Reviews (10)

A Barbed-Wire Love Triangle in the New West
Returning to the Hi-Lo country of New Mexico after World War II, two cowboys (played by Woody Harrelson and Billy Crudup) resume their friendship. That friendship is compromised when both fall hard for the lusty young wife (Patricia Arquette) of a competing ranch's foreman. Crudup is forced to suck it in as Arquette appears to prefer Harrelson; and it poisons the possibility of a relationship with the lovely Penelope Cruz, who detects that his love for her is divided.

This is the New West, where small ranches are being gobbled up by larger ones such as that run by Sam Elliott, whom the other cowboys hate and fear. The work is hard and dangerous and the rewards few. But the Old West lurks not far beneath the surface, and bullets still fly.

Director Stephen Frears did a magnificent job with this film. It made we wish that more Westerns were made, even if by "furriners" like Frears. Billy Crudup is a young actor whose career I will follow with interest: His restrained role of a man who cannot do what he most wants sticks in the memory. It was good also to see Katy Jurado of HIGH NOON fame in a small scene-stealing walk-on as a Mexican witch, or bruja, who tells fortunes.

Harrelson's Best Performance
This character study, set in New Mexico in the early '40s, begins with an enigmatic narrative that infuses "The Hi-Lo Country," directed by Stephen Frears, with a tension that ultimately runs high throughout the entire film. The story focuses on the friendship between a couple of cowboys, Pete Calder (Billy Crudup) and Big Boy Matson (Woody Harrelson), who upon returning from the war are trying to make a go of the cattle business, while bucking some stiff competition from the local cattle baron, Jim Ed Love (Sam Elliott). At the same time, Pete becomes aware that he is not alone in his obsession with a married woman, Mona (Patricia Arquette); Big Boy has it bad for her, too, and she just happens to be the wife of Jim Ed's foreman, Les Birk (John Diehl). And, as usually happens with a situation involving obsession, things quickly begin to get sticky for all concerned. Big Boy, it seems, is the one headed for trouble; he's hot-tempered, stubborn, and fearless to a point bordering on stupidity. Pete, on the other hand, has a good head on his shoulders and has a couple of things going for him: One is a woman named Josepha (Penelope Cruz), who cares deeply for him, and the other is his unwavering loyalty to Big Boy. The tension continues to mount, and the situation is complicated further by the fact that Big Boy isn't exactly discreet about his feelings for Mona, nor of his disdain for Jim Ed Love, for whom his younger brother, Little Boy (Cole Hauser) now works. Inevitably, things come to a head; but when it happens, the arena in which it transpires is something of a surprise, though not entirely unexpected.

Frears does a good job of capturing the essence of another time and place that seems so near and yet so far away. The world was changing around them, but in the Hi-Lo country there were still cowboys who punched cattle and drove the herd to market on horseback. Theirs is a fairly self-contained world, far removed from anything that is happening elsewhere; if a butterfly flaps it's wings in New York, it isn't going to affect Pete or Big Boy. Frears takes a look at the difference between the two men, Big Boy, who lives primarily for the moment (or so it would seem), and Pete, who is more apt to consider the consequences of his decisions, except, that is, when it comes to Mona. But even in that respect, it's Pete who ultimately shows some restraint. And Frears maintains the tension by keeping the situation between the men and Mona precariously balanced on the fence. You know that someone is bound to fall, but you don't know who it will be, where or when.

Crudup is convincing as Pete, bringing him to life with a reserved, understated performance. He brings an intelligent and introspective quality to the character that leads you to believe that Pete is always cognizant of what is going on around him, and where it's all heading. With Big boy, on the other hand, you never know if he's ever really aware of his situation, or if he just doesn't care. As Big Boy, Harrelson gives what may be his best performance ever. His portrayal is that of a true, rugged individual who keeps his deepest feelings to himself, but just may be a bit more savvy than he lets on. Initially, it appears that Big Boy and Pete are opposite sides of the same coin, but in the end you realize that they are not so different from one another after all.

As Mona, Arquette gives a somewhat subdued performance. Though attractive, she doesn't exactly exude the kind of sensuality that would seemingly elicit the obsessiveness of the men that is called for by the story, especially in Pete's case. Knowing what you know about the characters involved, it is hard to believe that Pete would look past the lovely and more alluring Josepha for even a second glance at Mona.

The supporting cast includes James Gammon (Hoover), Darren E. Burrows (Billy), Lane Smith (Steve) and Jacob Vargas (Delfino). A good, solid drama, "The Hi-Lo Country" may not be entirely original, but Frears has a nice touch and gives it a sense of realism that will get you emotionally involved with the characters and their story. And, upon reflection, it's a glimpse of a world that not that long ago was so much bigger than it is today.

How typical!!!!....
Without the perfect cast, this movie could easily be a flop.
But Patricia Arquette is here so beautiful and Woody Harrelson had never played better. Buy Buy Buy!!!!!
Finish... (:

A tribute to Sam Pekinpah and Walon Green...
This movie is basically for affectionados of Sam Pekinpah and Walon Green. The message of this film is that the nature of western life is underscored by the propensity of its people to live with recklessness and violence in generational terms. Think of it as sort of like, "The Wild Bunch" aftermath, about forty years beyond.

While the "Wild Bunch" was about the west during the period of industrialization around the turn of the century, "The Hi Lo Country" deals with the period of superindustrialization following World War II.

Woody Harrelson and Billy Crudup play two cowboys who fall for the same woman, Patricia Arquette. Harrelson as the violent "Big Boy" shows no sense of morality or humilty as the film's main protagonist, while Crudup as "Pete" is almost the exact opposite. Sam Elliot portrays a villanous rancher/industrialist, while the desirable Penelope Cruz is the overlooked, unrequitted love in Pete's life.

All of the actors turn in solid performances, but what makes this film special is the story itself, the direction, and Jerry Goldsmith's subtle, forceful soundtrack.

A Blank Spot on the Map
The plot may creak a bit, but the film itself remains a superbly done period piece. It is Northeastern New Mexico, circa 1945, and the prairie vistas are wide open with an unbounded sense of freedom, but one that stretches out to monotonously barren horizons. Homesteading cows is no easy task in the hard-bitten Hi-Lo country, and certainly no place for the Hollywood glamor factory. Except for a few questionable touches (Sam Elliott's leering villian, for one), the viewer gets a real sense of time and place, and of what goes on with the hardpan folks living there. The movie's core, however, remains Woody Harrelson's Big Boy whose boisterously callous behavior develops so slyly, you may not notice your own shifting responses. The jut-jawed Harrelson is near perfect, as are the cow town atmospherics with their smoky Saturday night honky-tonk. Seldom has anyone gotten a cowboy so right, and seldom has any film blended landscape of place with landscape of character more successfully than this one. Both demonstrate how sheer surface expanse can overwhelm frail emotional depth. Martin Scorese ( a most unlikely source for a Western theme) was a background producer, and I suspect it is he we have to thank for getting this very non-commercial story onto the video screen. Stephen Frears directs at a leisurely but revealing pace, allowing the occasional quiet but necessary moment to creep in. This minor gem should satisfy anyone curious about those obscure backwaters of the American West that appear mysteriously as blank spots on the road map. Despite undeniable concessions, Hi-Lo Country remains truer to its prosaic sources than the mock heroics and contrived mayhem of the traditional western, and is thus well worth a look see. Give it a try. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Fantastic film but not for Julia.
Another remake of classic Jeckyl & Hyde story. Now from the point of view of the maid, Mary Reilly. This is well made movie but it performed badly in the box office. I believe this is the worst performing (box office wise) in Julia Roberts career. I really don't think this is the right part for her. The rest of the casts are wonderful. John Malkovich is excellent as both Jecky & Hyde. Glenn Close has supporting role. The DVD is quite good. Picture is sharp & clear despite a lot of the movie took place in the dark. The Dolby 5.0 is OK, why they don't add the .1 for the subwoofer channel is beyond me. But if you like the Jeckyl Hyde story, this DVD will not disappoint you.

Grossly underrated, brilliant film!
Mary Reilly is one of my favorite movies. It has to be one of the most disturbing films ever made, but the underlying messages that you perceive can be almost self revealing. The bizarre sensuality of both Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, portrayed most believingly by John Malkovich(who, despite his age is very HOT!), is one of the most difficult, yet easy characters to understand. If you allow yourself to get lost in the film and not think of anything but, you feel as if you are there with Mary, who is portrayed by Julia Roberts. I honestly must say that I have seen many of Julia's films, but I have never liked and appreciated any of her roles as much as Mary Reilly. She is so uncharacteristically morose that you almost feel as if she is not the Julia from Erin Brockovich, but a Julia that is hidden inside and that may never be seen again. The entire movie is a metaphor in my eyes, for the freedom that every human longs for. To not care what anyone thinks, to be as reckless as possible with no consequences. This is a brilliant film and I recommend it to anyone who likes to get lost in another, more frightening and unreal world. More dangerous and just plain passionate than anything that is truly possible. The chemistry between Roberts and Malkovich, as one and at the same time, two characters, is one of those that makes me shout in my head, "You should be together!" The ending is one of the most powerful I have ever seen. People that say that this is a boring movie have a right to , this is not for everyone. You have to be very open to anything when you wantch the movie. But, if you are thinking that this sounds intriguing, you will not be disappointed. As long as you keep an open mind that anything is possible in this movie, you will love it.

Interesting Film!
I don't really understand what everyone is talking about when referring to Ms. Robert's performance. I thought it was exceptional. It was nice to see her stretch. Anyway Malkovich was fantastic! This story was great and I thought it was well executed on film. Close had an interesting role also and I loved hearing her accent. See this one.

Disappointing...
This movie should have been a LOT better than it turned out to be! One can imagine the meeting at the producer's office at which it was pitched: "OK! We're going to retell the story of
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde... only from the point of view of Dr. Jeckyll's maid, Mary Reilly! Let's get Julia Roberts in the title role and John Malkovich to play Jekyll and Hyde!" Sounds like a winner, no?

No!

One is never quite sure who is to blame for all the missed opportunities here; whether the studio wanted to make one film and the director another, or whether director Stephen Frears just made bad choices, but this movie never quite jells. Indecision seems to plague it at almost every turn. When it should be scarey, it settles for being merely creepy. When it should be creepy, it is merely weird. When it should be suspenseful, it goes conventional.
Julia Roberts seems more constrained in this picture than Winnona Rider and Sadie Frost do in their corsets in "Bram Stoker's Dracula." She stays in her "wounded bird" persona throughout the entire film. The trouble is we are given no preamble to explain why should be that way, and no development to explain why she should stay that way.
John Malkovich, ever the unconventional actor, makes an astounding choice with his character, choosing to play Dr. Jekyll
not as the obsessed mad scientist we're so familiar with, but as a doomed Byronic romantic. His Mr. Hyde is just the flip side of that doomed romanticism, blatently sexual, full of spontaneous, unrestrained libido. It's a brilliant choice. If
Frears had picked up this cue and run with it, we would have had an interesting film about the "fallen angel syndrome" which has been the bane of the dating scene for the last 50 years. Some of the single women in the audience might have actually stopped asking: "Where are all the good men?" long enough to ask themselves: "Why am I always so attracted to bad boys?" Alas!

Hollywood today is either incapable or unwilling to make a movie that asks its audience to think!
So, instead we get a film which can never make up its mind whether it wants to be a horror movie, a "doomed love" story or a "Julia Roberts vehicle." By trying to be all three at once, it fails to be any of the above.
How disappointing!

HEARTILY DAAAAAARK!
ONE of the BLEAKEST films ever made about this subject - practically in black and white [nice touch] hi-lighting the splashes of vermillion - and bright red blood! [Especially the lipgloss used by Glen Close as the 'madam' with a scar instead of lips ..... nasty and memorable piece of work .... uses them like switchblades ...]

HOWEVER, considering a triple bill - this one fits snugly into the 'OTHERS' and 'FROM HELL' - with a gentle bow in the direction of 'The Innocents'.

JULIA ROBERTS shines as the maid - much maligned and mistreated - only to end up in this house of horror - emotional horror that is shown in vivid flashback [Mary's childhood], etc - our dear Charles Dickens was never this explicit about the chauvinistic society of the Victorian ear .... especially the mistreatment of women and children .... chattel?

THE TALE weaves itself around the going on of the dear Doctor and his depraved ['what literally lies beneath'] alter ego - and this rather odd somewhat sado-masochistic [perhaps ala 'Nightcomers'] evolves around Mary, The Doctor and Mr. Hyde ....

VERY CREEPY STUFF - especially the swinging gangways between the lab. and the house ... excellent art direction and costuming ... but incredibly creepy stuff .....

Similar to DANGEROUS LIASONS - this movie literally becomes darker, and darker as it progresses .... a hidden JULIA ROBERTS/JOHN MALKOVICH treasure - wprth visiting! ... Read more

Reviews (71)

Disappointing
"Dirty Pretty Things" is the story of two immigrants, Senay (Audrey Tautou), a young Turkish girl and Okwe (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a Nigerian doctor who both work menial jobs in the Baltic Hotel in London. Okwe is in London illegally, and Senay is not supposed to work until her immigrant status changes. Life doesn't exactly look promising for either Okwe or Senay, but then Okwe accidentally stumbles into an illegal organ transplant business. This discovery has serious ramifications for both Senay and Okwe.

I bought a copy of "Dirty Pretty Things" mainly because of Audrey Tautou. I really enjoyed her performances in "The Venus Beauty Institute" and "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not" so I wanted to see her in this film too. Many critics claimed that this role would allow Tautou a chance to play something a bit different. I thought her performance was abysmally wooden and mealy-mouthed. The film was saved from being a complete disaster by an incredible performance by Chiwetel Ejiofor as the soulful Okwe. Witty, bright performances were also delivered by Benedict Wong as a philosophical morgue attendant, and Sophie Okonedo as a savvy, tough London prostitute.

The plot was problematic--why, for example, is there a heart stuffed down the toilet? Where is the rest of the body? Okwe deals with a tough gang of Russian gangsters. It's hardly credible that the thugs would be as careless as this film portrays them. This would have been a much better film if the plot had focused on the struggles of the immigrants, and saved the entire organ transplant thuggery for some Steven Seagal extravaganza. For a really great film about the immigrant experience, I recommend "Bread and Roses"--displacedhuman

Director plus Cast equals Magnificent Film
Stephen Frears has given us some very fine films ('My Beautiful Laundrette', 'The Grifters', 'Dangerous Laisons' among others of a broad spectrum of types) and though these were all excellent films, DIRTY PRETTY THINGS is his best work to date. Simply stated, the story is an inside view of how a group of immigrants (mostly illegal) in London survive, having escaped their home country for promise of a better life and yet not really finding it in the threat of living sub rosa in the underbelly of London. Okwe (Chiwetel Eijiofor in an amazingly sensitive portrayal) has immigrated from Nigeria where he was a physician mistakenly accused of killing his wife but now works as a taxi driver and a hotel clerk just to survive. He ends up rooming with a hotel maid Senay (the always impressive Audrey Tautou as a Turkish immigrant) and with her assistance discovers a black market operation where human organs are obtained from desperate immigrants and sold to 'respectable' physicians for transplants. In their attempt to avoid being deported by the police, Okwe and Senay join with hooker Juliette (Sophie Okonedo), morgue tender Guo Yi (Benedict Wong) and the all important doorman to the hotel, Ivan (Zlatki Busic) to trick the hotel manager Sneaky/Juan (Sergi Lopez), who masterminds the organ harvesting, into inadvertently aiding their escape to other countries to resolve their lives. Though the story alone is rich in character detail and interest, it is the underplayed vulnerability of the wonderful immigrants that captures our hearts and makes us examine the plight of this unappreciated 'underclass' of people who live on hope. A very sensitive, evocatively filmed, strange movie that packs a tremendous wallop. Highly recommended!

Her Eyes Convince You
The drama of looking over your shoulder as an undocumented, gypsy in the London tenderloin and although the characters are overly lush and vivid-this makes compelling story telling with Casablanca Characters. A cloak and scalpel thriller.

A dark world of no dreams...only survival
"We're the people you never see. We drive your cars, we clean your rooms," says Okwe, a Nigerian immigrant in London. He's here illegally and is struggling to survive, which he barely does. By day, he drives a cab. By night, he's the front desk clerk at the Baltic Hotel. Surviving means making connections by others with your talents and skills. Okwe is a doctor, and he helps his boss, who gets the clap, by getting some medicine from a Chinese named Guo Yi. In exchange, the boss gives him first dibs of all South London fares. This portrait of the immigrant experience in contemporary London sets the stage for Dirty Pretty Things.

Okwe is also sharing his apartment with a young Turkish woman named Senay (pron. Shinai). However, Senay's immigration status is pending, and during that time, she is not allowed employment-presumably, she's on some kind of assistance. Okwe has her as a cleaning woman at the Baltic, but both must be careful of immigration officials. Okwe is also engaged in getting money on the side in collusion with the Russian doorman Ivan, where they sell food to hotel customers when the kitchens are closed. It's a tough life indeed, as Okwe chews on some leaves that takes away his necessity to sleep.

One evening, Okwe finds a human heart lodged in the toilet of one of the rooms. What happened in that room? He is dissuaded from investigating by the oily Juan, the manager, who tells him that calling the police will require him to identify himself, which would lead to his being discovered as an illegal. Even Ivan tells him not to concern himself with who comes and who goes. However, he discovers that some immigrants are so desperate, they will resort to doing something very hazardous to get a visa or passport, and it's this that puts a little wasp in Okwe's head. It's a wasp that stings him into the reason why he left his country, and which ultimately transforms him from a survivor to a human being.

Senay, though, gets a job at a sweatshop following a close encounter with immigration, but that falls through when she is forced to do sexual favours for the sweatshop boss. She dreams of going to New York where her cousin lives and needs to work in order to get the money. Her desperate act of trying to fulfill that dream is what ultimately stirs Okwe into action, where he must call on all sorts of favours.

As the desperate, hard-working, and ultimately conscientious Okwe, Chiwetel Ejiofor is definitely a strong presence in this film. And this has to be Audrey Tautou's toughest role ever. Senay is a far cry from Amelie or Venus Beauty Institute's Maria, going through hardships that ordinary non-immigrants would never go through, and she proves she's more than just the romantic idealist Amelie or the mentally disturbed Angelique in A La Folie...Pas Du Tout. She does well speaking English with a non-French accent. Yes, this film proves Tautou is a real actress, something I already knew with Amelie.

In one of his earlier films, My Beautiful Launderette, Stephen Frears explored a different side of immigrants, race relations between the affluent Pakistanis and the poor unskilled whites. Here, he outlines a more sordid situation for those who leave their homeland in search of better opportunities and freedom, only to find that they are trapped in a neverending cycle of fear and poverty. As Okwe tells Senay, who dreams of going to New York City to be with her cousin, there are no dreams: "for you and me, there's only survival."

Great Movie, Disappointing DVD Quality
Don't know what happened here, but this fine "5-star" thriller reproduction looks rather like a "second or third generation" transfer. It's darker, more diffuse and less clear than what I saw on the big screen. What was crystal-clear and beautifully realized in the theater now looks more like a "third cousin" on DVD. Something seriously went wrong with this transfer-- disappointing, considering how fine a film it is basically. ... Read more

Reviews (240)

A tribute to man's failings!
I approached this movie with a certain trepedation. As a great fan of the Nick Hornby novel, I was somewhat concerned about the Americanisation of the novel.

How could I ever have doubted John Cusack and co!! The point is made well by Stephen Frears in his interview; moving the movie to Chicargo highlights the fact that its themes are universal.

We are taken inside the mind of Rob(John Cusack), a thirtysomething record store owner, undergoing a mini mid-life crisis. His girlfriend has left him for the new-age hippie neighbour (Tim Robbins). In an effort to understand why this has happened he takes the advice of "The Boss" and contacts his "all-time top five break-ups" to try to determine why they broke up with him.

Rob is not the perfect hero and his flaws are clearly shown to us. It is this which allows the viewer to identify with Rob in a way which certainly I have done with very few movie characters. He's a good guy who does stupid things, hurts the people he loves, acts selfishly but is ultimately likeable.

Rob's journey of self discovery is always anchored by his obsession with music and this music gives us a further insight into the mind of the main character.

Special mention must be made of the deleted scenes on the DVD version. A couple of these are particularly fine and would have added to the narrative. I can only think that there was a particularly vicious editing process to cut ten minutes off the running time.

The cast is truely outstanding, a real ensemble piece with particularly fine performances from Jack Black and Todd Luiso as Rob's stereotypical record shop snob employees ("I can't fire them. I hired them three days a week but they starting coming every day. That was three years ago!) Some of the scenes in the music shop are painfully funny.

But ultimatly it's Cusacks movie. He truly is one of the most talented actors in mainstream cinema today.

Besides any movie that can namecheck Belle & Sebastian and The Beta Band and features a cameo from Bruce Springsteen deserves an extra star!

Watch it twice. At least.
It's hard to explain to someone who hasn't seen High Fidelity, or even someone who's just seen it once, how incredibly good it is. Take first the phenomenal John Cusack, who seems to make any film he appears in twice as watchable. Is there a more underrated leading man in this decade? I doubt it.

Then take into account the amazing support, knowns and unknowns - Cusack's sister Joan, Tim Robbins, Jack Black, etc. - even Zeta-Jones isn't half bad. Consider too the script, which is surprisingly faithful to Nick Hornby's (very good) book, and gives equal measure to comic and tragic relief.

Fianlly, the soundtrack. Can there be any greater song to sum up Rob Thomas (John Cusack's) final revelation after the film ends than Stevie Wonder's I Believe? No. High Fidelity is the complete package - funny, touching, well-acted, scripted, directed, scored for, and unbelievably true to life.

And for all those sad Englishmen writing in to complain that the movie should have been set in Britian - get real. I thank you.

Possessions and obsessions
This is a movie about men, their possessions and how they order them. For Rob, it's all about pop music and women. Nothing else, besides the odd film, matters to him. And it's pretty much the same for his two male colleagues at the record shop, who exist at opposite ends of the forcefulness spectrum. They form a self-selected elite who look down on the musical taste of nearly everyone they meet.

But actually their hyper-critical views are pretty close to the mark. It's great to hear someone else noticing and lamenting the 1980s decline of Stevie Wonder, for example. One might criticise author Hornby for selecting Rob's dream job as record producer in the punk era (1976-79) when he could have chosen, say, late 1960s Beach Boys / Beatles psychedelia. But you can never find someone with the identical taste as your own. Strangely, the music is not particularly central to this movie, in the sense that it probably generated fewer album sales for featured artists like Marvin Gaye than say 'The Big Chill'.

The structure of the movie takes a little getting used to. The first time you see it can be a disappointment -- there's no upbeat climactic ending, unless you count the improbable, rather obviously tacked-on, disco/concert by Sonic Death Metal, or whatever they happened to be called at the time. John Cusack's frequent chats to camera seem altogether natural (except when he's sauntering backwards and forwards on some wooden bridge-cum-platform in downtown Chicago).

What I like about this film is that, from a male viewpoint, it rings true so often. Men do behave treacherously, and the behaviour often looks worse at first sight. I like the fact that the actress who played Laura wasn't stunningly attractive. Even Lisa Bonet didn't seem particularly beautiful in the movie. (But yes, that really is Catherine Zeta-Jones discreetly stripping off in a role just before she became famous enough to warrant a major Hollywood film credit.)

This is not the perfect movie, but it contains a message about the male psyche that I hadn't extracted from any other movie, and that revelation in itself is sufficiently uplifting to distract from the artificial attempt by the film to uplift via the back-together-again concert/disco scenario.

Maudlin Navel Gazing to a Great Soundtrack
Ah yes. Another quirky offbeat romantic comedy from quirky offbeat romantic cynic John Cusack. Life sucks but he wouldn't miss it for the world. Give John Cusack credit. He was 34 when he made this. His character is a guy in his late 20's who has the emotional maturity of a teenager and Cusack pulls it off effortlessly. Cusack's character, Rob, isn't a jerk. He's a manchild. He doesn't mean to be a selfish obsessive boob; he just lacks the normal range of human adult emotions. Imagine the teenager Cusack played in Better Off Dead. Now imagine that teenager ten years later and working as the owner of a independent music store. He's a music snob and puts in long hours at the store but he still has time to ruin promising relationships with childish antics, talk to the screen and stalk former girlfriends while chasing after the next soon to be ex girlfriend. High Fidelty is the unofficial sequel to Better Off Dead. Instead of weird parents and goofy fantasy sequences, we get weird coworkers and morbid sexually and violently charged fantasy sequences involving Tim Robbins. I won't compliment the soundtrack except to say any movie about music had better have a damn good soundtrack and High Fidelity does its job.

There's a little Rob Gordon in all of us
After working on my college radio station as a DJ, entertainment news anchor, and Human Resource director, I was told by my friends that I should check this film out as I reminded them a lot of John Cusack's character in it. They were right. I too have had my share of bad relationships and can easily tell you the stories of how it went from "Hello" to "Goodbye" in less than 5 minutes. I have worked in music retail for 2 and a half years and I am also incredibly anal about my own collection of music and every song I can recognize played on the radio I can tell people what it is, who the artists is, what album it appeared on, and whether it is a radio edit, extended version, or remix.

That being said, when I first saw this movie I didn't quite understand many of the points. So I watched it again and realized "My god, I AM Rob Gordon!" Within a month, I purchased the DVD of High Fidelity and the book by Nick Hornby which was incredible. I highly recommend this film to all guys who have had their share of hard-not-to-forget relationships, radio DJs, music retail workers, and lovers of music of all types because the soundtrack, to quote Jack Black "kicks fu**ing a**".

The DVD is great to own. It presents the film in clear colorful matted Widescreen (1.85:1), offers 9 Deleted scenes that appeared in the original screenplay as well as the original novel, short mini conversations with actor John Cusack & director Stephen Frears, and the original theatrical trailer for the film.

Without a doubt, this is a MUST-HAVE for people who love music, have been in tough relationships, and enjoy writing Top 5 Lists.

"Good luck...goodbye...thanks, boss."-Rob Gordon (John Cusack) ... Read more

Amazon.com

This memorable drama helped bring British director Stephen Frears back from the limited opportunities of television (where he spent 13 years after making his promising debut feature, Gumshoe) and into the ranks of world-class filmmakers. Driven by the self-confident charisma of Terence Stamp, the vicious charm of John Hurt, and a fascinating debut performance by Tim Roth, The Hit concernsa criminal informant (Stamp) on ice for the past decade in Spain. Found outby the mobster who wantsrevenge on him, Stamp'scharacter is apprehended by a pair of hit men who have to escort him to Paris.Along the way, the serene abductee, having become a bit enlightened during his ten-yearretreat, seems not to worry about death or anything else. It's his overseerswho feel the strain of their imminent task of spillinghis blood. Smart, very funny, and very unconventional, The Hit is also a treat to look at as Frears enjoys the expanse of the big screen again. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Deserves to be a small cult
"The Hit" is a wonderful and endearing early effort from top Brit director Frears. A slick kidnap, road movie with a kooky edge, blending in beautious spanish landscapes with theories on mortality and teenage crushes. But its the charming, oddball characters that really sell this. Terance Stamp is perfect as the doomed, yet gleeful Willy, and is able to be sympathetic, enigmatic and wickedly comic. John Hurt is brutal and troubled as the Hitman who develops a quite surreal relationship with his female hostage. However the most winning performance here belongs to a remarkably young Tim Roth as the lippy sidekick. His portrayal of Myron is spunky, goonie and...adorable! This is the sort of movie you watch at 2:ooam and it gains a kind of dreamlike quality. The ending is so painfully ironic.

The Passenger
Any quick synopsis of the plot may give you the idea that this is like so many independent films that came after it but its not. The three things that make this different and better are the three actors involved. The young hood who acts tough but really may not have the stomach for this kind of thing is Tim Roth, the true professional hit man who has little patience for his young accomplice and would be apprentice is John Hurt. And the target for the elaborate hit is the always exquisite Terence Stamp who knows it has been coming all the years and has become very philosophical, almost welcoming it when it finally appears. Stamp too was a pro and that makes both Hurt and Roth admire him, even revere him perhaps for accepting things like he does. There is action but most of it is character interaction, which is very good. Visually the most exciting scenes are in Spain where Stamp has been hiding it out in a very comfortable country villa, but the trip back to Paris presents several interesting villages and vistas. Frears later did Dangerous Liasons which I also like but this smaller film is my favorite of his primarily because of the Stamp character and Terence Stamp himself. If you've seen anything of his from Billy Budd to Fellinis Toby Dammit to Pasolinis Theorem to The Limey, you know he is one of the most interesting screen presences you will ever encounter, The Hit was made when he hadn't been seen in a picture for a while so the fact that the character he plays in The Hit has also been out of circulation for awhile gives the role an added dimension.
Later Reservoir Dogs made Tim Roth famous and for good reason but here you get his debut doing it all for the first time. And Hurt is always scary as hell like he's haunted with some knowledge about human nature that you nor I nor anyone will ever know about.

The Best Film Noir You've Never Seen .
The old song goes: "Hooray for Hollywood , where you're terrific if you're only good."

All too true. So at the risk of sounding snobbish, let me start by saying that this gem boasts three terrific actors---even by British standards---Johh Hurt, Terence Stamp and, in his film debut, Tim Roth.

Can't ask for better.

Story by Peter Prince, directed by Stephen Frears; a few years before he became a major name with 'Dangerous Liasons.'

So far, so good. Now here's the tough part: What's the film about?

At first it seems simple enough. A small time gangster (Stamp) has grassed , or as we say in America, squealed on his cohorts. Having turned state's witness, he's let off the hook and proceeds to hide out in a small village in Spain. Ten years later the gang is out of prison, they've discovered his whereabouts and sent their top hit man (Hurt) and his eager hooligan apprentice (Roth) to kidnap and bring him to Paris where they intend to execute him in front of The Boss. If anything goes wrong, they're to kill him immediately.

So much goes wrong that some professional reviewers listed the genre of this film as 'Comedy'

Er... way off base, though it does have some very funny moments. The greatest complication in the list of what goes wrong is Maggie, a 15 year old (or is she?) Spanish babe, which they end up having to take along for the ride , played by the actress Laura del Sol.

An appropiate name since this noir film is brightly scorched by the Spanish sun. An intended thematic point. Hurt and Del Sol are passionate animals, fighting for life.

On the other hand, Stamp, who has known for ten years that death at the hands of the mob was inevitable has spent his time preparing for his demise by " Reading wonderfull things."

He appears to have transformed himself from petty thief into another Socrates. Death, he tells us is 'as natural as breathing.' Far from making any attempt at escape, he infuriates Hurt by helping him along--fixing his car when it breaks down, for example.

Is he real or full of it?--Or as they say in England " You mouth! "

Great ending, which I won't give away, may (?) answer the question.

Yes it is Film Noir, yes it's a gangster film but --No I'm NOT going to tell you that it 'transcends the genre ' that's a dumb cliche. The story uses the plot device of a hit man ( speaking of dumb cliches perhaps the most annoyingly prevalent around these days--every year there's a dozen 'hit men' flicks) and turns it spectacularly on its head into a superb story with phenomenal characters.

Technical review only!
A forerunner to "Sexy Beast", the outstanding 1984 Brit-Noir "The Hit" is a lushly filmed, "*****" (five-star) movie by director Stephen Frears ("My Beautiful Laundrette","High Fidelity", "Dirty Pretty Things"). It features a dream cast (Terrence Stamp, John Hurt and the big screen dubut of Tim Roth). A five-star film, a critically acclaimed director/cast, and a beautifully-filmed Mediterranean locale. Any one of the aforementioned attributes should warrant respectful treatment of the film's transfer to DVD. Unfortunately, Artisan "Entertainment" botches the job once again (check out customer reviews of Artisan's DVD release of "The Last Emperor" to see the pattern emerging here). Not only is the DVD in "pan & scan", but the print is quite dark and noticably "jittery" in several places. The audio, while acceptable, exhibited no improvement over the the s-vhs copy I had already archived from a cable airing. I understand that "The Hit" is likely destined to "cult" status, with a limited arthouse audience, but does this justify the shoddy, inattentive treatment? Scour your cable listings until Criterion gets hold of it.

DVD available Pan & Scan only
I've been waiting for this film to come out on DVD for years. I like it quite a bit -- it's sort of a philisophical gangster road movie. I'd normally rate it maybe 3 1/2 stars. But I can't give that rating to this version of it, unfortunately, since I discovered when I tried to watch it tonight that it's Pan & Scan -- cutting off both sides of the picture -- and apparently that's the only way that Artisan will to release it. Don't you hate it when film studios don't actually care about their films?

Anyway, if you don't mind Pan & Scan, by all means, check this one out. Heck, I'll sell you mine, cheap. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Don't compare books and movies.
This has got to be released on DVD. No question.

It's part of a trilogy, it'll complete many Roddy Doyle fans collections and it is damn good!

Some people have criticised the movie for not being as funny as the book -well duh! Books are almost always better, because you use your own imagination! Did Trainspotting live up to the book, not in my opinion -but millions still loved the movie.

Forget those comments about not bothering with this movie, it carries on where The Snapper left off 3 years previously.

If you liked The Snapper, do yourself a favour and get this movie when it goes to DVD.

this is a terrific film which needs to be released on DVD
I am not writing a review. Believe me when I tell you this is a very funny and charming film.
My point is that Roddy Doyle wrote a trilogy-the snapper/the committments/the van
THIS IS THE ONLY ONE OF THE 3 NOT RELEASED ON DVD- WHY?
the committments were great and are being rereleaseed for the the 2nd time (3 in all)
the snapper is hilarious and is constantly being played on television, besides being available on DVD
The Van is perhaps the funniest or at least deserves to be releasesed on DVD for all movie fans! even for the non-irish, including myself

I am writing this on Amazon because this is where I purchase my hard to find DVD's

this flick must be released on DVD, Irish , English, Americans, etc we will all purchase the Van- because it is worth it.

Roddy Doyle Ruined
Simply, read the book. The book is a triumph of modern-Irish humour. The film is crap!

The worst movie of the best book in The Barrytown Trilogy
"The Van" is one of my favorite books, but I really disliked this movie. So much of what made the book good is gone: for example, the character of Sharon could have been played by a cardboard cutout. Larry's family seems to have disappeared, and some of the funniest bits in the book (the death of the Jack Russell terrier, for instance) show up as unfunny sight gags. Do yourself a favor and read all of Roddy Doyle's books, and let this movie slide into oblivion.

Great working stiff movie!
First off, I didn't know this was part of a trilogy, so this is coming from the standpoint of someone who has only watched the Van. With that out of the way I have to say this was a GREAT film. It was hilarious and heart warming in the fact that it deals with working stiffs. The fact that it is set in Dublin only adds to the charm of this film because of all the acents and colorful language. If you are looking for a great down to earth film then this is for you! ... Read more

Description

From the guys who brought you GROSSE POINTE BLANK comes the absolutely hilarious HIGH FIDELITY. John Cusack (BEING JOHN MALKOVICH) stars as Rob Gordon, the owner of a semi-failing record store located on one of the back streets of Chicago. He sells music the old-fashioned way -- on vinyl, with two wacky clerks, the hysterically funny rock snob Barry (Jack Black) and the more quietly opinionated underachiever Dick (Todd Luiso). But Rob's business isn't the only thing in his life that's floundering -- his needle skips the love groove when his longtime girlfriend Laura (newcomer Iben Hjejle) walks out on him. And this forces him to examine his past failed attempts at romance the only way he knows how! For a rocking fun time, give HIGH FIDELITY a spin. It's sure to make your all-time top five list for comedies -- with a bullet. ... Read more

Reviews (240)

A tribute to man's failings!
I approached this movie with a certain trepedation. As a great fan of the Nick Hornby novel, I was somewhat concerned about the Americanisation of the novel.

How could I ever have doubted John Cusack and co!! The point is made well by Stephen Frears in his interview; moving the movie to Chicargo highlights the fact that its themes are universal.

We are taken inside the mind of Rob(John Cusack), a thirtysomething record store owner, undergoing a mini mid-life crisis. His girlfriend has left him for the new-age hippie neighbour (Tim Robbins). In an effort to understand why this has happened he takes the advice of "The Boss" and contacts his "all-time top five break-ups" to try to determine why they broke up with him.

Rob is not the perfect hero and his flaws are clearly shown to us. It is this which allows the viewer to identify with Rob in a way which certainly I have done with very few movie characters. He's a good guy who does stupid things, hurts the people he loves, acts selfishly but is ultimately likeable.

Rob's journey of self discovery is always anchored by his obsession with music and this music gives us a further insight into the mind of the main character.

Special mention must be made of the deleted scenes on the DVD version. A couple of these are particularly fine and would have added to the narrative. I can only think that there was a particularly vicious editing process to cut ten minutes off the running time.

The cast is truely outstanding, a real ensemble piece with particularly fine performances from Jack Black and Todd Luiso as Rob's stereotypical record shop snob employees ("I can't fire them. I hired them three days a week but they starting coming every day. That was three years ago!) Some of the scenes in the music shop are painfully funny.

But ultimatly it's Cusacks movie. He truly is one of the most talented actors in mainstream cinema today.

Besides any movie that can namecheck Belle & Sebastian and The Beta Band and features a cameo from Bruce Springsteen deserves an extra star!

Watch it twice. At least.
It's hard to explain to someone who hasn't seen High Fidelity, or even someone who's just seen it once, how incredibly good it is. Take first the phenomenal John Cusack, who seems to make any film he appears in twice as watchable. Is there a more underrated leading man in this decade? I doubt it.

Then take into account the amazing support, knowns and unknowns - Cusack's sister Joan, Tim Robbins, Jack Black, etc. - even Zeta-Jones isn't half bad. Consider too the script, which is surprisingly faithful to Nick Hornby's (very good) book, and gives equal measure to comic and tragic relief.

Fianlly, the soundtrack. Can there be any greater song to sum up Rob Thomas (John Cusack's) final revelation after the film ends than Stevie Wonder's I Believe? No. High Fidelity is the complete package - funny, touching, well-acted, scripted, directed, scored for, and unbelievably true to life.

And for all those sad Englishmen writing in to complain that the movie should have been set in Britian - get real. I thank you.

Possessions and obsessions
This is a movie about men, their possessions and how they order them. For Rob, it's all about pop music and women. Nothing else, besides the odd film, matters to him. And it's pretty much the same for his two male colleagues at the record shop, who exist at opposite ends of the forcefulness spectrum. They form a self-selected elite who look down on the musical taste of nearly everyone they meet.

But actually their hyper-critical views are pretty close to the mark. It's great to hear someone else noticing and lamenting the 1980s decline of Stevie Wonder, for example. One might criticise author Hornby for selecting Rob's dream job as record producer in the punk era (1976-79) when he could have chosen, say, late 1960s Beach Boys / Beatles psychedelia. But you can never find someone with the identical taste as your own. Strangely, the music is not particularly central to this movie, in the sense that it probably generated fewer album sales for featured artists like Marvin Gaye than say 'The Big Chill'.

The structure of the movie takes a little getting used to. The first time you see it can be a disappointment -- there's no upbeat climactic ending, unless you count the improbable, rather obviously tacked-on, disco/concert by Sonic Death Metal, or whatever they happened to be called at the time. John Cusack's frequent chats to camera seem altogether natural (except when he's sauntering backwards and forwards on some wooden bridge-cum-platform in downtown Chicago).

What I like about this film is that, from a male viewpoint, it rings true so often. Men do behave treacherously, and the behaviour often looks worse at first sight. I like the fact that the actress who played Laura wasn't stunningly attractive. Even Lisa Bonet didn't seem particularly beautiful in the movie. (But yes, that really is Catherine Zeta-Jones discreetly stripping off in a role just before she became famous enough to warrant a major Hollywood film credit.)

This is not the perfect movie, but it contains a message about the male psyche that I hadn't extracted from any other movie, and that revelation in itself is sufficiently uplifting to distract from the artificial attempt by the film to uplift via the back-together-again concert/disco scenario.

Maudlin Navel Gazing to a Great Soundtrack
Ah yes. Another quirky offbeat romantic comedy from quirky offbeat romantic cynic John Cusack. Life sucks but he wouldn't miss it for the world. Give John Cusack credit. He was 34 when he made this. His character is a guy in his late 20's who has the emotional maturity of a teenager and Cusack pulls it off effortlessly. Cusack's character, Rob, isn't a jerk. He's a manchild. He doesn't mean to be a selfish obsessive boob; he just lacks the normal range of human adult emotions. Imagine the teenager Cusack played in Better Off Dead. Now imagine that teenager ten years later and working as the owner of a independent music store. He's a music snob and puts in long hours at the store but he still has time to ruin promising relationships with childish antics, talk to the screen and stalk former girlfriends while chasing after the next soon to be ex girlfriend. High Fidelty is the unofficial sequel to Better Off Dead. Instead of weird parents and goofy fantasy sequences, we get weird coworkers and morbid sexually and violently charged fantasy sequences involving Tim Robbins. I won't compliment the soundtrack except to say any movie about music had better have a damn good soundtrack and High Fidelity does its job.

There's a little Rob Gordon in all of us
After working on my college radio station as a DJ, entertainment news anchor, and Human Resource director, I was told by my friends that I should check this film out as I reminded them a lot of John Cusack's character in it. They were right. I too have had my share of bad relationships and can easily tell you the stories of how it went from "Hello" to "Goodbye" in less than 5 minutes. I have worked in music retail for 2 and a half years and I am also incredibly anal about my own collection of music and every song I can recognize played on the radio I can tell people what it is, who the artists is, what album it appeared on, and whether it is a radio edit, extended version, or remix.

That being said, when I first saw this movie I didn't quite understand many of the points. So I watched it again and realized "My god, I AM Rob Gordon!" Within a month, I purchased the DVD of High Fidelity and the book by Nick Hornby which was incredible. I highly recommend this film to all guys who have had their share of hard-not-to-forget relationships, radio DJs, music retail workers, and lovers of music of all types because the soundtrack, to quote Jack Black "kicks fu**ing a**".

The DVD is great to own. It presents the film in clear colorful matted Widescreen (1.85:1), offers 9 Deleted scenes that appeared in the original screenplay as well as the original novel, short mini conversations with actor John Cusack & director Stephen Frears, and the original theatrical trailer for the film.

Without a doubt, this is a MUST-HAVE for people who love music, have been in tough relationships, and enjoy writing Top 5 Lists.

"Good luck...goodbye...thanks, boss."-Rob Gordon (John Cusack) ... Read more

Description

One little secret is about to cause a big, big commotion in this hilariously funny hit comedy that has everyone talking! When the oldest daughter of a riotous, close-knit family announces her unexpected pregnancy, everyone wants to know who fathered the "snapper" she's carrying. But the young woman's refusal to reveal anything about her predicament sends the entire town into a tizzy! Critics coast-to-coast praised THE SNAPPER as one of the year's finest and funniest films -- it's sure to deliver nonstop laughs to you! ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Sequel to "The Commitments", "Snapper" falls short...
"The Snapper" is the second part of the Trilogy of a group of impoverished North Dubliners, the first part being the excellent and almost perfect movie, "The Commitments." "The Snapper" falls short of the quality of the first movie in part because the plot line is muddled. Characters portrayed in "The Commitments" reappear in "The Snapper" but are played weakly by different actors. The dilemma of the sister being pregnant out of wedlock is not really funny, nor is it a large enough crisis on which to build a movie. The single exception to the mediocrity is, as ever, Colm Meaney, once again brilliant, funny and poignant as the father of the family. He paces the film with his performance, laced with perfect comic timing and a delivery as good as any you'll see in any movie anywhere. See "The Snapper" for Meaney's performance--he won't disappoint you.

Wickedly funny
Based on the second book in Roddy Doyle's Dublin trilogy, The Snapper is a wickedly funny glimpse into the lives of a working class Irish family. The eldest daughter of a large family becomes pregnant and refuses to name the father. Not your traditional comic premise, but in this case it works beautifully. The characters are fully developed and presented in such a manner that you care deeply about them, and experience their pain as well as their joy. Veteran actor Colm Meaney (Star Trek DS9), who appears in the other two films that make up the trilogy (The Commitments and The Van), masterfully carries the story as the father of the unruly brood. He comes across as a good man who tries to do the right thing and loves his family, but is painfully human at every turn. The rest of the cast is mostly unknown but very believable and capable. I highly recommend this film (and the books, too). It may be the closest you ever get to Dublin without actually crossing the Atlantic.

A realistic view into an Irish home.
No other film has ever captured the zeitgeist of Irish life as well as the snapper. Roddy Doyle was teaching in a North Dublin working class school when he wrote this book. Much of the dialoge that you hear in the film is directly out of the mouths of his students.

What you see in this film is as close as an outsider is ever likely to come to an understanding of working class Irish life. The unmarried daughter giving birth accounts for 1 in four of all children born today in Ireland. This is as real a situation as you can have. The language, the wit, the sarcasm and the lifestyle are all iminently recognised by Irish people as being true to daily life.

The bonus of the Snapper is that you get a bellyaching laugh at the same time. There are few films as funny as this.

Absolutely brilliant!

A real look at an Irish working class family.
I've seen this video several times and it never fails to entertain me and make me feel good. My maiden name was Curley and my Mother was going to name me Sharon but named me Cheryl instead because all the girls in the ward were being named Sharon. Although my Dad was not born in Ireland, he was very "Irish" and had many of the same mannerisms of the father in this movie. The father reminds me of my Dad (although he would not have been as understanding). Irish Dads typically idolize their daughters and defend their honor at any cost. This Irish dad was no different.
The antics of the family are typical of a large Irish working class family as is the love you see for the girl as she goes through the painful process of growing up and entering motherhood. Having visited Ireland (to scatter my Dad's ashes), I found the dialect true and understandable (even the cuss words). The pub scenes were authentic as well. All in all, a great movie, somewhat dramatic in its content but a very feel good ending. Can't really understand why anyone would compare it to the Committments as it is a totally different type of movie. I enjoyed that as well.

absolutely brilliant!
This is one of the funniest films I've ever seen! Tina Kellegher is brilliant as the knocked up daughter, and Colm Meaney's performance is top notch as always. Anyways this film definitely does justice to Roddy Doyle's wonderful book. ... Read more

Reviews (79)

a real class act
DANGEROUS LIAISONS is a fantastic character study of the twisted and obsessed. The classic novel translates perfectly to the screen in this adaptation by Christopher Hampton which was taken from his acclaimed stage play.

Glenn Close is mesmerising as the seductive and manipulative woman who challenges the cruel Valmont (John Malkovich) to seduce her naive niece (Uma Thurman). However, Valmont also wishes to seduce and disgrace a remote beauty (Michelle Pfeiffer), totally uncaring and unaware of the tragic outcome that will envelope them both.

The stellar cast also includes Keanu Reeves (THE MATRIX, PARENTHOOD), Swoosie Kurtz (LITTLE GIRLS IN PRETTY BOXES, REALITY BITES) and veteran Mildred Natwick (THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY).

The DVD transfer is gorgeous and has a dynamic 5.1 sound mix that shows off the beautifully dramatic score by George Fenton.

Remade as VALMONT (starring Colin Firth and Fairuza Balk) and CRUEL INTENTIONS (starring Ryan Phillippe).

The Game as You have never seen it....
You wouldn't necessarily think that an adaptation of an albeit famous 17th century French novel would make a relevant and fascinating piece of cinema... but it does.

The first thing that strikes you is how well the film is lit and shot. The period locations and costumes are visually sumptuous and perfect. Better yet, the acting entirely matches the skill of the direction that takes its method from the theatre - emotions are conveyed by expression and not dialogue. Glenn Close gives her best performance on celluloid as the scheming Madame de Merteuil, amorally hellbent on bending everyone to her will, no matter the method or the cost, and John Malkovitch is her perfect foil as the cynical hedonistic but world-weary Valmont. Michelle Pfeiffer engages our empathy as the tortured and manipulated target of Malkovitch's desire and Close's plotting.

The film is basically a morality tale, but one that fascinates in its exposure of ego, vanity, intrigue and the war between the genders, subjects that are timeless in their relevance, despite the period setting. The storyline, which sticks faithfully to the original novel, remains compelling throughout as we watch deceits within deceits take their tragic course. Whole-heartedly recommended - take your time over it, and enjoy.

A wonderful film
Dangerous Liaisons is a lush and lavish glimpse into the lives of the 18th century French aristocracy. The Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont used to be lovers and are now close friends, a powerful but restrained attraction still simmering between them. They are both twisted people who enjoy manipulating everyone around them, but the foundation of their demise is laid when they make a bet - if Valmont can seduce the virtuous Madame de Tourvel, a married woman of unimpeachable morals, the Marquise will give herself to him for one whole night of romance. What neither anticipates is that Valmont will fall in love with Tourvel, and that the Marquise will become victim to a destructive jealousy.

Glenn Close is marvelous as the depraved Marquise, and ever so subtly reveals to us the insecurities behind the noblewoman's coldly smiling facade. Malkovich proves that a man does not need to be conventionally handsome in order to be seductive; he exudes serpentine charm and masterfully acts out the Vicomte's slow and astonishing change of heart. The dialogue is witty and stirring, and the costumes are candy for the eyes. This was a thoroughly enjoyable film.

Dangerous Liaisons
Some reviewers spoke of the poor dvd quality. I was too young to see this film in the theaters when it came out, but is it possible that it could have been made to look like that? Sometimes a special filter is used on the camera to give the picture a specific look. I thought the haziness and soft, pastel colors presented in the movie mirrored the rococo style of the period perfectly.

This is my favorite John Malkovich movie. His looks are irrelevent to his portrayal of the Viccomte. Malkovich completely embodied the sinister and seductive Valmont, and every time I watch this film, I fall under his spell, too.

Fabulous
From an earlier review...

"Great Potential Ruined By Mediocre Actors"

Oh, now THIS is rich...

THREE Oscar-nominated performances, and one of those is an example of "mediocre" acting? Gimme a break.

This is without doubt a fine film... Wicked, delightful, and delicious even for this guy's guy (forget that "chick flick" nonsense, any man who doesn't wish to take Malkovich's place in "educating" a very young Ms. Thurman is delusional). Five stars, a modern classic.

Superb cinematography, acting, costumes, dialogue, etc. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not a bad film, but...
A somewhat over-obvious drama about a struggling Irish Catholic family living in Liverpool during the Great Depression. Ian Hart plays the agonized father, who just wants a good job, politics be damned; the title character is his son, the innocent through whose eyes we watch the family dissolve and reunite. Liam is caught between his pragmatic, hardbitten Pa and his upright, religious mother, who maintains her faith in the Church, even as it fails to live up to its promise. This film is okay, but somewhat leaden, overly stylized and the plot is too on the nose.

A Down Mood
Eight-year old Liam and his Catholic family live in grimy, industrial Liverpool during the Depression. Liam's Dad loses his job, and each member of the family searches for answers in different places and ways. Their lives become enfolded in bigotry, violence, and social and personal conflicts. Liam, who is being prepared for his First Communion, looks to Catholicism for answers.
This is a Serious Movie. It's dark, and it takes some discipline to stay with it. It has a few good insights but raises many more questions.
A critic on the Internet says "Liam" is more raw than "Life is Beautiful" and more genuine than "Billy Elliot."

Liverpool in the 1930s: Depression: and an Adorable Kid
After critically praised "High Fidelity," director Stephen Frears came back to his homeground with "Liam," which traces a family living in Liverpool during the time of the 1930s, immediately after the Great Depression.

Though, with justification, some people pointed out the resemblamce between this one and "Angela's Ashes," you must know that "Liam" is set in Liverpool, England while the other in Ireland. So it is very suitable that "Liam" cast Ian Hart as Dad of the family because Liverpool-born actor once played a very credible portrait of John Lennon. But you may now remember him as Prof. Quirrell in "Harry Potter." Whichever you are, he totally remodelled himself, to become this father of 7-year-old Liam, whose stuttering sometimes works for his advantage in this hard times of Depression.

The film follows the life of Liam's family members, each of which strrugles to live under conditions of life that gradually get harder. Liam goes to a Catholic school where he is taught about the hell and its fire; his elder sister Teresa starts a job of a housemaid in a rich Jewish family, where she inspite of herself helps to conceal the mother's affair from her husband; and Liam's father, who lost his job at factory, resorts to entering the membership of radical political party.

It seems at first sight that the film is dark, grim, and somber to put off many of you, but it shouldn't. The fact is, thanks to the fast-paced editing of the film, and very sly humors of Jimmy McGovern (of controvertial "Priest"), which include ones with sexual nature -- little Liam had to witness his mother's naked body accidentally, and thinks he has committed a sin --the film is always watchable. You may call it a light-weight work from Frears (running time is about 90 minutes), but it has good acting all around, convincing production designs, and most of all Anthony Borrow's adorable Liam, which itself is worth your money. He has no previous acting experience, but you won't believe it after seeing his face.

Also good is Ian Hart, as always he is. But his final act as Dad, which is very drastic and melodramatic, looks out of tune, and certainly many of you might feel disappointed (and I was too). But I know a Japanese reviewer who pointed out that final conclusion shows an irony -- while Liam himself is terribly afraid of being burnt in hell, it is not he that receives that fate. Is the ending a right one? Please judge it for yourself.

Very gripping drama about a family in Liverpool, "Liam" tells you a thing or two about living there at that time, and influece of religion on the children. You may wonder why Teresa had to say "I'm sorry" while it is Dad that should say so. It is thus always engaing, and thought-provoking. If you didn't like "Angela's Ashes" (which I liked), you may go for it.

Wonderful and Touching Film
This little known and acknowledged film is a touching and thought provoking work. A true gem.

It is a story of a catholic seven year old boy going by the name Liam in 1930's Liverpool. It is a view into the life and times of the financially and humanely poor conditions of that age. Liam and his family suffer much in this film and we watch, being drawn in to understand and enjoy the characters and their lives.

For those who concern themselves with moral content for children:
This film is rated R, containing some nudity (though it is tasteful) and some small amounts of adult language. The subject matter and the story is obviously not all rosey and smiles either. There is some violence in this film that forces notice.

What Angela's Ashes could have been!
I really liked the way the film was directed, with alot of visual imagery revolving around four major themes, poverty, religion, SES and politics. The themes were all interelated and were played on throughout the whole movie. The cast was outstanding and you've got to see the darling little boy who had a speech impediment. He is probably one of the cutest child actors I have seen! He is outstanding!! The ending might be hard for some and is quite shocking, but it makes sense. I really think those of you who saw Angela's Ashes and wanted a bit more, would get that from this film. It just covers the content more richly and with gritty yet beautiful cinematography.

Lisa Nary ... Read more

Reviews (38)

ELEVATOR TO HELL
Produced by Martin Scorsese and directed by Stephen Frears, THE GRIFTERS is a winner. With three top actors, Anjelica Huston, Annette Bening and John Cusack, Frears invites us to a non-stop ride to hell.

Caught between his mother and his girl-friend, John Cusack will have a hard time to survive and become a man. You can almost touch the hate those two women feel for each other. Their last encounter is really a scene you will remember : set in Phoenix, in a motel, in a subtle variation of PSYCHO's first murder, it is a moment of great cinema.

Cusack is outstanding as the gentle grifter, Frear's cinematography is first class and Anjelica has never been so devilish. No doubt about it, THE GRIFTERS is a masterpiece of the film noir genre.

A DVD that bleeds.

Superb
I've never been a John Cusack fan, but he's utterly riveting in the role of a coming-of-age grifter caught between two indelible women. Annette Bening, at least here, is a pure force of nature, a sexy tsunami overwhelming everything in her path. And Anjelica Huston??? Her entire career has been one splendid performance after another, and this is one of her finest. You simply cannot take your eyes off her. The interaction of these three is one of the best examples of ensemble acting outside of an Altman film. And the little subtleties around these three -- from the brilliant set piece of the orange scene to the almost-identical dresses worn by Lily and Myra to Elmer Bernstein's moody score -- make The Grifters a compelling experience. The only disappointment is that the CD has NO extras at all, but you could certainly make the case that this is a movie that can stand completely on its own.

The towering work of Stephem Frears!
This is a splendid film. One of the hard movies of this decade. A chess game in the purest sense of the word. The underworld of these little gamblers ond fortune seekers was depicted with origianilty and built on a solid script and secondary characters that enrich even more this story.
Angelica Huston is her best performance (I like even her Award performance Prizzi's honor) ; John Cussack made a brighting performance and Anette Benning superb.
The film plays hard . It's a neo film noir but it keeps for the viewer several smart bits and clever twist of fate: a little homagge to "The sting" ; in the middle of the movie and fine dialogues ; specially in the tour de force dialogue Huston and her son and the frenetic and anguishly fight Huston - Benning in the motel .
Frears is a very original film maker but besides its intimate character this film may be well considered his masterpiece.

"A thing like this rarely happens..."
Those of us who love this film, love it a lot. It is one of my all time top films that I watch shamelessly for record numbers of times and love the same, if not more. So, The Grifters is right up there on my big board along with Body Heat, Black Widow, Peggy Sue Got Married, Hannibal, Silence of the Lambs, Diabolique (the original)and Splendor in the Grass (the original)and The Long Good Friday. Atmosphere, performances, dazzling movie style and grace, heart and soul.

I will never understand how Jeremy Irons, during his visit with James Lipton on Inside the Actor's Studio, could possibly state that American films lacked soul while the British films had long since cornered the market in that particular quality. The Grifters is as loaded to the gills with every quality necessary to film greatness as the greatest British, or any other European film ever made.

This film always has impressed me as a very close relation to the fabulous "Long Good Friday" with Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren (English Gangster film par exellence). These folks are not burdened with the need to justify their lives or livelihoods. Remember Bob Hoskins character reminiscing fondly about his boyhood start as a gangster doing some scam with cars and intimidation. Whenever the grifter or the gangster gets a big dose of self-righteous indignation, it is alway for his or her own benefit and never applied to another victim, harmless or otherwise.

I love the blurring of eras in the Grifters, the feeling that although the story is depicted in the 1980's, it has the rich, indefinable quality of Alfred Hitchcock's films from the 1950's. The Grifters takes the American film to the top of the world's cinema and challenges the rest of the world to do better.

On a sadder note, it is also the pinnacle of American short-sightednes and just plain old bourgeois lack of artistic sense, not to award films like Grifters the big awards that are so well deserved. Perhaps the Academy feels that you can only let a good independent film have its day every ten or so years and let the Cannes Film Festival, or Sundance, or whoever take care of the rest of the finest productions of cinematic artistry.

Stephen Frears' Best Work
If, like me, you saw and loved Stephen Frears' 2003 outing "Dirty Pretty Things" (starring Audrey Tautou in her first English-speaking role), consider going back and watching what is arguably his finest effort, "The Grifters."

This is a wonderful movie featuring three very talented actors. In 1990, John Cusack was just transitioning into adult roles, in much the same way his character Roy Dillon is doing. A perfect fit.

Annette Benning lets it all hang out, as she has done with all of her performances, even after ascending into Hollywood royalty as Mrs. Warren Beatty.

Despite those stellar performances, they're still no match for Angelica Huston. She is truly magnetic as Cusak's mother, Lilly.

Also worthy of note is long-time character actor Pat Hingle's turn as Lilly's boss, Bobo Justus. It's essentially a cameo role, but it's the performance that stands out foremost in my mind two months after viewing. ... Read more

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Dustin Hoffman plays a lowlife who happens upon a plane crash and rescues the passengers, but doesn't really care about the value of his deed or the attendant publicity when the media starts searching for the hero. Another fellow (Andy Garcia) steps into the gap and claims credit, and as his life changes for the better he takes on a messianic glow. Geena Davis is the cynical television reporter who pushes the latter's fame in order to keep her story alive, and this film, directed by Stephen Frears (Prick Up Your Ears), takes a few familiar jabs at a manipulative and voyeuristic press. This is essentially an unofficial remake of Meet John Doe, though it is less dramatic and forceful in the end than Frank Capra's classic. Chevy Chase has an oddly anachronistic part as Davis's editor (maybe he thought he really was in Meet John Doe), but the film belongs to Hoffman, who makes his character a slightly cleaned-up version of the actor's own Ratso Rizzo in Midnight Cowboy. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (13)

underrated
Hero is really a gem. It features consistently good performances and is sharp, thought-provoking, and is touching without approaching sappiness. You get Geena Davis while she was still making good movies, Dustin Hoffman without much visible ego, a solid Andy Garcia, and the always-fabulous Joan Cusack.

This movie was SO underrated. I remember reading that Quentin Tarantino said this was a movie he wished he'd had a chance to direct because it could have been so much better, that in this movie you see a director reaching the extent of his abilities, and while I was glad to see that someone was recognizing it in any way, it also really made me mad that Quentin Tarantino, not like the most consistent or productive director, should say that about Steven Frears, who directed My Beautiful Laundrette, Dangerous Liaisons, and this. Really! This is for me up there among the best movies of the past 10 years, certainly among the most underappreciated.

AN OTHER ACTOR VERY VERY MUCH INTELLIGENT
Dustin HOFFMAN is a PRODIGIOUS PHENOMENAL ACTOR in THIS SPLENDID MOVIE and he demonstrate witch he is able to conceive a role who's consist to be a FALSE COWARD ! He don't like the photographs the PUBLICITY for HIM and PREFEAR his SON at anything in his life he is contrained to make many things, ... stranges to retain his natural propensity to rob anything, EVEN his ADVOCATE FOR PAY SHE IN A SAME TIME WONDERFULL DUSTIN HOFFMAN AND HIS MOMENTARY FRIEND WHO'S ANDY GARCIA WHO'S AN OTHER WONDERFULL ACTOR !!!!! SPLENDID MOVIE !!!!!!!!!!!!

Hoffman is great here!
Dustin Hoffman is Bernie, a selfish nasty guy who barely shows up at his ex-wife's to spend time with his kid. One night as he is driving to her house to fulfill his parental duty, he sees a downed plane in a field. Irritated but grudgingly acknowledging he should do the right thing, he pries open the door to free the passengers. He goes in and finds the unconscious Gale (Davis), who is a newscaster back from an awards show. Seeing everyone to safety, Bernie hails a cab and continues on his way.

Gale goes on TV looking for her hero. The cabdriver to whom Bernie told his tale then takes credit. He is handsome, seems nice and apparently saved an entire airplane full of people -- a media dream! Bernie sees all this on TV and gets aggravated to no end. But no one believes him that he did such a heroic deed.

The farce continues till it is indeed discovered, through a convoluted turn of events, who the real hero is. Mostly, thouh, Bernie wants to prove to his son that he can do a good thing every now and then, even if people won't believe you. As he philosophizes, the world is just layers of "poop". You peel through the layers till you find "poop" you can live with, and then that's your "poop"!!!

One selfless act of courage can really mess up your life
"Hero" has an interesting premise because it has such an unlikely title character, namely Bernie LaPlante, a born loser played by Dustin Hoffman. Bernie is a small-time thief who has been thrown out of the house by his wife (Joan Cusak), whose son (James Madio) has pretty much written him off, and who is once again on the brink of being sent back to the slammer by a judge (Warren Berlinger). Looking over his options, Bernie figures his best play is to try and make amends with his son before he goes away for a few years. But bad luck pursues Bernie with a vengeance. Not only does his car break down but an airplane crashes in front of him and some kid who walks out of the wreckage bawling about his father being trapped in the plane. Complaining every step of the way, Bernie rescues several passengers, the last of whom is Gale Gayley (Geena Davis), Channel 4 News Reporter. She never sees much beyond a face covered in soot and mud, and the only photograph of her rescuer show a silhouette against the flames, so the story she ends up doing is about "The Angel of Flight 104." Meanwhile, insult is added to injury for Bernie, who lost one of his shoes during the rescue. The other he gives to cabbie John Bubber (Andy Garcia), all the while complaining about how stupid it was to try and be a hero.

Of course, this is all just prologue to the rest of the film, because Gale's television station offers a reward of $1 million for the identity of the mystery man who saved all those lives. Bernie could use the million dollars, but John has the shoe that matches the one the rescue workers found stuck in the mud. Besides, Bernie told John enough of the story for the imposter to get the details right. You also have to keep in mind that in "Hero" no good deed goes unpunished. That is because Bernie did something else when he got Gale out of that airplane, because John really is a good soul, who feels guilty about having so many people praise him for something he did not do, and because Gale is having more than thankful feelings for John. It is going to be really hard to pull a happy ending out of this film with all the bad things waiting to happen.

It is hard for older viewers to watch "Hero" and not see some strong similarities to some of Frank Capra's films such as "It Happened One Night" and "Meet John Doe," where journalists are at the heart of the story. Certainly the performance by Chevy Chase as Gale's boss harkens back to that tradition. But this 1992 film, also known as "Accidental Hero," lacks the soul of the true Capricorn film. More importantly, there does not really seem to be a big point behind all the drama. I keep thinking that there i