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Although it's not as bold as Oscar darling Chicago, The Phantom of the Opera continues the resuscitation of the movie musical with a faithful adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's blockbuster stage musical. Emmy Rossum glows in a breakout role as opera ingénue Christine Daae, and if phantom Gerard Butler isn't Rossum's match vocally, he does convey menace and sensuality in such numbers as "The Music of the Night." The most experienced musical theater veteran in the cast, romantic lead Patrick Wilson, sings sweetly but seems wooden. The biggest name in the cast, Minnie Driver, hams it up as diva Carlotta, and she's the only principal whose voice was dubbed (though she does sing the closing-credit number, "Learn to Be Lonely," which is also the only new song).

Director Joel Schumacher, no stranger to visual spectacle, seems to have found a good match in Lloyd Webber's larger-than-life vision of Gaston LeRoux's Gothic horror-romance. His weakness is cuing too many audience-reaction shots and showing too much of the lurking Phantom, but when he calms down and lets Rossum sings "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" alone in a silent graveyard, it's exquisite.

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Those who consider the stage musical shallow and overblown probably won't have their minds changed by the movie, and devotees will forever rue that the movie took the better part of two decades to develop, which prevented the casting of original principals Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman. Still, The Phantom of the Opera is a welcome exception to the long line of ill-conceived Broadway-to-movie travesties.

DVD Features
The two-disc edition of The Phantom of the Opera has two major extras. "Behind the Mask: The Story of The Phantom of the Opera" is an hourlong documentary tracing the genesis of the stage show, with interviews by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, director Harold Prince, producer Cameron Macintosh, lyricists Richard Stilgoe and Charles Hart, choreographer Gillian Lynne, and others. Conspicuously absent are stars Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford. Both do appear in video clips, including Brightman performing with Colm Wilkinson at an early workshop, and Crawford is the subject of a casting segment. Other brief scenes from the show are represented by a 2001 production. The other major feature is the 45-minute making-of focusing on the movie, including casting and the selection of director Joel Schumacher. Both are well-done productions by Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group.

The deleted scene is a new song written by Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart, "No One Would Listen," sung by the Phantom toward the end of the movie. It's a beautiful song that, along with Madame Giry's story, makes him a more sympathetic character. But because that bit of backstory already slowed down the ending, it was probably a good move to cut the song. --David Horiuchi

More on The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera (Special Extended Edition Soundtrack) (CD)	The Phantom of the Opera (2004 Movie Soundtrack) (CD)	The Phantom of the Opera (Original 1986 London Cast) (CD)
Evita (DVD)	Andrew Lloyd Weber: The Royal Albert Hall Celebration (DVD)	Visit the Andrew Lloyd Webber Store

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Reviews (665)

...I don't get it
Seriously...what's the big deal?
I've never seen the stage show, but I bet it was a whole lot better than the film. I expected to be treated to a fabulous musical, much on the scale of 'Chicago' and 'Moulin Rouge.' Instead, I was treated to an ameatur technical filming of a fabulous set.
There are plenty of shots where you can actually see the shadow of the camera, and the editing and photography of certain shots left me confused and dissapointed.
The actors are too young, too bland for their roles. The music was overbearing and somewhat annoying. The plot seemed to draw out endlessly, the corpses of the actors didn't help. All of these actors are EXCELLENT actors, but their talent has been wasted on this film.
Joel Schumacher too is an excellent director, he just seemed to get lost on this one.
The sets and costumes are brilliant, I will say that. They're the only aspect that saved the production.
Meanwhile, I respect those that enjoy it so wonderfully, I just don't understand why.

Phantastic!!!
I did not get the chance to see the Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford version, so I can not comment on which one was better. I loved this version though, the music, the plot, the acting, everything was "phantastic". Although if you don't like musicals don't even try watching this film most of it is sung. I loved the entire movie and I don't think one part of it was out-of-step or wrong. Although I have never been a big fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber I was surprisingly pleased with this movie.

Horrendous
I was appalled by the general quality of the film. However, I was more flabbergasted by the ratings given. The jumping scenes are awkward, the acting (especially that of Emmy) is horrendous, and man, the singing, is even worse than being amateurish. Any member from my choir could out-sing Butler or Emmy. I stopped watching after 30 minutes through the film. Honestly, I RARELY give up on a film.

THE OPREA GHOST
THIS IS A GREAT FILM I THOUGHT THE SINGING WAS GOOD AND GERARD BULTLER WAS GOOD AS PLAYING THE PHANTOM WATCH THE MOVIE IT IS Maganificent.

If you love musical's you will love this movie.
I will not include what the movie is about but I will include my opinion of the movie. I'm 33 and my tastes in movies may differ from the younger generation.

Some people may say the play is better. But then you must realize the play is limited to singing and acting but lacks the magical aspect that is shown on the big screen. Modernized by the latest movie technology, this version is the best one yet. With stunning morphing scences at the beginning of the movie you will be hooked. In this movie the music is oprea style of course. But now it's mixed with rock witch gives it a new aspect. With both Joel Schumacher and Andrew Lloyd Webber helping with the movie. I don't think anyone else could do a better job.

-Side note- Now I was totally surprised on learning that Gerald Butler played as the Phantom. (From Laura Croft Cradle of Life.) And had no idea that he was able to sing. But I felt he did well as the phantom.

I watched the version from 1991 with Burt Lancaster as the father (of the phantom) and theater owner. What I didn't like was the Phantom being fatally wounded by police.

If you trully have a taste for all kinds of music. I trully hope you will enjoy this movie like I did. To me I think this movie surpassed all the movies I have ever seen including my favorites. ... Read more

Amazon.com

You wouldn't know it by watching the Batman movies they collaborated on, but this smart adaptation of John Grisham's novel proves that director Joel Schumacher and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman have some talent when the right project comes along. Schumacher had previously directed Grisham's The Client, and brought equal craft and intelligence to this story about a young Southern attorney (Matthew McConaughey, in his breakthrough role) who defends a black father (Samuel L. Jackson) after he kills two men who raped his young daughter. Sandra Bullock plays the passionate law student who serves as McConaughey's legal aide and voice of conscience in the racially charged drama. Added to the star power of the lead roles is a fine supporting cast, including Kevin Spacey, Ashley Judd, and Oliver Platt. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (92)

Racism, violence, white trash, murder ("Jerry! Jerry!")
"A Time to Kill" has good intentions. It stars:

Matthew McConaughey as lawyer Jake Brigance

Samuel L. Jackson as Carl Lee Hailey, a father who kills to avenge the rape of his little girl

Kevin Spacey as the snide, sinister District Attorney

Sandra Bullock as Brigance's law clerk, Ellen "Rork in Boston, but Row Ark in Mississippi"

Ashley Judd as Jake Brigance's wife

Oliver Platt is Jake's buddy Harry Rex

Keifer Sutherland as a vengeful redneck

and Donald Sutherland as eccentric, civil-rights-activist/disbarred lawyer/drunk/mentor Lucien Wilbanks

With an all star cast like that, you can't go wrong, and the film, at least plot-wise, doesn't. Carl Lee Hailey's 10-year-old daughter is raped and left for dead by two white trash redneck dopeheads. Enraged, Hailey takes justice into his own hands and fatally shoots the two rapists as they leave the courthouse. Everyone in the small Mississippi town hears the news within minutes and takes sides, and Hailey hires a young ham-and-egger, Brigance, to defend him. As Brigance tries to avoid a conviction from the all-white jury, the brother of one of the rapists (played by Keifer Sutherland) gets together a couple of good ole boys to form a chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. Violence erupts, protesters march and chant, death threats and burning crosses abound, everyone is covered at all times with a sheen of oily sweat, and there's even an explosion.

"A Time to Kill" is like the "Jerry Springer Show," but intelligent.

The dialogue, however, could use work. It seems as if a good writer and a mediocre writer banged out the script, then cut it up and shuffled it together, intermingling the really well-written scenes with some really choppy dialogue.

The same goes for the acting. Jackson, Spacey, and McConaughey are excellent and convincing in their roles. Platt is charming as Jake's best friend and a sleazy divorce lawyer.

However, Judd is useless and even childish in her role as a trophy wife, and Bullock, as Jake's law clerk, sounds as if she's a shy girl in a high-school play who hasn't quite memorized her lines yet. (This really irked me because in the book version, her character was headstrong, outspoken, and very smart.)

I encourage anyone to rent the movie for themselves. It's definitely worth seeing, even if the writing and acting is a little off in places. The story redeems the bad acting.

I Love This Movie!
This movie is one of my favorites and I highly recommend that everyone see it because it is thought provoking and it forces you to put yourself in the character's shoes and think about what you would do. The movie begins with the brutal rape of a little black Mississippi girl by two white men. The girl's father Carl Lee, played by Samuel L. Jackson, then shoots and kills the guys- in the courthouse, mind you. Matthew McConaughey plays Carl Lee's attorney, Jake Brigance. The plot line continues with bouts including the KKK and the NAACP. Something notable that I really like is the exposing of the NAACP's arrogance and crookedness that happens all too often in real life. All of the actors do a great job in this film. Kevin Spacey is the prosecutor and Sandra Bullock plays Brigance's legal aid, whom he almost ends up having an affair when his wife (Ashley Judd) leaves town for her and their daughter's safety. If nothing else, you've got to see this movie for the fact that Matt McConaughey is the leading man. He is so hot! Even though I disagree with the verdict, A Time To Kill is a must see if you haven't viewed it yet. Bravo!

Grisham At His Best
A Time to Kill is my favorite Grisham book, and the movie follows suit. The book, which was the first one published but did not become popular until The Firm becase a success, seems to be the most "grounded" with a "real" feel to it unlike some of the other ones which tend to stretch credibility a bit more (but are fun to read anyway.)

Closing Arguments
A Time To Kill, is one of only two of John Grisham's legal thrillers that I have read, cover to cover. The other is The Chamber. I have to say, that while the book of ATTK is a bit better, then the film version, there's no denying the movie has a lot going for it...making for a very good film.

In a small southern town, black man Carl Lee Hailey (Samuel L. Jackson) awaits trial for murdering the two rednecks who viciously raped his 10-year-old daughter. Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey) is a young, idealistic white lawyer, who decides to take on the father's defense. The incendiary case becomes a firestorm of racism and controversy, ripping the town apart. This, as Jake goes up against the community's most successful D.A. (Kevin Spacey), while reluctanly accepting help with the case from a law student (Sandra Bullock).

It's amazing how good this film is, especially when one considers what director Joel Schumacher and its adapter
Akiva Goldsman, would team up to do on Batman And Robin. At it's center, McConaughey gives his best perfomance to date. He captures the the escence of his novel counterpart to a tee. Jackson is also quite convincing as a man on trial. The rest of the all star cast is very good here--although Bullock shares nice moments with McConaughey--she seems out of step and is suprisingly the film's weakest link. Some have said the movie is over crowded with too many subplots, while that is true to a certain extent I guess, Goldsman's script and Schumacher somehow balance it all. The film takes a few liberties, but, basically stays true to the source material.

Like most John Grisham books turned movies, the DVD lacks anything substantial, in the way of bonus material. Production notes and the film's theatrical trailer is all you get...Special Edition anyone?

A Time To Kill offers fine performances and rock solid drama. The film is a winner and one of the best Grisham adaptations out there

Intense Grisham Drama
Set in the deep south, where prejudice dies hard and bigotry still runs rampant, this intense crime drama finds the bright (although penniless) young lawyer Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey) fighting to keep a black man from the gas chamber, and struggling to protect the lives of his friends and family. When Carl Lee Haley's (Samuel L. Jackson) nine-year-old daughter is brutally raped and beaten by some local good-old-boys, he fears the court will not serve justice and takes matters in his own hands, gunning down and killing the two boys on the courthouse steps. Carl Lee calls for Jake to take up his defense, although he has never handled a murder case.
The tension rises and intensity level of the plot increases as the local KKK is united, big wigs come in from the NAACP, Klu Klux Klan, and high dollar prosecutors. When the KKK sets a burning cross in their yard, Jake's wife and daughter flee town, only to have their beautifully restored Victorian home burned to the ground days later by the protestors. In the courtroom, Jake finds himself pitted against his worse legal-world enemy (Kevin Spacey) and the courtroom antics are nothing short of breathtaking. Donald Sutherland, Sandra Bullock and Oliver Platt make up Jake's patchwork defense team and provide fantastic character studies.
This film earns the top rating for the reasons: 1)by staying true to Grisham's first legal novel of the same name; and 2) because of the deep understanding these characters give us to the world of the prejudice south, the love of a father, and the desperate yearning for justice. Ultimately, Jake must put himself in the place of each of the jurors to fight for Carl Lee's freedom. He must learn that he is not black, will never be black, but the issues are not always colored. ... Read more

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This film, about a downsized engineer (Michael Douglas) who goes ballistic, triggered a media avalanche of stories about middle-class white rage when it was released in 1993. In fact, it's nothing more than a manipulative, violent melodrama about one geek's meltdown. Douglas, complete with pocket protector, nerd glasses, crewcut, and short-sleeved white shirt, gets stuck in traffic one day near downtown L.A. and proceeds to just walk away from his car--and then lose it emotionally. Everyone he encounters rubs him the wrong way--and a fine lot of stereotypes they are, from threatening ghetto punks to rude convenience store owners to a creepy white supremacist--and he reacts violently in every case. As he walks across L.A. (now there's a concept), cutting a bloody swath, he's being tracked by a cop on the verge of retirement (Robert Duvall). He also spends time on the phone with his frightened ex-wife (Barbara Hershey). Though Douglas and Duvall give stellar performances, they can't disguise the fact that, as usual, this is another film from director Joel Schumacher that is about surface and sensation, rather than actual substance. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (133)

The movie's pretty DARN GOOD, if you ask me.
If you're a fan of the Charles Bronson stuff, this one's for you. Micheal Douglas (deeper into the movie, you'll forget it's even him) gets to act out all the heroic violence the average citizen have fantasized about doing. The actors portray lives that the ordinary citizen can related to. The acting in the movie is top-notched, although stereotypical, very real, made even more real with well-placed profainity like, "give us your f----- briefcase!" and at the end, "F--- you very much, f--- you very much." All this, the whole movie, takes place within one whole day of a familiar society. The music really helps to bring out the urban wilderness, not to mention the piece at the end. Oh, what a cooling conclusion to a long heated day! I especially enjoyed the scene on the golfcourse. Douglas fires a rifle shot after the greedy old grump clubs a golf ball at him, giving him a heart attack. Then the memoriable line from Douglas, "Good! How does it feel? Now you're gonna die wearing that stupid little hat of yours! How does it feel?" I laughed and sadistically enjoyed every second.

RIGHT IDEA, WRONG EXECUTION
As we journey with Michael Douglas in this excellent film, cant' we all identify with his frustration and anger? 85 cents for a can of soda? A store that won't give you change unless you buy something? Panhandlers looking for food, money and making you feel you owe it to them? People who think gays, blacks and other minorities are worthless? A fast food place that won't serve you breakfast even when they have tons of left overs they'll have to throw out? Wealthy old farts who think they own the golf course they pay membership in?
Yes, indeed, one can see why Douglas is so mad...it's just that his way of dealing with it is not one that we all should take.
Joel Schumacher's direction is right on, I think; people tend to like to pan Schumacher, when he has actually given us some vastly entertaining films. He knows what the audience wants and he knows that in FALLING DOWN, there can be no happy endings, so let's just enjoy Douglas getting revenge on people we'll never get a chance to!
Douglas is superb in the role, one of his best performances. Robert Duvall is very good in his role of the almost retired cop; Tuesday Weld is dazzling in her brief role as Duvall's wife; Rachel Ticotin does well in her role as Duvall's partner; John Diehl is very effective in his very brief role as the guy at the pool who offers to go with Douglas in order to protect his wife and child; and Barbara Hershey does wonders as Douglas' ex-wife.
Manipulative thought it may be, FALLING DOWN makes a statement, and makes one wonder what we would do if we snapped like Douglas!!!

Not Bad.
'Falling Down' is movie about a man who finally snaps because he feels his society, family, and friends have cheated him. He goes on a rampage across Los Angeles only to find that it doesn't solve anything. A fascinating idea, but it wasn't executed that well. Might be worth watching though.

Entertaining but Flawed by a Substandard Director
Joel Schumacher, the director best known for putting nipples on the Batsuit, and thus ruining a perfectly good franchise, is an expert at taking something good and turning it into trash. He is, in fact, the prime example of a moviemaker who could've been, but isn't ... in all aspects of the phrase.

"Falling Down" could've been an gripping drama with tons of social commentary tossed in. And for more than half of the film, Schumacher, with the help of an incredible performance by Michael Douglas, achieves this. Douglas's comments on the price of a can of soda reflect the frustration of the poor in rising inflation. His attack on the golf course, again, is a fist in the air for the needy in the United States. Not until Schumacher has Douglas shoot apart a telephone booth for the sake of shooting something to shreds does he lose the integrity of a good film. He is now out for bang and bucks, and from there, the whole movie goes somewhat downhill.

Yet not entirely. Michael Douglas still keeps this film afloat. His performance, as mentioned before, is one of the actor's greatest, and will be remembered alongside his reptilian turn in "Wall Street." Robert Duvall is great as the cop on the brink of retirement - a film cliche, but workable here - and when the pair finally meet, the sparks fly.

Yet in the meantime, Douglas's "comments" on society become more vague, or else they strike the viewer on the head with their obviousness. To mention the golf course scene again - Schumacher could've executed the comment beautifully without having Douglas burst into preachy prose. Subtlety is a skill Hollywood hasn't possessed since the birth of special effects. Everything is a hammer over the head. Moviemakers have no faith in their audience. They think we're stupid.

While "Falling Down" is a vastly entertaining film that has a great re-watch value, it still leaves you feeling dissatisfied in the end. You want something more. And that something is exactly what Schumacher, as long as he keeps making films, cannot give you.

The ugly reality of L.A.
Here's the story of a simple man (played very well by Michael Douglas) who's life is crumbling around him. He's been layed-off for months now from the Defense Industry, a job he loved so much that he had his license plate personalized with the letters "D FENS". His marraige is over. He's been reduced to living with his mother, and is too ashamed to tell anyone that he's unemployed. He's been looking for work elsewhere but is "no longer economically viable", as you'll find out.

He snaps and leaves his car sitting in a traffic jam on one of L.A.'s freeways. In the next 8hrs he goes from being a transparent man to a heavily-armed, camoflage-wearing vigilante who deals a heavy hand to anyone who gets in his way. And in the streets of L.A., it's not hard to find someone who wants to get in your way.

Robert Duvall plays an L.A. Robbery Detective who just happens to be working his last day before retirement. He's chastised for having taken a desk job after a shooting incident, at the insistence of his wife (the only character in this movie I couldn't stand). And he realizes most of his fellow cops won't miss him for long when he retires. But, he's the only cop who links several violent crimes on that day to the vigilante defense worker. He further redeems himself by tracking down and stopping the vigilante. At the same time, he rescues his boys from his wife's purse and takes a stand for once in his life.

You'll find yourself cheering for the vigilante as he leaves death and destruction in his wake. And at the same time, you can't help but feel sorry for him because his life is falling apart, hence the film's appropriately-named title, "Falling Down". I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. 4+ stars.

If you liked this Joel Schumacher movie, I recommend one of his newest films, "Phone Booth". ... Read more

Reviews (46)

THE CLIENT
A sterling cast headed by Oscar - nominated Susan Sarandon makes this slick thriller the adaptation of a John Grisham bestseller. Mark Sway (Brad Renfro) witnesses the suicide of a Mafia lawyer, who confesses that the mob was behind the murder of a U.S. senator. Mark's brother is traumatized into a coma by the incident; gangster Barry Muldano (Anthony LaPaglia) is soon on Mark's trail, and in desperation, he arrives at the office of recovering alcoholic lawyer Reggie Love (Sarandon). With the mob after them, and a ruthless federal attorney Roy Foltrig (Tommy Lee Jones) trying to force Mark to reveal what he knows, Love battles to guarantee the safety of her client and his family. The relationship between Reggie Love and Mark Sway is the center of the film, adding considerable character development to plot's routine elements. Director Joel Schumacher helmed another Grisham adaptation, A Time To Kill, in 1996.

Excellent Movie From a Terrible Book
"The Client" is a movie that profiled the American Justice system drenched with beaurocracy, and the particular story of a young child and his family caught up in it. An 11 year old backwoods punk kid named Mark Sway (Newly introduced Brad Renfro), is a witness to the suicide of a lawyer involved in a high profile Mafia case. Being the only witness, he is now pressured by the US Attorney's office to talk...and by the Mob not to. US Attorney Roy Fortrigg is played flawlessly as always by award winning actor Tommy Lee Jones, who battles Mark's dedicated lawyer (Susan Sarandon) to make the boy tell all and vault himself to Governor of Louisianna. If I was making this movie, I would think that it would fall apart on the child's role...but it didnt. Brad Renfro was as good as they come, playing a stubborn punk kid who refused to be intimidated by Fortrigg, and tried not to let the Mob get to him either. Another stellar performance was played by Kim Coates, one of the big Mob boss's henchmen. After seeing "The Client" I checked out a few other of his roles...needless to say they were mostly the "bad guy" parts. The movie was gripping in every sense with suspense, action and hardball legal dialogue that trully capture the reality of a high-profile criminal justice case. From start to finish I enjoyed the movie very much and cant turn it off to this day if I flip by it on television. I think "The Client" is a great purchase idea...and again I dont recommend the book.

Reggie to the Rescue.
You gotta hand it to John Grisham: Nobody has the various lawyer cliches down pat as well as him - in fact, it almost seems as if he invented or at least, reinvented many of them. As in most of his thrillers, we get a whole handful in "The Client": the slimy mafia lawyer, the power-hungry politician-to-be, the self-aggrandizing ambulance-chaser, the grandfatherly judge and, of course, the motherly family law practitioner who turned to legal practice after overcoming a few troubles of her own. I think that leaves only the greedy corporate attorney, his cousin the corrupt judge and their perpetual antagonists, the starving public interest lawyer and the inquisitive student prodigy unrepresented here; but still, not a bad collection for a single thriller, even by Grisham. (And that doesn't even include the count of dumb and/or malicious cops, slick tabloid journalists and ruthless mobsters running around in this story.) But never mind: "The Client" is one of John Grisham's best-ever novels, and this movie surpasses many another big-screen adaptation of his books by several leagues. For Grisham at the top of his game is also an excellent storyteller, and in the hands of director Joel Schumacher his tale of beleaguered eleven-year-old Mark Sway who gets in trouble by becoming the reluctant last confidant of suicidal defense attorney Jerome "Romey" Clifford comes to life in spot-on and truly gripping fashion.

Although not even a teenager yet, Mark (Brad Renfro) is as tough as they come - a Memphis trailer park kid who gets most of his education on life's really important aspects from TV, has already helped his mom (Mary-Louise Parker) get rid of the wife-beating guy he now calls his "ex-father," and since then has been the man in the house, taking care of his eight-year-old brother Ricky whenever their mother is at work (i.e., most of the time). So Mark doesn't scare easily; and even if he really is afraid, he'd rather drop dead than admit it. But with both the mob *and* the feds on his trail - the former out to kill him before he can share the dirty little secret they suspect Romey has spilled before blowing out his brains, the latter hell-bent on making him share that very secret - even Mark has to face the fact that he is in way over his head ... and yes, he's scared, too; and not just a little. Worse, his brother is out cold, in hospital being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder because watching Romey's suicide was more than his delicate eight-year-old soul could take, and their mother is in hospital with Ricky on the doctor's orders because Ricky might need her when he wakes up. (Consequently she's also out of a job, because her sweat-shop employer doesn't take kindly to this sort of family emergency). Reluctantly, Mark therefore concludes that he needs an attorney. And in short order, he lands on the doorstep of Regina "Reggie" Love (Susan Sarandon), middle-aged but only a few years out of law school, through which she put herself after her husband left her for a younger woman, not without depriving her of their children's custody and branding her an unfit mother. But what starts as a hesitant relationship at best on Mark's side soon turns out his one stroke of luck, because Reggie is probably the only lawyer in town not afraid to take on even powerful U.S. Attorney "Reverend" Roy Foltrigg (Tommy Lee Jones) and the FBI, and ultimately willing to put her own job at risk for her client.

While condensing some of its elements, the movie's screenplay follows Grisham's novel fairly closely, taking part of its dialogue straight from the book. Yet, "The Client" lives not only from John Grisham's gripping story but also - and primarily - from its characters and outstanding cast, including the ever-reliable J.T. Walsh (FBI Agent McThune), William H. Macy (Ricky's doctor), Anthony Edwards (Reggie's assistant Clint), Ossie Davis (Judge Roosevelt) and Walter Olkewicz ("Romey" Clifford). Unquestioningly most memorable, however, is the quintet at the movie's center. Brad Renfro was selected by Schumacher for his first-ever screen appearance as Mark because he had a somewhat similar background as the story's hero and thus, an intuitive understanding that, along with his innate toughness, ultimately proved more convincing than the acting skills of more experienced child actors; and indeed, he so compellingly carries his part that he deservedly garnered a 1995 Young Artists Award. Susan Sarandon earned another Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Reggie, who actually listens to her clients and makes sure even those of their desires that may seem trivial to others are taken care of; such as Dianne Sway's wish for a walk-in closet. (Sarandon's Academy-Award nomination was her fourth after "Atlantic City," "Thelma & Louise" and "Lorenzo's Oil;" but although she had to wait yet another year to finally score an Oscar with "Dead Man Walking," "The Client" at least won her a BAFTA Award). Tommy Lee Jones plays the bible-quoting Foltrigg with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek and thus, although occasionally terrifying, makes him a more complete and almost even likeable character; much more so than he is in Grisham's novel. Mary-Louise Parker's Dianne Sway truly brings to life the young besieged trailer park mom desperately trying to get a grip on her life, and Anthony LaPaglia finally is simultaneously frightening and unintentionally funny as the slick but not overly bright mob killer Barry "The Blade" Muldanno, the source of Clifford's (and consequently everybody else's) problems.

So, watch this for the outstanding performances of the five central characters as well as the fine ensemble cast, for one of John Grisham's most gripping yarns, and for Joel Schumacher's excellent editing and sense of place. This may not be a major milestone in movie history (except regarding Brad Renfro's career of course), but it's without question one of the best thrillers of the past 15 years and easily recommended on that basis alone.

TENSE ADAPTATION OF GRISHAM'S NOVEL
In his first film, Brad Renfro (Apt Pupil) walks away with THE CLIENT. His performance carries the entire movie, and he is a jewel. From his southern accent to his bullheaded obstination, Renfro creates a portrait of a child looking for love and leadership. He and his little brother witness the suicide of a gangland lawyer, who before dying tells Renfro where the body of a murdered senator is hidden. Tommy Lee Jones as a slick Federal attorney decides that Renfro knows the location and wants the boy to talk. Bright Renfro decides he needs a lawyer and ends up with Susan Sarandon, in her fourth Oscar nominated performance. Of course, since the little boy has become a media darling, the bad guys want him too. The expected chase begins, but not before some touching and exciting sequences occur.
Director Joel Schumacher keeps things moving nicely and elicits strong performances from a rather starstudded cast: Mary Louise Parker as Renfro's mom; Ossie Davis as a no nonsense judge; Micole Mercurio as Sarandon's nice mama; Anthony LaPaglia as the slimy murderer; Anthony Edwards as Sarandon's assistant, and Bradley Whitford as the yuppie lawyer. Ultimately though, it's the power of Renfro and Sarandon's performances that catapult this movie into its stratosphere. Sarandon and Renfros scenes together sparkle and their final scene is a real tearjerker.
Grisham liked this adaptation and he should: it's a very good movie.

I plead the 5th
I have always been a John Grisham fan, so even the movies will get my top vote. This movie depicts what you should and should not do when you witness and/or are told about a crime, and the pain you could endure if the wrong people find out you know about this crime. This is a wonderful plot with great acting from Susan Sarandon, Tommy Lee Jones, etc. I recommend that if you haven't watched this movie yet, then give it a try. You'll like it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A collective vanity piece for the so-called Brat Pack of the 1980s, this coming-of-age movie--written and directed by Joel Schumacher (A Time to Kill)--is a largely unbelievable ensemble piece about college grads having trouble getting a lift-off into adulthood. As in John Hughes's Breakfast Club--which has a lot of casting overlap with this film--each actor plays a rather narrow type with problems common to his or her classification. Some (as with Rob Lowe's seemingly doomstruck character) are more absurd than others. But absurdity isn't the issue in this movie; a general sense of indulgence is. Schumacher not only presumes an undeserved mystique about this cast, but he also exploits it and comes up empty. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Best of the 'Brat Pack' Movies
"St. Elmo's Fire" is my favorite 'Brat Pack' movie. With an all-star cast, how can you go wrong? First you have Rob Lowe who is simply gorgeous as Billy, a guy who can't decide what he's going to do after graduating college. He plays the sax (quite well I might add) for fun and sometimes for money.

Then you have Julie (Demi Moore in a wonderful performance), who is very high-strung after learning about her father's marriage to another woman. Her life is basically like kettle with hot water that is about to boil. She's happy then she's sad, then she's manic...She's everything! But she does a wonderful job.

I loved seeing Judd Nelson and Ally Sheedy together. After seeing "The Breakfast Club," I never thought I'd see them as a couple. They are cute together and the scenes they share are fun to watch.

Emilio Estevez's performance was just as wonderful as the others. He falls in love with a doctor (Andie McDowell) who is already involved with someone else, but he's determined to make things go his way. It doesn't work, but watching him try to make it work is just as much fun.

Andrew McCarthy is a lot of fun to watch. Everyone thinks he's gay because he doesn't have a girlfriend and doesn't date very much. It's a typical stereotype, but I got over that. The end of the movie proves that he is not gay. Mare Winningham gives a stunning performance as a girl who comes from a very wealthy family. She loves Billy but her father wants her to marry a successful businessman. Since she is 'daddy's girl,' she doesn't want to disappoint him.

Overall, this movie is just fun to watch and listening to the director's commentary is great. You get to learn about all these things that went on behind the scenes and what roles the actors were originally up for.

Boring Brat Pack Feature
1985's St. Elmo's Fire is the film that created the Brat Pack. The film is about yuppie angst instead of the usual teen angst depicted in like kind films of the era. The seven stars, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, Mare Winningham and Judd Nelson are all appealing, but the film suffers from an overall malaise. All seven are friends from Georgetown University and they trying to cope with the problems facing them in the real world. There is a lot of unrequited love between several of the friends, drug use and emotional baggage. Mr. Lowe's character is supposed to the one character that, instead of getting to the wrong marriage or job, just follows his dreams. His speech to Ms. Moore, who is on the verge of a serious mental breakdown or worse, in which he lights hair spray on fire is truly cringe worthy. Overall, St. Elmo's Fire is more of a cultural document, showing what yuppie life was like in the mid-80's and the state of the young and upcoming stars of Hollywood at the time. It also features the famed number one theme song by one-hit wonder John Parr.

Talk about your loads of crap!
Like most others who grew up on the Brat Pack flicks, I couldn't wait for the next one. I loved the earlier flicks that had not only great writing and warm stories to tell, but characters you cared about and situations that we could ALL relate to, at least to some point. Pick your flick - 16 Candles, Breakfast Club - they had at least SOMETHING everyone could relate to. Not "St. Elmos's Fire." Talk about taking a red hot cast of actors and doing absolutely nothing with them. This movie wasted so much talent and threw unlikeable, pretentious morons at us with some of the corniest dialogue I have ever seen. There is not ONE likeable character in this movie. Rob Lowe's character is a moron - not in the directionless sense the movie tries to protray him sympathetically, but in everything he does throughout the film, particularly his acting. I actually laughed at the night club scene when Lowe and his band perform. His "sizzlin" sax performance with his band is one of the most contrived, directionless displays of music in movie history - ranks right up there with the final play scene in Travolta's pathetic sequal to "Saturday Night Fever" ("Staying Alive"). Even the extras in that bar scene are terrible actors who not only have no clue how to dance or even react to that "song" (I guess it was a song), but the scene's climax where Lowe and his wife embrace passionately to the adoring masses is contrived, soap opera worthy material. DeMI Moore... don't get me started on her character. And Ally Sheedy (a fave of mine up till this flick), Judd Nelson, Andrew McCarthy and all the rest of these stooges' over act so much they make Carrot Top seem like Orson Welles or Marlon Brando. Even the bit role players are hammy and cliched - the artistic gay neighbor of Moore's, the wealthy Japanese business man who for some reason trusts just out of college puds with his expensive pad. And the final scene when the gang all seems to come to grips with the reality of their situations while sending Lowe off is as corny as one of the epilogues from the "Charlies Angels" TV show in the 70s. It's sad when recent movies about the 80s seem more authentic than one like this that was made IN the 80s. The only thing I credit this movie with is instilling in me an insatiable appetite for Andie Mc Dowell, who I absolutely love to this day and give most of her movies at least a peak (though a lot of those come up short as well). I suppose I should a acknowledge the hypnotic theme song from the Soundtrack, which I'll admit is appealing, if only for the real life memories of the 80s it brings back. This movie was a lame attempt at using the Brat Pack we grew up with and trying to parallel their lives with where their legions of the fans who grew up loving them were now with their own lives. And in that it fails miserably. This movie is self indulgent and over the top, full of obtrusive characters. One thing I will admit - this is one of those movies that is so bad, you can't help but watch in when it comes on. Again, I thinks it's the way the theme song hooks you. Frankly, this movie sucks.

Brat Pack, here we come
The Real World of cinema I call this. Definitely influential to MTV starting that series. Seven best friends recently graduate from Georgetown Univ. Trying to find their way in life for the future. They all hang out at St. Elmos bar in downtown Washington DC. The characters are somewhat stereotyped the conservative, the artsy journalist, the rebel badboy, the party girl, the niave virgin etc... But that's true to life in a way we all can be put into some category sorry to say. They all have their own set of problems to deal with but end up helping each other out in their own way. Defining 80's coming of age film about relationships & hardships of facing an uncertain future after college. Entertaining script written by Joel Schumacher & an ensemble cast showcasing talent to come. One of my favorite brat pack films. Essential to anyone who grew up in 80's cinema.

Not one likeable character!
All right, let's take 'em one by one:

Emilio Estevez as Kirby: Obsessed with and stalking an older woman, who finally is forced to sic her fiance on his pathetic punk a**.

Judd Nelson as Alec: Pathologically cheats on his live-in girlfriend, then pressures her to marry him because he thinks marriage is the magic pill that will make him stop cheating. When she refuses, he beats her up.

Rob Lowe as Billy: Tortures us with his gratuitous sax-playing.

Andrew McCarthy as Kevin: Thinks that wearing sunglasses at night and chain-smoking makes him a cool existentialist instead of a dateless poseur. Consumed by lustful thoughts about his best friend's girlfriend.

Ally Sheedy as Leslie: Living with Judd Nelson. Need I say more?

Mare Winningham as Wendy: Passive doormat who is shocked and horrified to find, upon becoming a social worker, that not all welfare recipients are noble, misunderstood living saints.

Demi Moore as Jules: Parties with Arabs, maxes out her credit cards and barricades herself in her fabulous-yet-bare (the furniture's been repossessed) loft apartment, finally attempting suicide by opening all the windows and letting her floor-length curtains blow oh-so-artfully about in the cold winter wind as she rocks back and forth on the floor.

Now tell me...are these people you want to spend 110 minutes of your life with? ... Read more

Amazon.com

This 1987 thriller was a predictable hit with the teen audience it worked overtime to attract. Like most of director Joel Schumacher's films, it's conspicuously designed to push the right marketing and demographic buttons, and granted, there's some pretty cool stuff going on here and there. Take Kiefer Sutherland, for instance. In Stand by Me he played a memorable bully, but here he goes one step further as a memorable bully vampire who leads a tribe of teenage vampires on their nocturnal spree of bloodsucking havoc. Jason Patric plays the new guy in town, who quickly attracts a lovely girlfriend (Jami Gertz), only to find that she might be recruiting him into the vampire fold. The movie gets sillier as it goes along, and resorts to a routine action-movie showdown, but it's a visual knockout (featuring great cinematography by Michael Chapman) and boasts a cast that's eminently able (pardon the pun) to sink their teeth into the best parts of an uneven screenplay. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (147)

fun
THE LOST BOYS
*****
THIS IS POSSIBLY THE BEST VAMPIRE MOVIE WITH QUEEN OF THE DAMNED CLOSE BEHIND. THE ENDING WAS BRILLIANT AND THE SONG THAT PLAYED IN THE CLOSING CREDITS WAS HAUNTING. FOR ALL THOSE WHO DONT KNOW THE SONG. IT'S PEOPLE ARE STRANGE AND IT'S BY ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN. OK SO THE MOVIE WASNT FROM MY ERA SINCE I'M 17 AND I DIDNT EXPECT TO LIKE IT BUT MY COUSIN BOUGHT OVER THE DVD AND I WAS SHOCKED BY HOW GOOD IT WAS. KEIFER SUTHERLAND IN HIS ONLY GOOD MOVIE FROM THAT ERA SINCE PROMISED LAND STUNK. I'D BE EXTREMELY HAPPY IF THEY RE RELEASED IT INTO THEATERS WITH DELETED FOOTAGE. I WOULD GO SEE IT AS MANY TIMES AS I COULD AND THEN WHEN THE DVD CAME OUT I'D BUY IT SINCE IT'S MY ALL TIME FAVORITE MOVIE. OK SO NOW TO THE STORY MIKE IS THE NEW KID IN TOWN AND HE FALLS INTO THE WRONG CROWD. THE VAMPIRE CROWD. THE REASON HE MOVED INTO TOWN IS BECAUSE HIS FAMILY WAS MOVING IN WITH THIER GRANDPA. HIS MOTHER SUPERBLY PLAYED BY DIANE WEIST SUSPECTS HES WITH THE WRONG CROWD AND SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE. SO RENT THIS AND ENJOY A TRULY GOOD MOVIE. YOU WONT BE UPSET. YOU WILL ACTUALLY BE HAPPY THAT YOU RENTED IT. I WAS VERY PLEASED WITH WATCHING IT.

It's fun to be a vampire!!
And yes, it certainly is. As this is a movie I've loved utterly and completely since I was a mere 13 years old, I feel I've got a little authority to review it...although maybe not in a totally unbiased way. We start out with what is perhaps my favorite opening scene in a movie *ever*. David (played so perfectly by Kiefer Sutherland) and the boys (Dwayne, Paul, and Marko) making trouble with the Surf Nazis on Santa Carla's carousel. The security guard who breaks up the fight and kicks the Boys off the boardwalk is going to regret this later, as he becomes yet another face on a missing persons poster.
But the story really centers around Michael and Sam Emerson (Jason Patric and Corey Haim), brothers who have come to Santa Carla to live with their grandfather because their mother has just gone through a divorce and is now 'flat broke.' Michael meets and falls for Star (Jami Gertz), a half-vampire who seems to have been involved with David at some point. David goads him into going to the vampires' lair and he ends up drinking some vampire blood, thereby making *him* a half-vampire. Meanwhile, Sam meets Edgar and Alan Frog (Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander), two vampire hunters who have never actually hunted any vampires before. Sam finds out what his brother has become and enlists the Frog brothers' help in finding out who the head vampire is and restoring Michael to his former self. That's the basic premise.
I think the reason I've always loved this movie so much is that the Lost Boys are just a great group of vampires. They love their existence and have complete fun with it. Other than that, I find it to be a good mix of horror and comedy, with some classic lines I still use to this day. Of course, I do have a couple of problems, but that could be because I have seen this movie over 100 times and have also read the novelization. There is obviously a day missing between when Michael becomes a half-vampire and when David takes him to the train tracks, and I like that day! It happens to be the day (evening) that Michael gets his ear pierced.
The DVD transfer is pretty good, although it looks a little bit old. It is a lot better than the VHS, however, and it's widescreen. The extras are pretty much non-existant and what I wouldn't give for a special edition of this movie. Well, anyway, sleep all day, party all night, never grow old, never die. Of course it's fun to be a vampire!!

Thou Shall Not Kill
When a single mother (Dianne Wiest) and her two kids (Jason Patric, Corey Haim) pack up and move from Phoenix to southern California, more specifically, Santa Carla, "the murder capital of the world," they have more than a little bit of adjusting to do. The two teens and their mother move in with their quirky but loveable grandfather (Barnard Hughes), who has an inkling that there is more to this town than meets the eye. At first, things seem different but manageable, until Sam meets the "Frog brothers" at the local comic book shop. They hand him a horror comic about vampires and tell him to think of it as a survival manual. Are these two merely kids with an over-active imagination, or is there some supernatural cause for this odd little coastal town's nickname?

When the older brother, Michael, goes into town for a live concert, he runs into a rather attractive woman named Star (Jami Gertz). Star introduces Michael to her friends, who just happen to be vampires, and they decide to invite Michael to be one of them. Unbeknownst to Michael, he drinks the blood of David (Kiefer Sutherland), the leader of a band of motorcycle riding teenage vampires, thus giving Michael this supernatural dark gift. However, he must make his first kill before becoming a true creature of the night. Only one thing can save Michael from an eternity of bloodsucking. The head vampire must be killed. But who is the head vampire, and can he be found before Michael gives in to temptation? Will Sam and his newfound friends be willing and able to help Michael before it's too late?

This film is a classic, light-hearted 80's foray into the horror genre, complete with horrible wardrobe, glam rock, goofy humor, and a stellar cast performing a great screenplay with a cohesive plot. There are indeed some great lines in this film that are quite memorable. The Frog brothers, in particular, serve as some cute comic relief. The effects and make-up are outstanding, and this is really noticeable in the final, knock-down, drag-out fight in the end of the movie. The cinematography is also really well done (for example, the aerial shots when the vampires are flying towards the house).

This movie is not meant to be taken very seriously, and it is certainly not Anne Rice or Bram Stoker by any means, but it is some great old-fashioned weekend entertainment. Overall this is a great movie that everyone who grew up in the 80's should definitely own. Moreover, it's a great addition to anyone's vampire or horror collection. If you can enjoy a light-hearted romp through vampire mythology, then definitely pick this film up!

A small downside to this DVD is that there are few extras. If you merely want a great movie at a low price, then pick up this DVD. Otherwise, there is a two-disc set coming out soon that should be worth checking out!

The Lost Boys! My favorite
This is the movie that started it all for me. Vampires into rock n roll, and the lead actor looking like Jim Morrison who can ask for anything more. I loved how the culture of the 80's was brought out in this classic horror film. The Big Hair, the tight pants, the rock n roll, and vampires all in one, who could ask for more. I highly recommend this movie for anyone who wants a scare.

Bloodsucking Fun and Big Hair
I don't think I was old enough to remember this film hitting cinemas, but I discovered it before I got too cynical and still have a deep affection for it. It combines horror, forbidden romance, comedy, and touches on issues of peer pressure, loss, divorce and the importance of sticking by your family (even if your brother is a vampire).
A mother (Dianne Wiest) and her two sons (Corey Haim and Jason Patric) move from Arizona to sunny Santa Carla and in with their formulaic "crazy granpa" (you know the type I'm talking about) as a result of divorce. The eldest son Michael (Patric) quickly falls in with the Wrong Crowd by accidentally moving in on Head Honcho's girl (the lovely Jami Gertz). Things take a turn for the worse when Michael discovers these aren't your average bike punks, but a gang of wild vampires. Indeed. It's all up to bratty little bro Sam (Haim) and his new allies the Frog Brothers to save the day, and stop his mother from getting too cosy with a new guy who doesn't just run an appliance store (a nice performance from Edward Herrmann who seems to pop up everywhere).
Kiefer Sutherland is a treat as David, leader of the biker vamps, I still marvel at how he can make a peroxide mullet look cool. He plays this role as a sort of seductive bully very well.
Corey Feldman (because 1 Corey is never enough) also puts in a nice turn as Edgar Frog, plus you'll spot Alexander Winter of Bill & Ted's fame as one of the gang.
It's better than any recent vampire movie, has a great 80's soundtrack (Cry Little Sister, you know you love it) and a greasy saxophone man in purple pants. It's fun, there are a couple of scares and a nice hint of splatter (the Surf Nazi attack is like something out of Peter Jackson's Bad Taste). I give the bare-bones DVD package 3, but the movie 4. And fear not, there will be a special edition very soon with retrospectives, making of and tons more stuff, keep eyes peeled! ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Short sleeve sweaters are all the rage in D.C. Cab
Mr. T leads a cast of then little-known stand-up comics in this story of a pathetic Washington cab company's rise from the depths of bankruptcy to compete with their "evil" competitors, Emerald Cab Co. Well, maybe it's not THAT exciting, but still very entertaining nevertheless. You'll see a few faces that you will proabably recognize, like Bill Maher, Gary Busey (the guy that looks like Nick Nolte), and Marsha Warfield (she played Ross on Night Court). And let's not forget Mr. T as "Uncle Sampson"! Though he could have had a much bigger role in the movie, he still delivers in his trademark style which made me want to see this movie in the first place. Instead, the story focuses on Adam Baldwin's character, and his dream to be a cabbie in good ol' Washington state. Don't ask me why this is his dream, as everybody around him thinks he's crazy. This is probably the main plot, but this movie has so many plot twists, turns, and new plots altogether that you end up wondering what the movie was really about all along! But all in all, I'd give you a recommendation to see it, especially if you're a fan of cheesy, corny movie like I am. The car chase scene where Mr. T is leaning out of a cab window hitting a van with a baseball bat in each hand is worth the price of admission alone. And watch for the evil pimp!

I don't want the gun, I don't want the gun, alright muther**
This movie was a big deal when released in theaters. I memorized the theme song by Irene Cara with my Mom. The cast is classic, who are introduced in a confusing comedy-horror sort of way. Gary Busey, Mr. T, Paul Rodriguez, and the Barbarian Bros. steal the show, with Bill Mahaaaaar and The Baldwinguard are nice additions. It's a feel good movie that has a nice mix of popular themes of the time.

The reel gem of this movie is the dialogue. Mr. T has classic lines when he and the Barbarian Bros. visit the farmhouse and Paul Rodriguez has one at the hospital. Gary Busey plays a great lunatic, who appears to be intoxicated the whole time. The female love interest in the movie is kind-of-hot too. It's been a while since I've seen D.C. Cab, but I do remember it fondly. It was a nice break from Clint Eastwood movies and my Dad and I really laughed at our first viewing. Even though I can't find this movie anywhere, I still look now and again.

So funny!
This needs to be on DVD. This is so stupidly funny. I always laugh when I see this. The lovely Irene Cara, Gary Busey, Mr. T, et al. It does not get much funnier than this.

Sleeper Hit!!!
Never thought a film about a financially struggling cab company with a host of misfit drivers would capture my attention, but this one was absolutely hilarious. With Mr. T being the featured actor on the movie cover, the viewer may think he is the main star of the film. In reality, the main stars are Max Gail and Adam Baldwin along with a cast of not-so-known folks that really make the film gel. Paul Rodriguez, Bill Maher, Gary Busey, and Marsha Warfield to name a few. An actor by the name of Charlie Barnett who played "Tyrone" stoled the show. The movie needs to be on DVD.

D.C. Cab...Taxis 3 Stars!
DC CAB is formulaic, with so many characters running around, but somehow manages to be entertaining and giving everyone screen time. Boasting an impressive cast with Mr. T, Paul Rodrigues, Bill Maher (tv's POLITICALLY INCORRECT), Marsha Warfield (tv's NIGHTCOURT), Max Gail (tv's Det. Wojo. in BARNEY MILLER),Charlie Barnett (tv's MIAMI VICE), the Barbarian Brothers, Whitman Mayo (tv's SANFORD & SON),Garey Busey (THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY), Jose Perez (STEAMBATH),and unsung character actor Adam Baldwin (not one of the Baldwin Brothers - - INDEPENDENCE DAY, MY BODYGUARD, FULL METAL JACKET). A Washington D.C. Taxi company is on the verge of "going under" and the owner (Gail) convinces his drivers to invest and save the company and gain some self respect. He's aided with the help of his Vietnam War buddy's son (Baldwin) who comes to D.C. to become a cab driver and learn the business. Then, they must save a couple of kids who are kidnpped by a trio of thugs. All the characters are funny (a little over the top in some cases) but very likable. Early directorial effort by Joel Schumacher (THE LOST BOYS, BATMAN FOREVER)who ruined the BATMAN franchise with BATMAN & ROBIN. Note: Classic Line: Gary Busey as "Dell" after a women gets angry after he eats her popcorn at a drive-in theatre: "What's wrong with you? That's the problem with women these days...they have half the money and all the ...!" ... Read more

Amazon.com

What if you could stop your heart to simulate a temporary death, and then be revived so you could describe your near-death experience to others? The mysteries of life--and the afterlife--compel five medical students (Julia Roberts, Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, William Baldwin, Oliver Platt) to experiment with their own mortality, and what they discover has unsettling psychological implications. That's the intriguing premise of this neo-Gothic horror thriller, directed by Joel Schumacher (Batman & Robin) with his typical indulgence of vibrant colors and hyperactive, hallucinogenic style. The movie borders on silliness at times, and the near-death recollection of memories results in some repetitious scenes, but the dynamic young cast takes it all quite seriously, which is what keeps this gaudy thriller on the edge.The fascinating premise could have been made into a better film, but Schumacher's mainstream excess doesn't stop Flatliners from being slick, occasionally even provocative entertainment. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Surprisingly good
I bought this movie recently when I saw it at a store, and realized it was a Julia Roberts film I actually had never heard of. I own many of her movies, and since she and Kiefer Sutherland are two of my favorite actors, I decided to give it a shot.
The first thing that grabs you about this movie is the suspense. Come on, medical students experiencing clinical death (Flatlining) and trying to come back is not a very serene situation to begin with. But when they outbid each other for length of time when deciding who gets to go next, even the viewer begins saying to his/herself "oh, God, don't let him die!!" (I did anyway). With each gorgeous young actor wanting to be dead longer than the previous, it really puts you at the edge of your seat. As if this weren't enough, all these people that "died" and came back begin being haunted by their past sins and misdeeds, and are mentally, even physically, harmed by them.
This movie features Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, Julia Roberts, Billy Baldwin and Oliver Platt in much younger, and more dangerous, roles than I've seen most of them play. It's a great movie for a younger audience, and probably only for people with a more open mind to horror and death. A last note: Kiefer Sutherland has a great first line.

An unique, different, thrilling film from Schumacher.
When a young, bright but dangerous and ambititous medical student (Kiefer Sutherland) with his fascination with life after death, if there's such a thing. When he convinces four of medical collegues friends (Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon, William Baldwin & Oliver Platt) to expierment in a reckless by temporality shut down (flatline) thier heart and brain functions and actually surviving after being dead for a few minutes but once, they had that expiernce, each and one of them, bring something back in thier world from the personal guilt, they have and have to face thier demons and reality, they live in.

Directed by Joel Schumacher (The Lost Boys, A Time to Kill, Phone Booth) made an unusual film with an great premise by Peter Filardi (The Craft), which it does pays off quite well. Not everyone will love this strange film with the heart of a supernatural story but it's Schumacher's moody style and energy keeps this alive with Jan de Bont's Excellent Cinematography. Fine Performances by the Cast, including Joshua Rudoy as the Ghost, who haunts the soul by One of the Medical Students. Fine music score by James Newton Howard (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Sings). DVD's has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an strong Dolby Stereo 2.0 Surround Sound. DVD only extra is a Collector's Booklet. This film is Produced by Two-Time Oscar-Winner:Micheal Douglas (One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, Star Man). Excellent Production Designs by Eugenio Zanetti (What Dreams May Come, The Haunting). Panavision. Grade:A-.

A classic.
This has to be my favorite Kiefer Sutherland movie. The basic idea is that five medical students "flatline" themselves to see what happens when you are technically dead. What they get is not what they expect. Consequently, their past comes back to haunt them until they can atone for their actions. A great Sci-fi thriller, but not for people who are into really scary movies. 'Flatliners' has a great cast and acting. This is a movie worth watching on a rainy day.

Highly Thrilling and Original
This film by far is one of the best when it comes to originality. Five med students (Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon, William Baldwin, and Oliver Platt) want to know what really lies beyond death. One by one they each flatline for a short time to see if they can come back with the answers to life and death. What they get is far more than they would have ever expected. One by one their sins are brought back to haunt them until they make amends with their past. The dark lighting and music keep you entranced throughout the film. The only thing that I have to complain about on this Dvd is the lack of special features. It at least should of had the Trailer, however, other than that, this movie is a "should buy." Great acting by the five lead actors that have now made great names for themselves.

A different but good movie.
Honestly I never heard of this movie until a few months ago. I am a pretty big fan of Keifer Sutherland and some of his movies and of course his tv show 24. So about a month ago I blindly bought this movie just for the hell of it. The Flatliners stars Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon, one of the Baldwins, and of course Keifer.

The Flatliners itself is a pretty cool movie with a different concept than those in its genre. It deals with young medical students experimenting to find out if there is an afterlife. Once they come back from the afterlife they are haunted by the other side.

This is one of the ultimate "Do not do this at home" movies. Although after I saw it I couldn't help from asking my friends "How much money would you do it for", lol. I bet one you see this you will be asking your friends.

One area where it is lacking though is the DVD itself is lacking any kind of special features, interactive menus, and a decently layed out chapter selection. In all honestly the movie is pretty good but the DVD is terrible compared to other newer DVDs. To me things like that make a difference. The fact that it is cheap makes up for it though.

I think if you enjoyed movies such as Stir of Echoes, The Sixth Sense, Vanilla Sky, or even the Mothman Prophies (underrated movie) you probably will enjoy this movie. At times it is dark and sorta twisted but it always stays on track and never bores you. Definetly check this movie out if you are a fan of Keifer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon or Julia Roberts because they all shine in this movie.

Movie grade - B+
DVD Grade - D- ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Is that my wife, or is that a toy.
Vance Kramer isn't sure when his wife starts to shrink. This is one of the most highly underrated movies of the eigthies. Critics critisized the movie, but it should really get better reviews considering it had a lot of neat stuff in it. They had to create big household things to do the movie. I thought that was hilarious.

Pat Kramer is your perfectly normal house wife. Loving, Caring, Stressfull, and her and her family live in the era of commercialism in a suberb of tasteful modest homes. But when
she goes to kiss her husband one day, she is two inches shorter than she should be. She has lots of rigorous tests done on her, and it is discovered that after using several different household items, being exposed to these things is going to make her shrink. As a cure for the antidote is trying to be made, Pat is shrinking even more. When she gets to the size of her own kids, she knows she has to be independent to make this nightmare work. When Pat is stolen from her own home, and her family thinks she's dead, she figures out that a shadowy government organization is planning to shrink the world in hopes to concur it. Pat has got to do something and quick, or else she'll keep shrinking to nothing.

Lily Tomlin was great. She really went to her full potential to do this. She is a highly underrated actress for her talent. 5 stars without a doubt.

Unique movie-one of a kind!!!
I was 6 years old the very first time i saw this movie!I loved it then and I still love it now!!!Lily Tomlin is hilarious and I would recommend this movie to young or old!!

Not as bad as the critics say
The Incredible Shrinking Woman came out in 1981 and the movie actually more or less reflected the consumerist attitudes of the time, the dawning of the Reagan administration. The movie wasn't too well liked by the critics, they thought that Lily Tomlin didn't give it her full here and that the script was simply so-so, but actually I thought the movie makes perfect sense. Here Lily Tomlin plays a housewife named Pat Kramer who starts to shink thanks to an intolerance of chemicals in her household items. What was really silly of the film was the gorilla, because it wasn't a real gorilla at all but a person in a gorilla suit. Anyway, this movie is basically a satire on Reagan-era American consumerism and materialism, and I think they did a good job at getting that message across, regardless what the movie critics said of it. Lily Tomlin might be a fine comedienne, but it's too bad that her movie output has been rather inconsistent, ranging from critically acclaimed and well liked films like Nashville (w/Henry Gibson, like Tomlin, a Laugh-In alumni, and Keith Carradine) and All of Me (w/Steve Martin) to total stinkers and box office bombs like Moment by Moment (w/John Travolta). And while the Incredible Shrinking Woman was thought of by the critics as another misguided adventure by Lily Tomlin, it's really a lot better than the critics will let you believe, so give it a watch.

An Underappreciated Movie
Movies like this come along as often as pearls in clams, really they do. This movie is actually more of a drama with slapstick mixed in. To this day I stand by what I've said for a long time, Lily Tomlin is overlooked for her abilities outside of her comedic straightjacket. This film is so childishly humorous, and at the same time very saddening. In the end, you feel all warm all over and are really satisfied. Unfortuantely, one of the other reviews below reveals the ending, but oh well, just try not to look at that if you don't want to know. This is an essential movie, and you should try to locate it in the video store or here on Amazon if it becomes available again. Excellent movie, you will not regret a single penny you spend on it.

A Comedy Classic!
Lily Tomlin stars as Pat Kramer,a housewife who feels so neglected that she begins to shrink away to nothing. Its a riotous comedy spoof on commercialism and the role of domestic housewives in society.

Tomlin also plays nosey neighbour Judith and telephone operator Ernestine (''You better lay off the buttons,buster!'')

I love this comedy for the great performance of Tomlin,although,surprisingly,it failed at the box office,but has now been rediscovered as a cult classic.

Two thumbs up! ... Read more

Reviews (35)

A Study In Humanity
A retired, conservative New York City policeman and a drag queen manage to overcome some significant barriers between them, to form an alliance for their mutual benefit in "Flawless," written and directed by Joel Schumacher. In his apartment building, Walter Koontz (Robert De Niro) suffers a stroke while coming to the aid of some neighbors who are trying to elude a gunman; two people are killed in what turns out to be a matter concerning some money stolen from a local drug dealer. Walter ends up with his right side paralyzed, barely able to walk, and his speech impaired; which is one of the major obstacles he must learn to overcome. He is encouraged to try singing lessons in an effort to learn how to speak again. To that end, he enlists the help of a neighbor, with whom he had heretofore been at odds, a drag queen named Rusty Zimmerman (Philip Seymour Hoffman). "Busty Rusty," as he is billed at the club where he works, is saving for a sex-change operation, and can use the extra money, so he accepts the job. This leads to an unlikely bond between Walter, a man who values his independence, and Rusty, a tortured soul who wouldn't wish his life upon anyone. Rusty can identify with the sense of isolation Walter is feeling from being unable to do for himself any longer; he understands his self-pity, and helps him try to get past it: "I've been to that pity-party myself," Rusty tells him. Meanwhile, the tension throughout the building remains high; the drug dealer is convinced that his money is being kept by one of the residents, and the constant presence of his hired goons becomes a menace to everyone who lives there. Ultimately Walter and Rusty become involved in it, which leads to a climax that pointedly illustrates the magnanimity of the human spirit. De Niro, as expected, turns in a sterling performance here; he is so physically convincing, shading Walter's disability with such finesse, that you forget that this is an actor playing a role. There is no De Niro on the screen; this is, in fact, a man named Walter Koontz. Hoffman, as well, turns in a brilliant performance, imbuing Rusty with every nuance; he aptly conveys his subtle anxieties and the rancor that surrounds him, and with which he must live, every day of his life. Skipp Sudduth does a good job, also, as Walter's friend, Tommy, who must work through his own confusion in dealing with Walter's situation, and the people with which he now finds him involved; before the stroke, drag queens were definitely not a part of their immediate circle of friends. The supporting cast includes Barry Miller (Leonard), Christopher Bauer (Jacko), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Tia) and Karina Arrovave (Amber). Schumacher has deftly crafted a character study that examines diversity and proffers the rewards of a symbiotic existence. The message is that no one is flawless; we're imperfect creatures living together in an imperfect world, and if we can only get beyond ourselves and our prejudices, we just may find that gold at the end of the rainbow. "Flawless" is not without it's own flaws, either; some of the scenes involving the other drag queens and some of the criminal elements are somewhat overplayed at times, but that's a minor complaint. This film is deeply felt without being sentimental, and sheds some light on the human condition. It holds up a mirror to all of us, and asks the flawless among us to step forward.

Oh. My. God. Over the top terrific.
How on earth did this movie get made? It's so offbeat, such improbable fodder for the movie mill of Hollywood, so, so, so.... So over the top in every way. Two very special and talented actors hold down the story. DeNiro plays a homophobic cop who is trying to recover from a debilitating stroke; he starts by taking singing lessons from his neighbor, played by the incomparable Philip Seymour Hoffman, a pathetic drag queen who is trying to save up enough money for a sex change operation.
Well. You can imagine the looks DeNiro gives him, the comments, the eye-rolls, as Hoffman vamps or slumps around in a kimono or wig or feathered scarf. Really, really good stuff. You suspect DeNiro will emerge from this encounter as a more tolerant man, and you would be correct - but that's not the end of the tale.
There's another whole plot line about drug deals and stolen money that comes up against the gay community and the drag queens, prostitutes of all three sexes, the cops (both honest and dis) - and when the goons come to call, you fear that these people you've come to care about will come to a sad fate.
I won't say more. Just don't miss it.

Waste of talent and story
This movie really wants to be touching. It really wants to be compassionate. And it really, really wants you to have emotions for its characters...but it is also very confused with itself. Your basic, nitty-gritty story is fine - a homophobic, middle-aged man has a stroke and is trying to recover and gets help from a homosexual neighbor. Sounds good, I mean what the heck; it'll be the "Driving Miss Daisy" of our lifetime right? Well not exactly...

First, the movie does indeed amp the stereotypes as other reviewers have said. I really don't know how much effeminate, drag queen homosexuals I can take in one movie, but probably about the same amount of apologetic, subservant, unintellegent black people. Also, what was the deal with the homosexual Republicans? Did that whole subplot have any merit to the story development at all? Besides, some other stereotypes, mostly regarding perhaps hispanic or Italians, tend to nearly cross over acceptable boundaries.

Also, there is so much needless conflict in this story that I lose interest half-way, and the rest is just me being forced to watch the characters interact. After so many emotional and charming moments between our two leads, do we really need some UNCHARMING scenes involving pushers and loan sharks attacking their hapless customers? That's like if you put the Predator halfway through "E.T." - movies just don't work that way.

This movie might appease to some (I guess this glancing at the four and five star reviews) but I would suggest renting this first, and only - ONLY - if you're sincerely interested in this at all.

Over the top and bizzar
The movie was enjoyable and entertaining. I felt that most stereotypes got used a great deal and that the story was a bit strange. De Niro did an excellant job of being an old dog that hates new tricks and hates Gays. His role was believable and his vocal trainer ( Drag Queen ) was totally over the top but since I have known a few that are just as over the top as him, I was able to suspend my disbelief and enjoy the film. The film quality was good and it had some good comic moments. I realize that the message was meant to be deep however I felt the movie was lacking soul. I never got drawn in to the point I forgot it was a movie, not even for a few minutes. It's an enjoyable movie for an evening sitting in front of the tube but not one you would strongly suggest friends rent or see particularly. I very much enjoy De Niro and wish I could be more possitive and up beat about my review however I can not with all honesty.

Based on change, not death.
I can understand why most people hated this movie: because it had the usual stereostypes. But what they are not seeing the realtionship that came about. It is a story that shows the world that people can change, even under the most odd of situations (here, it is a homophobe and a gay drag queen). It is actually somewhat inspiring to see this kind of relationship ensue and it is enjoyable. It nice to see a movie that focuses more on the happiness than the hatred. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When Tim Burton and Michael Keaton announced that they'd had enough of the Batman franchise, director Joel Schumacher stepped in (with Burton as coproducer) to make this action-packed extravaganza starring Val Kilmer as the caped crusader. Batman is up against two of Gotham City's most colorful criminals, the Riddler (a role tailor-made for funnyman Jim Carrey) and the diabolical Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones), who join forces to conquer Gotham's population with a brain-draining device. Nicole Kidman plays the seductive psychologist who wants to know what makes Batman tick. Boasting a redesigned Batmobile and plenty of new Bat hardware, Batman Forever also introduces Robin the Boy Wonder (Chris O'Donnell) whose close alliance with Batman led more than a few critics to ponder the series' homoerotic subtext. No matter how you interpret it, Schumacher's take on the Batman legacy is simultaneously amusing, lavishly epic, and prone to chronic sensory overload. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (172)

Good sequel saves the series...
Val Kilmer is Batman in this third entry into the successful series. The Riddler is wreaking havoc on Gotham City and it's up to Batman to save the day. Chris O'Donnell plays Robin and joins a reluctant Batman in bringing down Riddler and Two-Face. Director Joel Schumacher makes "Batman Forever" a bright, stylized comic-book movie and succeeds for the most part. Tommy Lee Jones is silly as Two-Face and Jim Carrey is goofily over-the-top as the Riddler. Hold on to your bat-seats, fans. This is a good one!

Third Chapter Lightens Things Up A Bit
Joel Schumacher took over Tim Burton's director's chair for the first time in this mystical and visually stunning third installment in the BATMAN film series (Burton produced). His rather campy and flamboyant style is apparent throughout the film, which lightens things up a bit, but nowhere as severe as in his follow-up BATMAN & ROBIN. Val Kilmer does his best to play things straight (no homoerotic puns intended) as Batman this time while fighting Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and The Riddler (Jim Carrey). In fact Jim Carrey manages to steal almost every scene he appears in, which kind of makes you route more for him than for the heroes. Robin is also introduced in this episode, played rather well (and sympathetically) by Chris O'Donnell. The only thing that really didn't work here was the under-development of Two-Face (we see a brief and rather cheesy televised glimpse of him in court as DA Harvey Dent as he gets acid thrown face, while Batman tries to save him). There was roughly an hour of footage cut from this film (sheesh!), which may account for some of the loopholes in character development and why things may seem a little too rushed at times.

F.Y.I there is a new BATMAN DVD set coming out sometime later this year (or early 2002). This film and the first film will be restored with extra footage. I for one am curious to see what else may have been left out, however that would make this movie over 3 hours long!

Tommy Deserved Better
This film has a suitable "Two-Face" style reaction for me. On the one hand it is a relief after the nasty darkness of 'Batman Returns' it is also a disappointment in terms of character development and overall Feel. Val Kilmer's Batman is a pouty, emotionally stunted wet blanket(not his fault but the director's), Nicole Kidman's character is a slut,