. Once Ullman's character is gotten rid of, the humor baton is passed to Julie Kavner. Her character, Nan, has this uncanny ability to always tell people the brutal truth. She works for Burke (Albert Brooks), an egotistical movie producer who always seems to say and do the wrong thing. Combine Nan's scathing honesty with Burke's chronic bad manners and you get a cute couple.

With a different father and daughter, "I'll Do Anything" could have been a nice little sleeper. However, it is unable to overcome the unappealing attitudes of Matt and Jeannie.

Nolte is a good actor
I'LL DO ANYTHING showed me that Nolte is a good actor. As soon as I realized he was doing a dandy job acting his role--luckless actor--the movie carried on quite well without my analysis. Nolte has been swirling in the Hollywood maelstrom. His life has been designed to believe that acting is the most important matter in the world. Then,as often they do, the vissicitudes of life dump his 5 year old, hard-to-handle, daughter into the scenery. She is a precocious stick of dynamite. The story takes a few swipes at the cheapside of Hollywood. Otherwise, it is no expose. It is full of fun and healthy laughter.

Heart-warming Hollywood
Originally shot as a musical with songs by Sinead O'Connor and Prince, this remarkable pic tested so badly in pre-release that they excised ALL the songs and dance numbers. You'd never miss em'. Nick Nolte is an earnest actor struggling to make it in L.A. when his ex-wife drops the bombshell that their five year-old daughter (who Nolte barely knows) will now be coming to live with him. You thought that kid from "The Sixth Sense" was good? Wait til' you see THIS little spitfire! Julie Kavner is amazing as the head of a test-screening/marketing company, who spews truth (and uncanny insights) like bullets from an AK-47. The real draw here though, is the rocky and tender relationship that develops between Nolte and his young daughter, against the backdrop of a gutless and brainless movie business.

One of the worst of Nick Nolte's movies.
I like Nick Nolte. The only reason why I saw this movie is because of him. However, I have to say that this is the worst acting I have ever seen from his any other movies. Very often, it was awkard and unnatural. Another problem is other supporting actresses and actors. They don't act like real. They acted like they were just out from acting school. The whole plot is not really well coordinated (I won't say anything about it, since it is going to be a spoiler). The movie was boring to watch. If there is a reason why I hung on till the end, it was just to see how it ended (and the thought that I paid money for this movie). As a plus, you can somehow get some slightest idea of what is going on behind making movies (selection of actors/acresses/kids). There a few nice phrases which come out of Nolte. If you are a big Nolte fan, and want to see above plus things, you may want to see this movie. Otherwise, this movie is boring big time. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

David Hare's Broadway play--about political idealism and the way some people always need to be fighting for a cause--was credibly transferred to the screen by director Fred Schepisi from Hare's screenplay. Meryl Streep (in the midst of a streak of movies that required accents) plays a British woman who fought for the French Resistance during World War II. When she returns to normal life in post-war England and marries a diplomat, she becomes something of a terror--speaking her mind when, of course, diplomacy dictates otherwise. Did she leave the best part of herself in France, where life was more meaningful and immediate? Hare's comment on Great Britain's post-war slide into Thatcherism, this film features a tough-minded (and not particularly likable) performance by Streep, who is actually quite good. It's a hard movie to embrace, but a well-made one nonetheless. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Dark Troubling Movie About the Disillusion of Life
This is an extraordinary movie. It is impossible to not deeply sympathize with, and yet also come to strongly dislike the character of Susan Traherne played by Meryl Streep. All of David Hare's plays (e.g., Racing Demons, Skylight, the recent Amy's View) and movies (e.g., Strapless, Wetherby) are concerned with the idealist who runs up against a not particularly sympathetic world as he, or more commonly she, ages and struggles against a self-doubt induced by the people and society around her. The character of Susan Traherne is the least openly "likeable" of these characters, yet in Streep's amazing performance is heartbreakingly sympathetic. It is so easy to weep when one sees the final flashback scene in which one is reminded of her certainties and hopes 15 years at the end of a World War. She just could not find a way to make herself or others happy, and in the gloom of the effort trashes the lives and surroundings around her. A very memorable movie.

Most underrated Meryl Streep film
This movie is a forgotten treasure and deserves to be revived since it shows magic Meryl at her best in the prime of her craft.
The movie is based on a David Hare play and has been recently restaged in London with Cate Blanchett( arguably the most convincing aspirant to Streep's throne) in the lead.
Susan Traherne works in the French resistance during the war and although her life is fraught with danger, deprivation and chance encounters it gives her an edginess and zest for life she can never find in her later life. In post war Britain she stumbles through a string of uninspired careers, a bittersweet stab at motherhood, a friendship with a sassy Bohemian( a role Tracy Ullman was born to play) and eventually a marriage to a safe and starched politician that comes across as a personal suicide note while remaining among the living. The film nicely balances the quests of how much excitement people can handle and how much boredom can discombobulate a once inquiring mind. It's nothing less than a somber ode to the idealism of youth, its sour awakening and the understanding that success is in the eye of the beholder and no cotton can shield us from our drive to be individuals regardless of the cost to comfort and convention.

"There will be days and days and days like this"
"Plenty" is a film destined to arouse a lot of controversy -- not over its quality, but over its heroine: Susan Traherne (Meryl Streep), an Englishwoman who worked with the French Resistance in World War II and, much to the consternation of those around her, longs for the thrills and passion she felt during those days. Restless, dissatisfied and determined to challenge and change society, Traherne rubs employers, acquaintances, and even her husband the wrong way in her quest for satisfaction.

Yet screenwriter David Hare, adapting his successful stage play, asks us to accept and identify with Traherne, a steadfast individualist whose striving and scheming cost her everything, including, finally, her sanity.

Much of the attraction -- not to mention the challenge -- of "Plenty" lies in trying to rationalize Traherne and her motives and motivations. When first seen, she is a young woman who has arrived in France to aid the Resistance movement. Although only 19 years old, she is in a position of power and a situation fraught with danger, and she loves it. After the war, she returns to England, full of high ideals about building a better world where everyone can flourish. But what she finds in her homeland instead is a nation of men and women who are far more concerned with getting back to normal, and satiating themselves in material goods after years of wartime shortages.

For Susan, the postwar world of plenty is distressingly devoid of thrills, goals and open minds. Her feelings of emptiness lead her to seek out bohemian and beatnik friends, a foxy lower-class lover and a husband whose career in the diplomatic services is on the rise. But flirting with danger and accumulating wealth are not the answer for Susan either, and she languishes in luxury.

The role of Susan is custom-made for Streep and she turns in yet another tour de force. Classy and vivacious one moment, scathing and bitter the next, Susan is genuinely a puzzlement, and certainly an addictive one. You may not like her, but you will not forget her.

There is no shortage of fascinating characters in the supporting cast either, nor of fine actors to play them. Singer-comedian Tracey Ullman is enchanting as Alice Parke, Susan's roommate and confidante. Alice wears men's clothes, smokes marijuana and aspires to be a writer and artist, but little things like bad pot keep getting in her way: "How am I supposed to find artistic inspiration if I can't even get any good drugs?" she complains. Sting, who too often relies on his looks to carry his performances, turns in his best screen work to date as Mick, a black-marketeer whom Susan hires to get her pregnant (the love scenes between Sting and Streep are both funny and sexy). But finally, Susan dismisses him after 18 months of trying. "There comes a point at which the experiment should be stopped in the name of common courtesy," she notes.

As Susan's weary husband, Charles Dance brings life to what could easily have been a one-dimensional part, effectively conveying the toll a marriage built on pity can take on a man. Sir John Gielgud also sparkles as the duty-minded Leonard Darwin, whose run-in with the defiant Susan at a dinner party is the nastiest and most uproarious scene in the film.

"Plenty" is not an easy movie to categorize, and interpretations of its central character and its message are sure to be numerous. But there is no denying its power or the allure of the people in it. There are lighter, more charming films around, but there are few as ultimately rewarding.

Odd
Usually I love Meryl Streep, but for some reason--call me stupid if you want to--I had trouble watching this DVD because Streep wasn't very likeable, I couldn't sympathize with her character, and I REALLY HAD NO IDEA OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING. Perhaps the movie was a little too well-made. Or perhaps I wasn't paying it the attention it deserved. Anyway, it's one of the few DVDs I've actually gotten rid of. But Streep is just gorgeous as usual!

Don't Waste Your Time
Uneven, choppy direction and convoluted plot marr the otherwise superb story and excellent performance of the uncomparable Meryl Streep. Unfortunately, not even the fabulous Ms. Streep can save this -- recommended for devoted fans only, bent on completing their Streep collection. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

It's not for the Pope....it's for God.
This is one of my favorite top 10 movies. My favorite character is the superstitious Santangelo Gramma who once picked clam shells out of the garbage and made a delicious soup. Household Saints reminds me of friends and relatives that were all around me growing up.

wow
This movie is amazing. it's about hope, superstition and the desire to find ones own true happiness. You do not have to be religious or have a basic understanding of theology (like a previous reviewer stated). it explains things to you as you need to know them. it has a perfect cast, story line and is wonderfully directed. this is one of those movies that you hope everyone sees at lesat once...hopfeully more.

Household Saints
This movie has a haunting quality that stays with you and in quiet moments you see scenes in your mind's eye and it makes you wish to go back and watch it again. Each time you watch it there are deeper & deeper levels. It really is quite an amazing film. Being brought up Catholic probably has something to do with it....especially if you were born in the l950's or before. People born after "Vatican II" took place probably can't relate to, nor appreciate, some of the symbolism. GOOD, SOLID FILM. WORTH OWNING. WORTH WATCHING MORE THAN ONCE.

This film stays in your mind!
Unlike one of the other reviewers, I don't agree that one would have to have a deeply religious background to appreciate this film. Although Catholicism is an important theme, the film is really a character study, and all of the stories, including the subplots about the tortured Italian-American man in love with Asian culture via Madame Butterfly, the crazed mother-in-law, etc. are touching and funny and unforgettable. All the performances are outstanding. I would highly recommend it.

Okay Movie
At first I didn't know if I would like this movie or not. It didn't seem TOO great, seeing as I'm not very religious... but I was willing to try it for the sake of my favorite actress, Lili Taylor. I knew that her previous work had been very good (like her roles in Dogfight and Short Cuts) so I decided to try it. And I was surprised. It was better than I thought it would be, but not as great as I hoped. However, the fact that I am not really a strong religious person may have swayed my liking to this movie. If you are relious, I suggest this movie to you. But if not, please don't waste your time... it may not be to your liking. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

It's all perspective....
What you want out of the film might affect what you expect. This is a fun film. It's like a long music video. No More Lonely Nights,Not Such A Bad Boy, and No Values are 3 good new songs put on here. Some people feel it is a sacrilige for Paul to have re-worked Beatles tunes, but it at least offers an interesting twist. And oh, yeah, Paul was tyring to have some fun with the film. It seems some reviewers (see review below) are being way too serious and biased against Paul. To some "music fans" he can do no right. Not every project is genius, but Beatles fans can find fault with all solo Beatles material. None of them is a "saint", and all have their flaws.

This film would do nice with a DVD release with some extras. After all Shanghai Surprise (George's 1986 film) and Caveman (Ringo's 1981 film) are both on DVD and did not fare well commercially, either.

Enjoy this film as a music video with a thin plot. To me, it is a nice small film that deserves to be re-released. And if Paul would only do a video collection spanning 1970-Present onto DVD....

The film is very interesting!!!
Paul is a genius and the man that composed the essential and style of Beatles's music. The Sargent Pepper album was an idea of Paul and it's more important songs belongs Paul. Macca was the best of the Beatles. This film is not a masterpiece BUT is an interesting film that show us the concept, the idea to make movie in a basic format with sweets songs. The songs are very beautiful and the performer of YESTERDAY is the best version solo than I heard it. "Bad boy" is a deliciuos song and "No more lonely nights" is a imponent song. I think that when the most important composer and singer of the Rock/Pop's History like Paul McCartney gives his ilusion and work like this film WE must to be happy and glad. THANKS SIR PAUL!!!!

Fantastic Movie for Any True Beatles Fan!
While nobody should be fooled into believing that this is a real movie with a real storyline to begin with, viewers should realize from the get-go that this is nothing more than a MUSICAL...meaning that it was made to feature Paul Mac's absolutely great & awesome music, and nothing more!!! SO, that being said...the self-appointed experts and movie "critiques" should realize this before they go bashing such a flik!!! Obviously, to the non-Beatles or McCartney fans searching for a "real" movie, this would be a "HORRIBLE" film! But to those who truly love and appreciate Beatles' and McCartney's music, (hey! nobody can say that their previous movies had fine plots either!), this film is just one more "gift" to all us hard-core Beatlemaniacs out there, to chrish and remember for the rest of our lives, just like the other half-dozen or so musicals that the Fab Four left us....

Absolutly out of this world!
I loved this movie in fact I had to buy two VHS movies of this great film because I didn't want to wear the other out and find that the movie wouldn't be available! I just can't stop watching it. This movie is my number one choice among my Beatles collection, next to A Hard Days Night, Help, and The Magical Mystery Tour. I recommend this show to all that like Paul McCartney or The Beatles. I also think that this movie has gotten a really bad rap for being a bad show, for there wasn't enough of Paul's old songs on it, I think that there is just the right amount of music. The criticts are wrong about this movie, dead wrong. I am sorry that because of the rap this show got Paul McCartney doesn't do more movie scripts and act a little more, he is so good at it. This is the best movie I have seen since The Magical Mystery Tour!

Glad to have it on DVD
It ain't the best movie ever made, but it ain't the worst.

Two big mistakes McCartney made with this project: 1) re-recording old songs (including a half-dozen Beatle tunes), instead of writing all new material (only three new songs were used) 2) writing the screenplay himself, instead of hiring an experienced screenwriter to flesh out his idea.

I can't think of a reason why a non-McCartney fan would want to watch this. If you are a fan, then there's worse ways to spend a couple hours. But really, it's hard to say anything specifically good about this movie. It's hard for me to believe that Macca never realized that the story was so under-developed and unimaginative. For such a creative person, he seems to have set out write the most boring story he could. That's why I consider it a mistake to use old songs-- he could've at least let the movie coast along on the strength of all new material.

I didn't see this in theaters 20 years ago. I can understand why people were so dissapointed. While there's nothing special about the film, it is far from the biggest disaster ever committed to celluloid. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

A Small Masterpiece
This film needs your support! It was apparently completely disregarded by critics when it played theatrically... Written and directed by Henry Bromell, writer-producer of the Baltimore-lensed HOMOCIDE TV series, PANIC is a tight little masterpiece (clocking at less than 1 hour and 25 minutes) of ensemble acting and superior screenwriting. All principal actors hit just right notes in their roles, from William H. Macy (one of the best actors currently working in the US, who single-handedly made my experience of watching ultra-sophomoric FARGO durable), Donald Sutherland, John Ritter, Barbara Bain (Remember MISSION IMPOSSIBLE?), Tracy Ullman (TRACY ULLMAN?!) and, oh, Neve Campbell. The characters are so well-written and so devoid of historionics that some viewers may actually suffer from disorientation, adjusting their brains from the state of overexposure to usual mind-numbing stereotypes in Hollywood movies. Ritter's psychiarist, for example, is one of the two or three among hundreds of psychiarists I have seen in Hollywood movies who actually behaves like a NORMAL PSYCHIARIST and acts SENSIBLY. (MUCH superior to Lorraine Bracco's shrink in THE SOPRANOS) David Dorffmann plays Macey's son, and even though he is supposed to be a super-smart kid, he is NEVER annoying. The scenes are all underplayed with minimum of melodramatics, but they nonetheless pack emotional wallop. The quiet, beautifully lit sequence in which Donald Sutherland introduces the child version of the Macey character to "family business" is not only absolutely chilling, but also immesaruably sad. PANIC reminded me of Paul Schrader's AFFLICTION and Claude Chabrols' morally complex thrillers, such as THIS MAN MUST DIE. It is also like a particularly well-made 1950s film noir suffused with psychological insight ordinarily missing from them.

The DVD version includes a generally informative if a little reticent commentary by Director Bromell, and six deleted scenes. The deleted scenes provide additional background information for characters and deepen our understanding of them, but they also include some stilted and overblown dialogue completely absent in the actual film, the reason I suspect they were in the end dropped from the final product. I am a little disappointed that the audio commentary does not come with Macey, Sutherland and others discussing their acting strategies, given the fact that this film's success depends so much on their contributions, but this is nit-picking. I definitely recommend this movie for anyone who is a fan of Macey, Sutherland, Campbell and those who appreciate morally complex human dramas and/or thrillers. NOT RECOMMENDED, however, to those who want an action film like AIR FORCE ONE or a "quirky" movie like FARGO.

It's Hard Being Someone's Son
It's amazing to me that this film wasn't released as widely as, say, Memento or even Sexy Beast. It is an absolutely superb film featuring William H. Macy(Fargo) in his finest performance to date as Alex, a second-generation hitman railroaded into the business by his controlling monster of a father, played by Donald Sutherland(JFK).

The first thing that should strike any viewer about this movie is its cast. There isn't really a weak link in this movie, even though it does feature Neve Campbell. Campbell's performance, incidentally, really says something for Henry Bromell's direction: she's actually convincing, cast against type, and gives her strongest performance to date as the troubled love interest Alex meets in his psychiatrist's office.

The extreme circumstances featured in this film -- i.e. a middle-aged hitman seeing his shrink -- are really only a metaphor for the mid-life crises of half of America's middle-aged men, who went unwillingly into their father's businesses and sacrificed their own dreams. This movie is not about a love affair or a hitman; it is about how hard it is to be someone's son in America, about the expectations placed on men in our society and the outlets which we are given and which are denied us to express ourselves. Perhaps Neve Campbell herself delivers the most telling line in the film: "It's easier being a man, don't you think?" to which wife Tracy Ullman replies only with a knowing look, then turns her back.

It's a shame this film was overlooked. Henry Bromell's debut as writer-director on this film proves one of cinema's finest. William H. Macy gives the strongest performance of the year, far outdoing Russell Crowe's unintelligible stone-faced Maximus; it is also Macy's greatest role, the culmination of every unsure forty-something he's played. Do yourself a favor and see this movie. Then go home and love your son.

The Sins of the Father ...
What a find this movie was. Subtle, tense, occasionally laugh-out-loud funny and ultimately satisfying.

A hit-man wants out of the family business, and in to the pants of Neve Campbell. Which, I suppose, makes him a murderer and a philanderer. Not that you'll feel anything but empathy and compassion for William H. Macy's character: which, of course, is his genius.

In a story that explores, among other things, the whole family dynamic - from the damage our parents do us, to the effort needed to make a marriage succeed - you'll find it all rings true. The context of the story is alien and exotic, but the relationships aren't. Your father is probably not a controlling and manipulative sociopath (and, you know, small mercies and all that ...) but even so, how many of us would find it easy to step up and admonish him, when he steps over the line?

Donald Sutherland's performance as the sociopathic pater is astonishingly good. He actually had me shouting at the screen. And I'm British. We just don't do that ...

Give this movie a go. You won't find the experience entirely comfortable, nor will it be an escape from the rigours of the world (because there's too much of the world in the movie) but it will make you laugh, wince, cheer and, most importantly of all, it will make you think.

symbolic
There is a scene in the middle of the movie when Alex takes his son to see his grandfather, who has bought him a birthday present. It is the most interesting scene of the movie, and the heart from which everything else should radiate. It is the only time that Alex, his father, and his son are all onscreen at the same time and you realize that this is the conflict that is killing Alex -- he is his father's son, cynical, secretive, and ruthless, but he is also equally his son's father -- innocent, curious, and affectionate. Framed that way, both his father and his son can be seen as reflections of his own psyche. The reason why he is so blank, so tired and depressed, is that they cancel each other out. By then end of that scene I knew how the movie had to end.

The side story involving Neve Campbell isn't very interesting.

Great movie -- what a cute little boy!
The boy who plays Sammy, the hit man's son, is about the cutest thing I've ever seen! He's just darling! He reminds me of that kind from Jerry McGuire -- "the human head weighs 8 pounds" Soooo cute!

The rest of the movie was pretty good, but I just loved the little boy's scenes! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

I agree with Ashley S
A lot of people hate this movie because they believe that the people who made it were trying to cash it in as a sequel to the Disney movie. However, I loved this movie because this time it showed Snow White saving the day, instead of the seven dwarves. I also loved the seven dwarfelles, because they were funny and original. I don't think I would've liked this movie all that much if the seven dwarves (not the Disney versions) were in it. This way we get to see some new characters and how they paly out in the story. I really don't care for the animation as well. Remember, this is before technology made animation better.

Ive Loved It Ever Since I Was Little
So what if the graphics are kind of bad? I mean cmon! This movie was made over 10 years ago! When they didnt have top quality movies and such. But anyways! I love this movie, it has been one of my childhood favorites. Today I was searching for the song Thunderella sings cause i absoloutly adore it! And i come across this! Tons of people absoloutly hating it! I dont get why? I mean IT DID have a plot, a cute one too! The characters were original (cept maybe cinderella, but anywaysss) and the songs were fun to sing along to! So please dont listen to what those people say (cause they dont know a good movie even if it hit them in the face) and give it a try! Share it with your kids, parents, siblings, friends, everyone!

Good Grief this is Awful!!!!!!
Oh my god.... this was the worst movie I've ever seen!!! along with the horrable animation, there was absolutely no plot whatsoever! It seems like the animators were half dead when they drew this, and it seems like the storywriters were just making up the story as they went along. I liked it when I was a kid, but when I had to watch it as a teen, I thought I would die!!! Okay, okay, lets just review the plot, shall we? Snow White & her prince are off to invite the 7 dwarfs to their wedding (it's already starting to die...),but oh no... the dead-wicked-queen's brother wants to avenge snow white & her prince for killing his sister. So he kidnaps Prince Charming in the form of a dragon. Snow White is so scared and soon meets the 7 Dwarfelles (oh joy...). They decide to seek help from Mother Nature, who is no help whatsoever but sends the 8 of them on to the (dum-dum-duumm-DDDUUUUUMMMM) realm of doom. You can see the movie if you really want to find out what happens to them...
Along with a atrocious plot, the characters are equally as bad (think...a surly owl, a pathetic bat, and Thunderella). If you like the characters, then you'll love the songs. Thunderella sings her "I need to shine like the sun" or whatever it was called song. It was Absolutely HORRABLE!!!
Please... If you want to be spared from a lifetime of horror,Don't, I repeat, Don't watch this movie!! If i could rate it lower, I would.

A loathsome travesty
Anyone over 4 will recognize that this animation is fourth-rate Saturday morning material, the jokes fall flat, the songs are horrific, and the story is [shallow]. As for the younger crowd, my 3-year-old daughter found it too scary. So this movie should appeal to no one. It's no surprise that Dom DeLuise was involved; but Ed Asner, I am ashamed of you.

It actually has potential
I cannot say that I loved this movie now, but when I got it and I was 5 (1995) I loved it and it had cla