Amazon.com essential video

A little-known chapter of American labor history is brought vividly to life in this period drama from writer-director John Sayles. It's a fictional story about labor wars among West Virginia coal miners during the 1920's, but every detail is so right that the film has the unmistakable ring of truth. The tension begins when the Stone Mountain Coal Company of Matewan, West Virginia, announces a lower pay rate for miners, who respond by calling a strike under the leadership of a United Mine Workers representative (Chris Cooper). Proving strength in numbers, the miners are joined by black and Italian miners who initially resist the strike, and a fateful battle ensues when detectives hired by the coal company attempt to evict miners from company housing. Violence erupts in a sequence of astonishing, cathartic intensity, and Matewan achieves a rare degree of moral complexity combined with gut-wrenching tragedy. The film salutes a pacifist ideal while recognizing that personal and political convictions often must be defended with violence. To illustrate this point, Sayles enlisted master cinematographer Haskell Wexler, who creates the film's authentic visual texture--a triumph of artistry over limited resources. The result is a milestone of independent filmmaking, and Matewan remains one of Sayles's finest achievements.--Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (37)

An exploration of America's terrible dark side
It's difficult not to get your personal feelings called into play when watching an obviously slanted film like Matewan. John Sayles, like Oliver Stone, is an obvious agit-prop master for the left. But so are several others. However, those others do not get the responses that Sayles has evoked because they don't have half the movie making talent that Sayles possesses. There is no fence-sitting when watching his films, and that's because his visions and messages are clear, uncompromising and passionate. Matewan is his highest achievement in those regards.

Using the coal miners' unionization efforts of the 1920s as his springboard, Sayles explores one of the dark truths at the heart of free-market capitalism: the unblinking willingness of those in power to crush--physically and spiritually--those who work.
Sayles' gritty realism, the gaunt faces of the actual citizens of West Virginia who serve as extras in the film, Haskell Wexler's recreation of a long-gone era, and, of course, the great performances all around, drive that dark point home. Sayles' script, although a little long-winded at points, illustrates well how employers pit worker against worker, worker against scab, scab against scab. In fact, the workers do as much violence to each other as the bosses do to them. Don't dismiss this as a masnifesto disguised as a film. In the tradition of On the Waterfront (also based on an actual event), the characters, situations, and dialogue are all convincing.

This is a great film but be sure to see it on video, not DVD, as others have pointed out.

Rocco Dormarunno, author of THE FIVE POINTS

Bleak mood sets the tone of this coal mine strike story
This 1987 film, written and directed by John Sayles, is based on a real incident from the 1920, when workers from a West Virginia coal mine went on strike. Chris Cooper stars as a labor union organizer who comes to the town which is run the Company that have just brought in a trainload of black men as well as a group of Italian families to do the work of the strikers. James Earl Jones is cast as the leader of the blacks who says out loud that he understands people can't help calling him the "N" word, but no man can ever call him a "scab". Will Oldham is cast as a 14-year old mine worker and sometimes preacher. There are heroes and villains in this film, and Kevin Tighe and Gordon Clapp are the kind of bad guys you love to hate.

The pace is slow as the story unfolds, each actor giving depth to his or her role. The Union is represented as a good and unifying force for the diverse types of people caught up in the drama. The company is represented as bad. Really bad. Not only did they exploit their workers and push people out of their homes, they also did not stop at brutal murder. There were enough personal stories to keep the film interesting although I found some of the speeches a little long and talky. It was all about mood and bleakness and John Sayles sure is a master of setting the mood. Most of the extras in the film lived in the area of Appalachia where it was shot and the close-ups of their faces added to the film's authenticity.

One of the problems was that the transfer of the film to DVD wasn't done well. The sound was muffled and some of the words were indistinct. And the shots set in the forest were so dark that it was hard to tell what was going on. I enjoyed the film although I thought it was too long. Followers of John Sayles work will enjoy it though, as well as those with an interest in union struggle.

MATEWAN as teaching tool
To avoid repeating what others have said, I'll just concur that this movie has the ring of truth about a little-known chapter of American labor history, and writing, acting and photography are superb. I showed it to two classes of students this semester and they were almost all fascinated. (Freshmen!) I was asked why they didn't learn about the mine wars of West By-Gosh in their history classes, which led to interesting discussion questions like "who writes history?" I used the film in conjunction with Denise Giardina's STORMING HEAVEN--a novel about the same mine wars. Both are based on actual events and lives.

For material that promotes fast-paced classroom discussion, Sayle's MATEWAN can't be beat. He is a fascinating writer and producer; MATEWAN is, however, the best Sayles' movie I've seen on all counts--writing, acting, photography, and historical content. Some reviewers here have called it slow-moving. I have watched it at least 5 times and find it just as compelling now as when I viewed it the first time. Buy it--you won't be sorry!

Word to the wise: Canadian widescreen available
Just an announcement for Sayles fans and fans of this film: a very good widescreen dvd of this film does exist, but it's only being produced in Canada. Its sound is supposedly much better than anything else available, and the widescreen transfer is totally decent. You can read a review of this dvd at dvd verdict.

Given what we learned about the peacefulness of our neighbor to the north in Bowling For Columbine, it's ironic that this most bloody-minded of Sayles films should be released there and not here. No other film I can think of more clearly explains the tragic connections between violence and class politics in American history. Lefty types such as myself have always loved this film, but I know a good many conservatives who do as well. The story of the little guy fighting for his very survival against the bully is always a compelling one, never more so than here. And for those who think the bad guys in this film are TOO evil--I have relatives from coal country and they assure me that if anything, the movie could have gone even further. More than in any of his other films of the 1980s, Sayles is just so brutally honest here about the necessities and the strange accidents that can lead us toward a better future, though with much to suffer in the meantime. A dead-solid American classic.

Supposedly Sayles has recorded commentary for an American release of a widescreen dvd, but I can find no evidence of its being produced any time soon.

Great film - awful DVD
John Sayles' best film merits a far better DVD treatment than this technical travesty.

Others here have mentioned the film's amazing cinematograhy, fine performances (indierockers note: a young Will Oldham -- later of the band Palace Brothers -- has a featured role) and stirring story. But it bears repeating that this digital transfer is *atrocious*. The film is presented in "full-screen" format, lopping off the edges of Haskell Wexler's beautiful frames. Celluloid scratches and "reel change" hole-punches are visible throughout. And the sound, if you can believe it, is worse -- it's in hissy, almost inaudible MONO, for God's sake!

Zero commentaries. Almost no bonus extras, unless you count a few panels of "production notes."

Not worth a purchase. Wait for the morons at Artisan to get their collective act together and give this fine film the gold-star release it deserves. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

As one of the most respected American independent filmmakers, John Sayles has created a body of work as distinguished in its diversity as for its consistent quality and inspiring originality. He's never been one to march to the commercial beat, but chooses instead to follow his creative impulse wherever it leads him. The Secret of Roan Inish led Sayles to the beautiful and moody West Coast of Ireland; it is a tale of a girl who discovers that her family has been touched by myth and magic throughout the years. Following the death of her mother, young Fiona (Jeni Courtney) is sent to live with her grandparents on the Irish coast across from Roan Inish, the island where her family once lived. She's told stories about the selkies--seals that can turn into humans--who have been connected with Fiona's family over the ages. At first she's not sure if the selkies are real or mythological, but she later realizes that they hold the key to reclaiming her family heritage.

What's remarkable about this film (which Sayles adapted from Rosalie Fry's novel Secret of the Ron Mor Skerry) is that it's not told as a cute fantasy for children, but as a straightforward, unsentimental story of a young girl's family history. That gives the film--which was beautifully photographed by master cinematographer Haskell Wexler--an understated charm that is completely absorbing in its atmosphere and subtle tone. There's magic as well, to be sure--you could almost swear that the seals and seagulls in the film took direction from Sayles as well as any human actor! --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (70)

Magical Irish Tale
The Secret of Roan Innish is a movie unlike any other I have seen. Truly enchanting, haunting, moving, and inspiring, I recommend this movie to anyone who has not lost their sense of childlike wonder, and who remembers fairy tales read on a rainy day.

Roan Innish means Seal Island in Celtic. The story is of a young, orphaned Irish girl determined to uncover her family's secret. Her brother has been missing, and is never mentioned by her traditional and loving grandparents, who are raising her. The intrepid girl uses her detective skills, perseverance, hard work, and all the resources at hand to uncover a mystery greater than she or her grandparents ever imagined.

This is a movie for adults more than children, as the heavy Irish brouge is a bit difficult to translate at first, and the beautiful filmography may seem slow-moving to children. Amazing acting will transport you to a place you have never been and will never forget.

Fiona solves the mystery of the island of Roan Inish
The family of young Fiona (Jeni Courtney) has been touched by tragedy. Her mother has died and no one wants to talk about when her baby brother Jimmy drifted off to sea in his cradle. Fiona is sent to live with her grandfather (Mick Lally) and grandmother (Eileen Colgan) on the coast across from the family's former home on the island of Roan Inish. Everyone from her grandfather to the people she meets in towns have stories to tell young Fiona, about Roan Inish and the selkies, "ceils" who assume human form and can be captured if you but get their skins away from them. Bit by bit Fiona puts the stories of her family and the local legends together until she and her cousin Eamon (Richard Sheridan) finally learn the secret of Roan Inish.

Director John Sayles and cinematographer Haskell Wexler have crafted a simple story, told in leisure about a young girl who believes in her heart long before she has evidence for her eyes. Besides any film that involves a young man having to be tied between two cows for warmth after the sea refuses to drown him is obviously a film worth seeing. Then there all those lilting Irish accents and their wonderful way of coming up with a phrase to describe each situation. Add to this the wonderful soundtrack of Irish music and the captivating mystery and I do not think you will have to worry that the relatively slow pace of the film will lose the interest of your children. They too will want to learn if their suspicions about the island's secret are correct. "The Secret of Roan Inish" is a delightful family film, of the sort we will all agree they simply do not make enough of any more.

Magic!
An absolutely beautiful story building on legends from the west coast and the islands. Captures the magic of the legends better than anything has since my storytimes with an old West Kerry grand uncle.
Beautifully acted by an excellent cast despite the distraction of Judi Courtney's northern accent when the rest of the family have southern accents.
The Selkie is well played by Susan Lynch who has been in many other films including Ned Devine

What a beautiful film
This film was so gorgeous...the scenery was breathtaking. Though I was a bit confused at times about the plot (now I understand it more), overall it was a spectacular piece of cinema. Lovely.

The Secret of Roan Inish
The movie made me want to GO to Ireland - to go to Inishmore (the island off the west coast).
It's a good movie - if someone is interested in Irish folklore, by all means get it!
Oh, I FINALLY did go to Ireland, and Inishmore a few weeks ago, and saw the seals playing on the beach! It's just as beautiful (and mysterious) as the movie! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

An intelligent and potent drama about taking life's second chances when they come, Passion Fish finds director John Sayles (Matewan, Lone Star) once again providing a strong cast of actors with a smart, literate screenplay to produce an entertaining and thought-provoking film. Mary McDonnell (Dances with Wolves, Grand Canyon) plays a soap-opera actress paralyzed in a car accident, who returns to the small town on the Louisiana bayou where she grew up to hide. But the hiring of a physical therapist with a tortured past (Alfre Woodard), and the sometimes antagonistic bond formed between them, allows the woman to try and rehabilitate herself and seize the opportunities that life still has to offer. With some great traditional Cajun music and the picturesque bayou as a backdrop, Passion Fish is an engaging yarn not to be missed. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Beautiful Bayou.
In this current era of moviemaking, it's rare than an idea as soft, as pure as Passion Fish, will be given an opportunity to be made. Thankfully John Sayles has the ability to circumvent the 'by-committee' filmmaking which would have ultimately turned this wonderful little film into God know's what.

Mary McDonnell will never be better-she is brilliant, than in her portrayal of May-Alice Culhane (for which she was Oscar-nominated), the once-on-top Soap Opera star to whom tragedy has taken the use of her legs, and forced a re-evaluation of her life.

Alfre Woodard, as the hired home-care worker/nurse Chantelle provides the perfect complement as both these women find more of themselves through each other, then they might ever have found otherwise. Again, Ms. Woodard has rarely disappointed.

The early montage of health-care applicants is clever and funny. And John Sayles always is able to find brilliance in his supporting cast: notably Vondie Curtis-Hall, Leo Burmester, and David Strathairn, as well as a small role early in the career of Angela Bassett.

Sayles' script was also nominated for an Academy Award.

Modern Classic
Films like Passion Fish remind me that film can be art. With intelligent writing and direction by John Sayles, Passion Fish explores the friendship and bond between an unlikely and reluctant duo: a soap opera actress paralyzed in a car accident (brilliantly performed by Oscar nominated MARY McDONNELL) and her hired nurse with demons of her own (the wonderful, and shamlessly Oscar overlooked ALFRE WOODARD). This movie beautifully explores how two very independent women deal with their dependence on each other. With a strong supporting cast headed by DAVID STRAITHARN, Passion Fish is an absolute gem. The "anal probe" monologue is worth the price of admission alone!

a good movie
This is a well-acted movie with a good locale,a good script,and a good soundtrack.Recommended.

Great content, Superb acting - a true work of art
I love this film. The acting is as good as it can be. The simultaneous journeys of the characters blend and combust on each other and enrich each other. There are many delicious moments that themselves are worth re-watching. Completely delicious - all this despite the content itself being relatively challenging.

I'm just really going to have to check out all Sayles movies I guess - I keep finding out a favorite is by him. And Alfre Woodard of course never disappoints.

Completely worth it!

Sayles Greatest?
An almost perfect drama, by turns funny and heartbreaking. Sayles avoids his usual tendency to try and tell too many stories at once, instead keeping the action focused on the female leads (whose performances I cannot praise enough.) Sayles uses a technique of unfolding the narrative in a series of vignettes (most shorter than one minute) keeps the movie solidly on track, and maintains the interest of the viewer throughout. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Wonderfully flavored baseball movie
What a fun movie! This film is a depiction of the 1919 Chicago WhiteSox who are alleged to have "fixed" the World Series that year against the Reds.

Here's what I loved about the film. The portrayal of Charlie Comisky, the White Sox owner is outstanding. I found myself quickly siding with the players from the outset and bristling at his obviously unethical and cheap approach. The time period depicted has a great "feel" to it. The baseball scenes are excellent and have a realistic feel as well. John Cusak and DB Sweeney are excellent as Buck Weaver and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson.

The portrayal of the newly appointed commisioner Kennisaw Mountain Landis is also excellent. After watching this film you will better understand the current situation with Pete Rose, and where his expulsion from baseball originates. If you are at all a baseball fan you will enjoy the film.

My only criticism is that too much film time is spent of the gangsters and the announcers. That was a little tedious, and limited the further character development of the players, the depiction of the game, the owners, and the era.

I recommend this film though easily to any baseball fan.

Great look into the White Sox world series of 1919
This movie examines the role of the Chicago White Sox in the famous White Sox world series scandal of 1919. I thought it was one of the most appreiciated baseball movies of all time. It deals with the corruption of gambling in sports and the temptations that this particular group of athletes had in throwing the world series. Watching this movie helped me understand why sports betting, for the most part, is the major corporation it is today.

John Cusak is wonderful as Shoeless Joe, one of the White Sox who does not want to go along with the scheme. This movie is very detailed: we get an inside point-of-view from the audience, mob, player and player's wife's perspective. It is a look at the conscience of the White Sox players who must either "sell out" and throw the World Series to make the extra buck and keep the sports sharks off their backs, or keep the integrity of the game intact by giving their all on the field and denying the prospects of more money.

I recommend this movie not only for baseball fans, but all movie junkies. It examines many of the sports issues that we deal with today, such as corruption, integrity of the sport, and gambling.

Sayles' masterpiece
It's difficult not to get your personal feelings called into play when watching an obviously slanted film like EIGHT MEN OUT. John Sayles, like Oliver Stone, is an obvious agit-prop master for the left or at least for labor in its battle against owners. But so are several others movie-makers. However, those others do not get the responses that Sayles has evoked because they don't have half the talent that Sayles possesses. There is no fence-sitting when watching his films, and that's because his visions and messages are clear, uncompromising and passionate. EIGHT MEN OUT is one of his highest achievements in those regards.

In his analysis of the rigging of the World Series of 1919, Sayles targets White Sox owner Comiskey as the true villain. And I believe this is accurate, if not justifiable, at the very least. The Black Sox scandal, as it came to be known, was undoubtedly the lowest point in baseball history, but it could have been avoided. Had Comiskey treated his players as they merited, it is doubtful any of it would have come about. This is not to say that these athletes were angelic: Sayles goes to great lengths to show that several of them would be easily corruptible, such as Chick Gandil (played by the underrated Michael Rooker). Other players seem to want to do the right thing, but are pushed too far by Comiskey--specifically, Eddie Cicotte, as portrayed by Sayles' favorite, David Strathairn. The enigmatic Shoeless Joe Jackson (subtly played by D.B. Sweeney) is just plain too dumb to understand the implications of his involvement. As others have noted, Jackson wound up the series' batting leader.

The real moral compass of EIGHT MEN OUT is Buck Weaver, played by John Cusack in what may have been the performance of his career. Sayles' Weaver is portrayed as the victim of the ultimate betrayal for not participating in the scheme. His teammates don't back him up. The courts do not defend him. The press lumps him together with the guilty. His only crime was not being a snitch. And for that, Weaver has basically been relegated to baseball history's limbo, in spite of an above-par career. Sayles does an admirable job in evoking a justified sympathy for Buck Weaver, and Cusack captures it beautifully.

EIGHT MEN OUT is not a mere baseball movie. Like much of Sayles' work, it's a film about greed, and the desire of American owners to extract as much from labor as possible, without giving anything in return.

P.S. -- Sayles does a great job of portraying writer Ring Lardner. I just wish he didn't sing!

How about a movie called...
How about if the film industry makes a movie called 'The Hammer'? Gee, they made 'Cobb, 'The Babe', 'Eight Men Out', 'Field of Dreams', 'The Pride of the Yankees', 'The Natural', and '61*'. Well, how about making a movie about Henry Aaron, Josh Gibson, Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, or even Jackie Robinson? Oh, I forgot, baseball will never allow it...

I WANTED to love it!
I love baseball and I love baseball movies. So I was ready to love this movie, yet it somehow failed to please. Great actors, great period setting, yet we are not let inside the minds of the characters. Aside from John Cusak's Buck Weaver, none of the characters are even that appealing, so we don't really care what happens to them. We know nothing about their background, why they play baseball, or what drives them. In summary, the movie just wasn't that engaging. Since most of us know the rough outline of the story already, there are no surprises. The characters were so 2-dimensional, that I almost expected them to disappear when they turned sideways! Also, the DVD has no special features at all except for a movie trailer which is just a summary of the movie.

If you want a baseball movie with heart, get Field of Dreams. ... Read more

Amazon.com

John Sayles's third feature film was the exception that proved the rule about his need for total independence as a filmmaker. Sayles traded his final cut for studio funding, and the result was a movie that left him unhappy in its ultimate form. Nevertheless, Baby, It's You is full of dramatic elements and character nuances that are distinctively Saylesian (the director's screenplay is adapted from a novel by Amy Robinson), and the early-1960s New Jersey setting is clearly familiar territory for the Garden State's native son. Rosanna Arquette stars as Jill, a sweet, college-bound Jewish girl who develops an unlikely relationship with a macho Italian kid named "Sheik" Capodilupo (Vincent Spano). Sheik woos Jill, a girl from the good side of the tracks, with a certain determination, and while Sayles goes down this familiar path with a certain nostalgic glow, he has a larger story brewing beyond it--a story about relationships that never gel, about class assumptions, and about the painful, universal underpinnings of adolescence. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Undiscovered Gem
This is one of John Sayles's earliest works that slipped by
most people. It is set in the late 60's in New Jersey and
depicts a high school romance between an upper class brainy
beauty , Jill Rosen ( Roseanna Arquette ) and a lower class
greaser, the Sheik (Vincent Spano). It documents an unlikely
but plausible courtship and breakup. The performances are uniformly perceptive and it even has several Bruce
Springsteen tunes from before he became an American icon.
What struck me the most was the transition from the 1960's high school preppy scene to the college hippie scene. It
is the best depiction of the late 1960's college life I have
ever seen.
After their breakup, Jill attends an elite northeastern
private woman's college and the Shiek travels to Miami to follow his show business dream and also wash dishes in a nightclub. Their attempted reunion at Jill's college is
sweet but poignant ; there is no future for them together. I would really
like to see their characters 20 years later. I would suspect
Jill was an unhappy, divorced attorney and the Sheik was
an unhappy union official with a fat Italian wife and five
kids. Sayles really captured that moment in young adult
life where you are totally unsure about everything. To me , the
film is the closest thing to Splendor in the Grass. Grab
it now on VHS as it is not available on DVD.

One of the best love stories ever made
The great film director John Sayles delivers with this magnificent film. Its release date is 1983 while the setting is essentially 1960s Trenton, New Jersey. Arquette tosses in one of the best acting performances you'll ever see and Spano more than holds his own in what is probably the best love story of the last twenty years. What makes this one work is the incredibly real dialogue along with the progression of time and setting. Unlike other similar films this one is special because it charts the relatively typical high school romance into the post high school work and college world. The smallest lines in the script are truly brilliant and filled with realism. The scene where Arquette meets an old classmate in a working class bar is priceless ("We used to be in gym class together"). Later her portrayal of drunken and stoned college reminiscing is also sensational.

Sayles sprinkles some timely 60s Motown and rock n roll into the scenes and also adds in some 70s Springsteen fare that help to give the film an authentic texture. He absolutely nails the scene in which they take a weekday trip to the deserted boardwalk. Also the argument in the dorm stairwell is brilliant in its simplicity and reality.

Baby It's You has sort of an independent film feel to it, which of course isn't unusual given that Sayles made his bones with excellent stuff like the Return of the Secaucus Seven and Matewan. Do not miss this one, it's definitely one of the best love stories ever.

Romance, Angst, Fun, Nostalgia, 60's Soundtrack
I have watched this movie several times over the years. It is a sleeper hit in my opinion-- a story of ending high school and heading for college, at least for the female lead, whereas her boyfriend is not college material and tries to make it as a club singer. They try to have a romance, though they have differences, but because they are both scared of their new lives they keep trying to hold on to one another. I can not put my finger on it, but I really like this movie. The soundtrack is great too, with songs of the 60's. This is not a movie with high drama or special effects-- but the script is great in my opinion, for anyone who remembers the struggles and romance of high school, and the fears and struggles of starting out in college or elsewhere after graduation.

I still smile when I think of this film
I saw this film during its first, and probably last run. I thought it was wonderful at the time and would love to see it again. At first glance it has some of the attributes of a teen movie, such as Pretty in Pink, but don't be fooled. The characters are drawn with a harsher hand. The backdrop: coming of age in America, boy meets girl, class clash. If you get the chance, watch it.

A remarkably surpising move!
I flipped on the television and got sucked into this movie half way through. Had no idea what I was watching and thought it was a light hearted cheesy movie from the late 70's/early 80's. Boy was I wrong! This movie absolutely blew me away. I was not at all suprised to learn John Sayles (Passion Fish, The Secret of Roan Inish) had directed it. A fabulous depiction of teenage life and self discovery. I have never seen people of this age portrayed so accurately. I can not get Vincent Spano's performance out of my mind. He reminds me of so many of the dumb, yet loveable (but sometimes "dangerous") boys I dated as a young girl. It almost gives me the creeps - and yet, keeps me rivoted. I do not understand why it is that Vincent Spano has not become a bigger box office draw. He is an amazing actor with great range in everything I've seen him in and also very physically attractive. Boggles the mind why he hasn't been in more movies. And Rosanna Arquette gives an amazing performance as well as a young girl just realizing what she wants out of life but unable to break away completely from her youth. PHENOMENAL!!! I immediately went out and bought this movie on eBay - I have to watch it again and again. Not at all what I expected on a lazy Sunday afternoon. ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Lone Star - conviction, love, unpretentious insight
First I would like to thank John Sayles for his unique style.

A somewhat sleepy Southwest Texas border town provides the backdrop for this most unusual film. There is nothing uncommon about the demographic mix here: Anglo, Hispanic, Mexican, Black, yet Sayles hand creates an unforgettable experience through the use of warts-and-all character development and beautiful insight.

I realize some may have issues with the regional nature of this film but make no mistake, having lived most of my life in the Southwest, I can name actual persons that closely match each character in this film.

Chris Cooper plays the part of Sam Deeds to perfection. Recently divorced, Chris returns to Rio County as its new Sheriff, following in his legendary fathers' footsteps. As Chris states in the film, 'I spent the first 15 years of my life trying to be just like my old man, and the next 15 trying to kill him'. For those who do not have larger-than-life fathers, Cooper's portrail is a direct hit. For those who do, I need not say anything.

Although the plot revolves around the discovery of the remains of long-dead Sheriff Charlie Wade, this film is about conviction and human frailty, not solving a murder. An example of the wisdom of Sayles is when Otis Payne, bar owner, explains to his black-and-white thinking Colonel son Chet Payne, poignantly played by Eddie Robinson that most blacks in Rio County patronize both his bar and the church. And Sayles holds true to these words. With the exception of Charlie Wade's character, each shares strengths and weaknesses, frailty and prejudice, practicality and remorse.

Sam Deeds and Elizabeth Pena as Pilar Cruz fit together wonderfully as high-school sweethearts who are reunited after Sam's divorce. Convictions play heavily into both characters: Sam's ambivalent feelings toward his fathers' graft and political gain, Pilar's fight against a canned school curriculum. Sayles wisely points out that people of conviction are not perfect but are special. And when two special meet and fall in love, it is for a lifetime. Circumstances are not on their side, which makes their love affair that much more poignant. The few moments they are able to share are full of deep emotion and affection, just as they should be.

To be honest, my life has so closely paralleled Chris Cooper that this film is extremely difficult for me to watch. But that does not diminish its beauty and insight. For those not from the Southwest, I'd recommend watching at least twice to become familiarized with the cultures. And for those preoccupied with happy endings, you may wish to skip this film entirely.

Simply the best indie film in years...
I saw this movie when it was first released, and then again this week-end on TNT. It's one of the best films I've seen and I plan to purchase it for my library.

It doesn't have a lot of action and the plots develop slowly, but, like In the Heat of the Night, there is not one throw-away scene.

I've never seen Kristofferson so evil...his work was real enough to be very, very scary. I liked Chris Cooper and Frances McDormand is a riot in her all-too-brief scene as Cooper's strung-out ex-wife.

I live in a small town in east Texas and I know people like the Sheriff, Big O, Buddy and the others.

The plot twist at the end might be a bit off-putting for some, but, to me, it just added to the quality of the writing, directing, acting and drama.

This is a movie to be savored. Do not expect action, car crashes or surrealistice special effects. It's a film about real people facing real issues and doing their best to right some very bad wrongs.

Enjoy!

Stereotypes
There's something so "Plastic, Benjamin" about a scripted debate on race relations. Somebody tell John Sayles that drama comes first. His political inclinations are so important they blot out the sun. Remember, "To Tell a Mockingbird?" It never felt preachy. Why? Because Greg Peck had a meaty role and his position was clear. "This will not stand," a Lincolnesque moment. Chris Cooper is one sad sheriff trying to live up to his legendary dad. The town is a boiling pot of Anglo, Mexican and Afro-American potations. They shout at each other, they cuss, sort-of, but then they all sit around and express their feelings. Subtle, this ain't. That's why the movie feels like it's taking three hours to tell a ten-minute story. Who killed the bad sheriff? Kris Kristofoson is one of those redneck bad guy-racists that come out of Hollywood without motivation. This script won an academy award back in 96. There are incestuous stories, stereotypes, town histories intertwined, but I still can't figure if the sheriff and the schoolteacher can overcome that last revelation.

A Quiet Masterpiece...
...and one of my favorite films because of it's intermeshings of mood, plot and character. I have always considered that the American 'norm' is one frought with brutal people made into heroes because the history books tell us that they were heroes; also, that maybe's man truest nature is of brutality and cruelity...and history, again, washes things as clean as laundry done for Sunday morning. Anyhoo, that's what this movie speaks to, how brutality affects the Rio County area so much that many secrets have somehow bonded the folks living in this ant farm of a community. Note how there's a sub-theme of competition and struggle, man versus whatever (rattle snake skins, longhorn skulls, soldiers preparing for battle, the after hours gambling) where a 'winner' must be declared.' You will dig this one because it will have you thinking about it for a long time aferwards..

An Examination of History
Lone Star is about history and how history can either be a prison or how it can set us free. The characters in the movie start out bound by their history. Their histories, familial and cultural, determine a course of action for the characters living in present day Rio County. By the end of the movie, these characters have come to grips with their own personal history. Their personal history no longer dictates their actions.
Sam Deeds is the current sheriff of Rio County and is plagued by his legendary father, who also was a sheriff. Sam is a reluctant sheriff and was elected by the townspeople who hoped he would be like his father. Sam's investigation into the murder of Charley Wade is driven by his history with Buddy: he's not interested in learning the "truth" but instead to shatter the legendary status of his father. The revelations through his investigation help to form a more complete history of Buddy Deeds for Sam; he no longer has the skewed and inaccurate picture formed from his own personal experiences with Buddy Deeds.
Col. Delmore Payne works his way up through the structured institution of the U.S. Army as a way to forget his estrangement with his father. He tries to instill this discipline in Chet's (his son) life. Col. Payne wants to be a strong influencing force in his son's life to compensate for his father's lack of involvement in his own life. Chet develops his own relationship with Col. Payne's father, Otis, and thus brings Otis back into his father's life. By the end of the movie Col. Payne is beginning to form a relationship. Once he lets go of the history between him and his father, he becomes a more of a father and less of a disciplinarian to Chet.
Mercedes Cruz, mother of Pilar, is an immigrant from Mexico trying to free herself of her dirty Mexican past and assimilate into American culture. She has become the most successful Mexican-American businesswoman in the town. She owns a Mexican restaurant and always scolds her workers when they speak Spanish instead of English. She lives near the Mexican border and has a good view of Mexicans trying to cross the border illegally. Anytime she sees this, she calls the Border Patrol to report them. This is in direct contrast to her own past, where she crossed into the U.S. as an illegal immigrant. Her moment of "freedom" comes when she helps the fiancée of an employee. She breaks her leg trying to cross the river into the U.S. and Mrs. Cruz calls in a favor to a local doctor.
The romance between Sam and Pilar is the most controversial example of history colliding with present. Sam and Pilar were high school sweethearts and were reunited after Sam came back to Rio County. Through the course of his investigation into the murder of Charley Wade, Sam stumbles across some explosive history that could change their relationship permanently. This is controversial and sure to spark extreme opinions, but I think their final decision follows in the theme of the movie. They break free of the chains of history to try and forge ahead in the present. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Eliot Asinof's detailed book Eight Men Out illustrates how the system of American sports collapsed in 1919, the year the Chicago White Sox threw the World Series. Filmmaker John Sayles worked on his script years before the 1988 film (or before he had the rights to make the film) as a labor of love. Sayles's adaptation proves one can make a historically accurate film in the day and age of artistic license. And what a story. Although many know about the "Black Sox," made famous--again--in the 1989 hit film Field of Dreams, the details of the saga are far less known. The center of Dreams, Shoeless Joe Jackson (portrayed correctly by D.B. Sweeney as illiterate and left-handed in Eight), is not the core of this film; it's ace pitcher Eddie Cicotte (Sayles favorite David Strathairn), who took the money, and third baseman Buck Weaver (John Cusack), who did not. The film fits nicely into Sayles's (Lone Star) strong suit: the ensemble drama. We are introduced to bickering owners, famous crooks, high-minded judges, lowlife gangsters, investigative reporters (played by Studs Terkel and Sayles himself), and, most of all, players who are at the breaking point when it comes to low salaries and degrading rewards. While some may feel the film is not as visceral as it should be, there is a great amount of verisimilitude when watching finely tuned athletes telling their bodies to play poorly--heartbreak on the nation's diamond. Beautifully detailed (like Sayles's previous labor-drama, Matewan), Eight Men Out gives us powerful lessons in which everyone lost: players, gamblers, and especially the fans who love the game. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Wonderfully flavored baseball movie
What a fun movie! This film is a depiction of the 1919 Chicago WhiteSox who are alleged to have "fixed" the World Series that year against the Reds.

Here's what I loved about the film. The portrayal of Charlie Comisky, the White Sox owner is outstanding. I found myself quickly siding with the players from the outset and bristling at his obviously unethical and cheap approach. The time period depicted has a great "feel" to it. The baseball scenes are excellent and have a realistic feel as well. John Cusak and DB Sweeney are excellent as Buck Weaver and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson.

The portrayal of the newly appointed commisioner Kennisaw Mountain Landis is also excellent. After watching this film you will better understand the current situation with Pete Rose, and where his expulsion from baseball originates. If you are at all a baseball fan you will enjoy the film.

My only criticism is that too much film time is spent of the gangsters and the announcers. That was a little tedious, and limited the further character development of the players, the depiction of the game, the owners, and the era.

I recommend this film though easily to any baseball fan.

Great look into the White Sox world series of 1919
This movie examines the role of the Chicago White Sox in the famous White Sox world series scandal of 1919. I thought it was one of the most appreiciated baseball movies of all time. It deals with the corruption of gambling in sports and the temptations that this particular group of athletes had in throwing the world series. Watching this movie helped me understand why sports betting, for the most part, is the major corporation it is today.

John Cusak is wonderful as Shoeless Joe, one of the White Sox who does not want to go along with the scheme. This movie is very detailed: we get an inside point-of-view from the audience, mob, player and player's wife's perspective. It is a look at the conscience of the White Sox players who must either "sell out" and throw the World Series to make the extra buck and keep the sports sharks off their backs, or keep the integrity of the game intact by giving their all on the field and denying the prospects of more money.

I recommend this movie not only for baseball fans, but all movie junkies. It examines many of the sports issues that we deal with today, such as corruption, integrity of the sport, and gambling.

Sayles' masterpiece
It's difficult not to get your personal feelings called into play when watching an obviously slanted film like EIGHT MEN OUT. John Sayles, like Oliver Stone, is an obvious agit-prop master for the left or at least for labor in its battle against owners. But so are several others movie-makers. However, those others do not get the responses that Sayles has evoked because they don't have half the talent that Sayles possesses. There is no fence-sitting when watching his films, and that's because his visions and messages are clear, uncompromising and passionate. EIGHT MEN OUT is one of his highest achievements in those regards.

In his analysis of the rigging of the World Series of 1919, Sayles targets White Sox owner Comiskey as the true villain. And I believe this is accurate, if not justifiable, at the very least. The Black Sox scandal, as it came to be known, was undoubtedly the lowest point in baseball history, but it could have been avoided. Had Comiskey treated his players as they merited, it is doubtful any of it would have come about. This is not to say that these athletes were angelic: Sayles goes to great lengths to show that several of them would be easily corruptible, such as Chick Gandil (played by the underrated Michael Rooker). Other players seem to want to do the right thing, but are pushed too far by Comiskey--specifically, Eddie Cicotte, as portrayed by Sayles' favorite, David Strathairn. The enigmatic Shoeless Joe Jackson (subtly played by D.B. Sweeney) is just plain too dumb to understand the implications of his involvement. As others have noted, Jackson wound up the series' batting leader.

The real moral compass of EIGHT MEN OUT is Buck Weaver, played by John Cusack in what may have been the performance of his career. Sayles' Weaver is portrayed as the victim of the ultimate betrayal for not participating in the scheme. His teammates don't back him up. The courts do not defend him. The press lumps him together with the guilty. His only crime was not being a snitch. And for that, Weaver has basically been relegated to baseball history's limbo, in spite of an above-par career. Sayles does an admirable job in evoking a justified sympathy for Buck Weaver, and Cusack captures it beautifully.

EIGHT MEN OUT is not a mere baseball movie. Like much of Sayles' work, it's a film about greed, and the desire of American owners to extract as much from labor as possible, without giving anything in return.

P.S. -- Sayles does a great job of portraying writer Ring Lardner. I just wish he didn't sing!

How about a movie called...
How about if the film industry makes a movie called 'The Hammer'? Gee, they made 'Cobb, 'The Babe', 'Eight Men Out', 'Field of Dreams', 'The Pride of the Yankees', 'The Natural', and '61*'. Well, how about making a movie about Henry Aaron, Josh Gibson, Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, or even Jackie Robinson? Oh, I forgot, baseball will never allow it...

I WANTED to love it!
I love baseball and I love baseball movies. So I was ready to love this movie, yet it somehow failed to please. Great actors, great period setting, yet we are not let inside the minds of the characters. Aside from John Cusak's Buck Weaver, none of the characters are even that appealing, so we don't really care what happens to them. We know nothing about their background, why they play baseball, or what drives them. In summary, the movie just wasn't that engaging. Since most of us know the rough outline of the story already, there are no surprises. The characters were so 2-dimensional, that I almost expected them to disappear when they turned sideways! Also, the DVD has no special features at all except for a movie trailer which is just a summary of the movie.

If you want a baseball movie with heart, get Field of Dreams. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A haunting video that will leave you thinking ...
This movie grapples with some serious issues. What, exactly is going on politically in South America? Where does individual responsibility lie? What does helping people really mean? What kind of legacy is it possible to leave? The setting of this movie is an unnamed country in South America. The writer/director, John Sayles, did this on purpose. This is to show that the kind of thing depicted in the movie could happen anywhere. However, it was shot in Mexico, in Spanish, with English subtitles.

The movie starts Federico Luppi as Dr. Humberto Fuentes, a wealthy doctor who is approaching retirement and has never paid close attention to the realities of his country. His greatest achievement, the "legacy" he is leaving, is his participation in an international health program in which he trained young doctors to work in the poorest of villages.

I watched this movie with horror and then, finally, resignation, as Dr. Fuentes travels in the mountains and makes startling discoveries. I made a few startling discoveries myself -- the abject poverty of the people, the disregard for human life, the acceptance by the people of this as a way of life. He finds that the people have no food. He finds that both the army and the guerillas are equally brutal. The movie takes us all on a journey with Dr. Fuentes. Along the way we meet a homeless child, a priest who lives with his own private demons, and a deserter from the army with a history of participating in the carnage. The movie goes deeper and deeper into the despair and devastation.

This is not a comfortable video to watch as it brings the viewer not only into the realities of the political systems in South America, but to the basic question of individual responsibility. I recommend it for those who are willing to take a fresh look at these things. You will not be smilling after viewing this video. But you will be thinking.

One of my favorite movies ever
This is a great film. Don't be deceived by the title, it is not a violent film, though it is about violence.

There seems to be a debate here about where the movie takes place, whether Mexico, Guatamala, or somewhere in South America. According to John Sayles, the answer is all of the above. Though it was filmed in Mexico, Sayles purposely set it in an unnamed country to illustrate that, at least in one sense, the various conflicts in latin american countries are essentially the same--one group of "men with guns" supposily is fighting with another group of "men with guns," but really all both groups are doing is terrorizing the local people who live there. To the villagers, it doesn't matter which group is the government and which are the rebels, or which ideology each group claims to be fighting for. This general point could apply equally to many countries in latin america who have had rebel movements over the past 20 years (this includes Guatamala, but also Columbia, Peru, El Salvador, and unfortunately several others). While people familiar with Central America will recognize that the villagers wear Mayan dress, that is more due to where the movie was filmed than an intent to set it in a particular country. The soundtrack is comprised of music from almost every latin american country, from Argentina to Mexico, and Sayles says in the liner notes that he did this to emphasize that the film is not about any particular place, but rather what those conflicts have in common and why they remain so intractable.

Powerful
Federico Luppi, the fine actor from Argentina, takes the lead role as Dr. Fuentes. He sets out to find his former students on the road to places he's never been. The shift in his life is caused by the death of his wife. He sets out in spite of his family not wanting him to leave. The aging doctor first encounters one his former students, now a drug dealer, using the same drugs he taught him to cure others, he is now using them for ill purposes. His journey has only begun and he finds many more dissapointments along the way. This is a beautiful film that is allegorical, historical, contemporary and packed with messages for the viewer to interpret. In his quest to find his students he finds his country to be quite different from the view he had of it prior to his leaving the city. He encounters missing people and tales of abductions from men with guns. The villagers call them white men with guns but are quick to say that the Indios are also now white men. Although the story takes place in an unnamed country, the parallels to Guatemala are clear. Having witnessed a corpse on the roadside while travelling in a bus (everyone gawked with little concern, as though it were a common sight) in Guatemala and seeing the treatment first hand of the military I am pretty sure this is where it is. However, this is unimportant as these occurences of hit squads and paramilitary goons, in cahoots with the military, are a frequent sight in many Latin American countries. Anyway, Dr. Fuentes picks up several people along the way to expand the tale. He picks up a "liberation priest" who abandons his collar and those who believed in him, a former military thug turned thief, an indigenous young woman who doesn't speak since she was raped by soldiers and a street-savy kid who is an orphan and Dr. Fuentes's guide. All represent the society Dr. Fuentes is unaware of and as they tell their sordid stories, amidst flashbacks and surreal dreams, a country whose people live in brutal chaos is revealed . This is a powerful movie, one to be seen more than once in order to fully enjoy. Although the story evolves around Dr. Fuentes and his crew, there are several encounters with a funny couple who are "informed" tourists with bad Spanish accents and worse pronunciation. A completly enthralling film, in spite of its length, that hits close to the harsh reality of life in Latin America. A beautiful film that is set to the backdrops of the jungle and it's relics from the past, as well as present day village life , it is a movie that is visually breathtaking and mentally stimulating. Recommended for those that like movies that carry a political and social commentary. Great stuff, see it before your next vacation to the tropics, so that as the guy from the radio says"and now you know the rest of the story" before you get there.

One of my favorites
The main charachter is approaching his retirement. As for his last vacation, he decides to check up on his students. Students that he trained to help the poorer people of his country. However, he soon discovers that something is wrong. His students are missing, and the only explanation he can gather about them is that somehow "Men with Guns" were involved. What starts as a vacation soon turns into a quest. Soon more charachters join him, including an orphan boy, an awol solidier, an ex-priest (my favorite) and a mute woman. All of which leads to the ending. No hollywood fairytales here. Just a solid story, and a solid cast. Part thriller, part drama, this is a truly great film.

CORRECTIONS
Ok, after reading all the reviews, I feel a bit of an obligation to correct some of the entries, especially since the "most helpful" one is blatantly wrong on this respect. The movie, it is generally agreed, takes place in Guatemala. this is not specified, though, but it is evident throughout the movie that this is where it is happening. So dont believe that it was in south america, or mexico, or anything like that (though it was filmed in Mexico). How many mayans are there in South America? So I hope that this entry helps. And its not my opinion, but the opinion of my college professor.

Oh yeah, and its an AWESOME movie. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

'Brother' is a Gem
'Brother From Another Planet' is a gem of a movie from director John Sayles. Yes, it's low-budget (typical Sayles), and yes it sounds like b-grade science-fiction at first (alien lands on Earth, pursued by other aliens), but it's so much more than that. First off, the alien (played by Joe Morton, who does not utter a word througout the movie) is black and, luckily, lands in Harlem. Slowly but surely, he finds a way to not only make a living (by fixing electronics), but also manages to help out those who live around him. No offense meant to Mr. Morton, but this is probably his best performance to date.Meanwhile, he's pursued by the two other aliens, who are white (one of whom is played by Sayles himself), and have their own interactions with the Harlem community.In this little, very underplayed film, Sayles manages to say a lot about community, race, charity and mankind itself. Endnote: Keep your eye out for the 'eye out' scene.

Don't be fooled--widescreen is the way to go
A certain reviewer on this page tells us that the fullscreen version of this film is superior to the widescreen. Having seen both, I can testify that the mental competency of this reviewer is very much in doubt.

The fullscreen is one of the worst stateside dvd transfers in existence. Many night scenes seem to be taking place in a storm of dust. The day scenes aren't much better; each one looks like it was filmed after sundown. The glorious color cinematography of Earnest Dickerson is ruined, both by the muted color and by the 4:3 remframing. Though not nearly as vibrant as Dickerson's later work on Do the Right Thing, this is still a suprisingly compelling movie from a visual standpoint. If you get the fullscreen, you'll never know.

And at last, you can see every nuance of Joe Morton's face! His great performance as the brother, which has not one single spoken word, is finally visible in all its complexity. So are the faces of the residents of Harlem, both good and bad, that we encounter throughout the film. As many have noted, the sci-fi effects are totally laughable (the removable eye, especially), but that's not what this film is about. It's about a new way to look at the experiece of race and community, and it succeeds brilliantly.

A final note on the pro-fullscreen reviewer: if you look up his reviews, you will note that he hates Taxi Driver and loves both Ishtar and Howard the Duck. I rest my case.

Amazing
This is one of my favorite films of all time. Like many really good Sci Fi tales, it is ultimately a very human story. I love so many of the scenes - the character interactions in the bar scenes are great. And Joe Morton is terrific.

They didn't have much budget for this and there are obvious clumsy mistakes in the movie. Some of the mistakes are even pointed out in the director's comments, but it just adds to the enjoyment. (But my DVD copy is just fine. I don't understand the quality complaints in other reviews here.)

For all the rough spots, I don't miss the million dollar effects one bit. Effects might even push the story aside too much. This DVD will always have an honored place on my shelf and I will enjoy this many more times. (And I could never say the same for Matrix Revolutions, for example.)

Buy the other version
this one is so called "widescreen." There is another DVD which has the number B000055XLV also available here on Amazon, which is fullscreen so you can really watch and enjoy this wonderful movie. Buy that version instead, and the price is much cheaper to boot!

Fullscreen and Great
This version, the Gemstone DVD--not the more recent MGM one--is fullscreen so you can really see and enjoy the movie. Contrary to the reviews below, it is truly great, and at a much better price. It is too bad that the director's interview, etc. are on the MGM DVD, but that one is so called "widescreen" only, and therefore should not be bought or supported. Buy and watch this excellent fullscreen version of a truly wonderful film. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

More than It Seems
This is so much more than a movie about real-estate developers moving into a sleepy coastal community in Florida, despite how it appears at the beginning. It is about the lives and dreams of those who live there; about those who have left and returned; and those who have never left, but want to. It is about dreams: dreams of individuals and dreams held by parents for their children. "Sunshine State" has a unique perspective.

Sayles examines each of his characters with great affection, it seems. No one is all-good or all-bad.....there is a lot of "middle of the road" here, mostly decent people. He lovingly develops his characters slowly and thoughtfully, and never judges these folks, no matter what they decide to do or not do.

The slow, but never boring, pace of this movie allows the viewer to get involved in the lives of its characters, all of whom are played to perfection by fairly high-profile actors (Angela Bassett, Edir Falco, Timothy Hutton, Mary Steenburgen, and Alan King, among others). The narrative is told in ovelapping stories with an intersection of most of its characters as conflicts unfold in the community.

This movie left me with a lot to think about.

Quite possibly my new favorite movie
There are so many elements going on in this movie, it's hard to focus on which ones stand out the most.

First and foremost, as a Florida resident for 25 years, he nails the sleepy ocean-front atmosphere. The characters in relation to the land, their struggles with local government and big-time developers are utterly believable and accurately portrayed. The sense of community is delivered admirably with looks into the lives of a wide-range of citizens.

The characters are (for the most part) subtly woven together, no matter how disparate they initially appear. Marly, portrayed by Edie Falco, is my favorite. She's a not-quite-bitter-divorcee who has taken over the family's restaraunt/hotel business. A former Wikki Wachi (sp?) mermaid, this is *not* what she wants to do with her life. But because nothing better has come along, she stays and keeps her father happy.

Rather than one main plot, there are several sub-plots throughout the film. Desiree (Angela Bassett) reconciling herself with her mother and her past. Marly deciding what she wants and what she doesn't want. Exley (sp?) Plantation trying to buy out the town. Dr. Lloyd trying desperately to save the town. Mrs. Stokes wanting to save Terrell, or, at the least, redeem him. Jack just doing his job. Francine running the annual Buckaneer Day. Delia Temple making the best of her situation. Earl trying to kill himself. And the Florida Flash, whom no one really knows what it is he's doing back in town. All of this tied up neatly with four golfers, musing on the nature of the land.

It's a glorious movie. I've watched it four times already, and plan to watch it many more.

John Sayles At His Best
No film director has earned more the right to make a movie about not selling out than has John Sayles. Over the years he has consistently directed fine independent movies. I thus expected much from this movie and was not disappointed.

The out-of-state developers have descended on Delrona Beach and Lincon Beach, Florida. They want to bring progress in the form of "plantations," planned resorts, golf courses, etc. If you are interested in how timely this subject is, spend a day driving down A-1A in Florida. Then there's Disney World in the middle of the state. You'll be interested to see just who the bad guys are and what color some of them are.

The ensemble cast is outstanding, from Angela Bassett-- when she's on the screen, all eyes are on her-- to Edie Falco, Timothy Hutton, Mary Steenburgen--"it's so difficult to create a tradition"--to Jane Alexander and Gordon Clapp. There is a delicious scene where Alexander outsmarts a developer who is trying to rook her out of her property. She says something to the effect that she's good at finance since she has run a nonprofit theatre group for 25 years. A word about Falco: you totally forget that she is a big part of "The Sopranos." It's good to know that there is life for her outside that show. She's completely believable as the tired manager of her father's restaurant and motel. Finally, it's worth what you paid to rent or buy this video to hear the young woman sing "The Last Mile of the Way."

BRIGHT AS DAY
Land developers preying on naive and worldly-wise landowners in Florida isn't the most original idea, indeed it sounds dated, but this ensemble comedy-drama from Writer-Director John Sayles is as engaging as a warm ocean breeze on your favorite Floridian beach. All the interlocking stories of the potentially wealthy residents are entertaining and amusing but the film really belongs to Angela Bassett and James McDaniel as a woman returning to her home town with her husband, half-heartedly willing to confront unresolved family affairs and relationships. They provide a strong backbone to this gentle and funny film.

Land for Sayles
John Sayles returns to his Altmanesque "Lone Star" formula, with mixed results. Instead of a small town in Texas, a sleepy little resort community in Florida is put under the microscope. Once again, Sayles juggles about a half-dozen subplots that eventually tie together, although in a somewhat less compelling fashion than his Texas tale. The now-familiar Sayles themes of family ties, bittersweet love stories, culture clash and community traditions are trotted out and examined. The film opens strong, with greedy land developers descending on quirky small-town landowners, initially leading the viewer to think they are headed for a picaresque Carl Hiaasen-flavored social satire. Instead, we are given a deliberately paced, almost Mike Leigh ("Secrets and Lies")-style glimpse into the lives of several families. The various little epiphanies that result are, at best, only a little interesting. Sayles is an actor's director, and while that usually guarantees good performances (which this film does have), it doesn't necessarily guarantee a riveting story. In fact, there are so many good actors in the huge cast (Edie Falco, Tim Hutton, Angela Bassett, Ralph Waite, Jane Alexander, Mary Steenburgen, etc.) that it's almost distracting, since no one stays on screen for very long at any given time. Worth a look, and more intelligent than 95% of the current Hollywood offal, but not quite gripping enough to compare to Sayles' best work. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Director John Sayles did the unthinkable and managed to sum up all the problems of urban life in one beautifully assembled jigsaw puzzle of a film. Combining characters from across all strata of one New Jersey city, he makes it clear that old-boy politics, corruption, and urban rage form an interlocking cage that seems to keep hope for the future locked away from our grasp. At heart, it's a story of fathers and sons, with sleazy contractor Tony Lo Bianco trying to reach out to son Vincent Spano, who wants none of his father's business. Add a racial incident, a mayor on the take, political activists, a black politician trying to balance what's right with what's expedient, and a gaggle of small-time crooks and you have a terrific, telling story of urban malaise, black and white, with a great cast that also includes Joe Morton, Angela Bassett, Chris Cooper, and Gina Gershon. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Noble Effort
In this movie, ambition overreaches result, and the usually clear sighted John Sayles flounders. There are moments of brilliance, as when the camera turns sharply to pick up new threads in the sprawling interweave of city intrigue that composes the central theme. But the sprawl ultimately proves too unwieldy for even Sayles' considerable talent. I only wish he had succeeded. The backdoor machinery of city politics needs sensitive treatment of the kind Sayles can deliver. But the script falters and the characters seldom rise above uninteresting stereotype. If its true that too many cooks spoil the soup, it's also true that too many soups spoil the cook, no matter how versatile the latter. Here, director-producer-writer-actor Sayles simply raises more urban issues than he deals with effectively: police corruption, brutality, racism, homophobia, kick-backs, drugs, influence peddling, organized crime, with a symbolic love story thrown in - in short, the whole 9 yards that keeps cities operating. Unfortunately, the end result is a force field that pulls apart rather than brings together, making the whole effort appear pointless.

Too bad, because such unconventional scope requires unconventional methods of the type Sayles attempts. But I'm not sure it's possible to force such a life-sized tapestry into an ordinary two hour time frame. Perhaps something on the order of a Godfather trilogy with a central focus on the Nicky character would accomodate the filmmaker's expansive vision. Trouble is, political mavericks and independents like Sayles seldom get the financing necessary for following through. Looks like he may be consigned to work the fringes in the brilliant and committed fashion of Matewan and Eight Men Out, for which there is nevertheless always an audience.

Pay no attention to Maltin...
This film is every bit as good as the Amazon review says. Reminiscent in some ways of "Bonfire of The Vanities", it is a much, much better film than that one was, despite an obviously much lower-budget shooting. If you are a Cincinnatian, you will have a little bit of side-fun trying to identify many of the Cincinnati locales where much of this film was shot. It has a totally credible urban grittiness and one is not sure after the end of the film just how ironic the title was intended to be. Another film to see if you like this one is "City Hall", with Pacino,Cusack and Aiello.

Slightly didactic, immensely powerful
Thouht this film does not connect with the seamless mastery of Lone Star or even Matewan, it has an undeniable haunting power, especially in its lengthy and distanced final image. The major flaw in this film, and in Sayles films in general, is his tendency to use the screenplay as a pulpit, creating characters and dialogue to make an often heavy handed statement. Take for example, the two griping women who complain that no one listens to them, or the militant Black Muslim. Fortunately, Sayles quickly leaves the preaching behind and allows his characters, their dillemmas, and their interactions to move the audience subtly, emotionally, and profoundly. The intertwining narratives are constantly engaging- whenever the film would move from one to another, i would find myself excited to return to that thread. joe morton is the standout from the film, but the performances are universlly excellent. Highly reccomended.

Sayles is a Master
I've seen several John Sayles films and have been more or less impressed with all of them. This finely wrought and under appreciated little treasure, though, is probably his most complex and evocative. It's a formidable task forging a coherent drama out of the loose ends of lives with which Sayles starts. All this done in the milieu of a corrupt city, tangled relationships and hopelessness. Even the humour is bleak. The enigmatic figure of Asteroid, a raving street person provides continuity to the disjoints and reflects the futility and lack of meaning in the lives here. It is a dramatic device of real brilliance. The ironic title alludes to the fact that the major characters, the Father and Son, are trying to reinvent themselves in a nobler image.. with tragic consequences, as the corruption lashes back at them. Whether it was worth the attempt is left to the viewer. The film ends without fully resolving the tragedy, a spark of hope remains.

Great one
This is a great movie. If you like 'Lone Star', you'll also love this one. Otherwise, see both movies. It portrays the many competing forces within a city with real characters and interlocking plots. Don't believe what Leonard Maltin said about losing momentum in the end. No, it doesn't have an indulgent happy ending, but who in real life have happy endings? ... Read more

Amazon.com

John Sayles tackles one of his most provocative projects in Silver City, a broadside on politics and campaigning. It's one of Sayles's multi-character tapestries, set during a tarnished governor's race in Colorado. Chris Cooper has kicky fun as a feather-brained candidate, whose nonsensical speeches deliberately evoke the 43rd U.S. president. He doesn't get nearly enough screen time, because the film follows a burned-out private detective (the awkward Danny Huston) as he tugs at conspiracies. Sayles's understanding of the connected relationships in the political world is keen, and his malignant ending scores points--though the issues are more convincing than the characters. A subplot romance between Huston and journalist Maria Bello is tired, and there's a rushed quality that undercuts the political barbs. The crowded cast helps it perk along. This is a companion piece to Sayles's City of Hope and Sunshine State, and proves his teeth are only getting sharper. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Sayles' political satire
In John Sayles' latest, Chris Cooper plays Dicky Pilager, running for governor of Colorado and with more than a passing resemblance to George W. Bush.When Dicky finds a corpse while filming a campaign ad, his campaign manager (Richard Dreyfuss) hires investigator Danny O'Brien (Danny Huston) to find out if the corpse was planted. Danny, of course, gets into trouble as he uncovers family secrets and business deals.

This is a terrific cast but the pacing is very slow and the mystery is only mildly interesting. Iwould have liked to have seen Chris Cooper more.

Extras include a trailer, a 36-minute making-of featurette and a commentary track. Subtitles available in English.

The movie trailer was almost as misleading as Bush himself
I first saw the trailer...somewhere.It looked like it was going to be a political satire about someone.Then I heard nothing more about this movie so I assumed it was scrapped at some point or went straight to DVD.But then I saw it at the video store one day and picked it up.I watched this movie and absolutely fell in love with the fact that I threw away 5 bucks for the rental.I was so hyped by the trailer that I was gonna purchase it once I saw it for sale.So a waste of 5 dollars is better than 20+.I watched the movie hoping it was gonna take off and go somewhere.But it didn't.It started down the runway and then decided it forgot to refuel before takeoff, so it turned around and became a Pinto hatchback.

Now that I have rambled on about how bad it was, let me tell you why it was so bad."It just was."That three-word review is about as clear as the movie's plot.I couldn't tell if it was supposed it to be a satire/comedy...a suspenseful thriller...or a two hour plus movie with an ensemble cast who apparently lost a bet or had chimps for agents.Anyway, no one will find this review helpful, but know this one thing:I may have saved you anywhere from 5-20+ dollars...which is helpfulYou are welcome.

Watching an axe being ground isn't necessarily entertainment
Based on his past performances, I have a high regard for actor Chris Cooper. So, how bad can a film starring Cooper be? Well, ...

Actually, Cooper's role in SILVER CITY is relatively minor as he plays Dickie Pilager, the dufus son of Colorado's senior senator running for that state's governorship. The film initially captures interest as Dickie snags a corpse with his fishing lure during a photo op at a mountain lake. The candidates handler, Chuck Raven (Richard Dreyfuss), immediately suspects his man is being set-up and hires private eye Danny O'Brien (Danny Huston) to investigate the opposition. From here on, the film slides into a boring and cynical visual rant against the unholy alliance of right-wing politicians, environmental polluters, corrupt land developers, and coyotes that smuggle illegal- i.e. "undocumented" according to the Politically Correct - migrant workers for the benefit of Big Agrabusiness. One suspects that writer/director/editor John Sayles is drawing a parallel between the senior Pilager and son Dickie and George Bush, Sr. and Dubya.Ok, fine. Whatever.But even the tenuous thread of a murder mystery - who killed the guy in the lake - can't make this movie interesting, especially as it grinds on for over two excruciating hours.

There is perhaps only one performance worth watching, that of the free-spirited and sexually liberated Madeleine Pilager (Daryl Hannah), Dickie's black sheep sister, who wields a mean bow and arrow and can expertly shaft campaign pictures of her detested sibling.

My biggest problem with SILVER CITY was that the various characters, with the possible exception of Madeleine, were unappealing and unengaging, and, though the mechanism by which the bod got into the water is eventually revealed, it portends nothing more than a whole lot of dead fish. Nobody is brought to justice, if indeed there was ever much of a crime to begin with. And if the viewer is left with a heightened perception of political (read "Republican") banality and venality, so what? After 55 years in these United States and the world in general, those are attributes I can ascribe to politicians of any and every stripe.

I watched SILVER CITY over my microwaved dinner hoping to be entertained at the end of a typically uninspiring 9 to 5 workday - and wasn't. How perfect is that?

Muddled plot
John Sayles films always seem to be a hit-or-miss thing for me. I either love them ("Limbo", "Casas de Los Babys", "Men with Guns") or find them disappointing. I had a lot of hope for "Silver City" but ultimately, it was a very ambitious film that was packed full of ideas probably best fleshed out for a mini-series.

When "Silver City" begins, Dickie Pilager (Chris Cooper) is filming a photo-op campaign ad for his upcoming race for the governorship of Colorado. He's at a lake, posing for fishing shots with his sleazy campaign manager, Chuck Raven (Richard Dreyfuss) when he lands a corpse. Terrified of bad publicity, Raven calls a halt to the shoot, and promptly hires P.I. Danny O'Brien (Danny Huston) to dig around to see if the body has been planted to deliberately sabotage the candidate. The rest of the film, more-or-less, is composed of O'Brien's search for the identity of the dead man fished out from the lake.

"Silver City" is primarily a political satire--the character of the fumbling, inept Dickie Pilager is obviously supposed to be modeled on George Bush. And Chuck Raven is clearly supposed to be Karl Rove. But Sayles doesn't stop there; these two characters are floating in a sea of corruption with lobbyists in bed with developers while the environment is ravaged with relish.

The film's characterizations are bold but over-the-top. Tim Roth stars as underground journalist Mitch Paine, and Daryl Hannah emerges as the trust fund supported, archer Maddie Pilager in another exaggerated role. A plethora of characters are introduced to the plot without any context, so while certain transactions occur, their significance isn't realized until several scenes later. The large number of characters, with a loose, rambling preposterous plot dilutes the film's ultimate politic