Glengarry Glen Ross

Starring: Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Kevin Spacey, Ed Harris, Alec Baldwin, Alan Arkin, Jonathan Pryce
Directed by: James Foley
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
1992


Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A group of salesman frantically work to sell real estate in an attempt to keep their jobs.

Review:

Tim: I really, really liked Glengarry Glen Ross. They don't make enough movies like this. It's a drama, but it is based on a stage play by David Mamet (who also wrote the screenplay). The film definitely has a theatrical feel to it, but in a very good way. The movie features one of the best casts ever, and gives each actor a meaty, entertaining role. It really is something to behold.

The film has been influential because it gives such a gritty, realistic look at the shadier side of business, and in particular, sales. The movie is not for everyone, as the "F" word is uttered well over 100 times. People who have worked in a cutthroat business can definitely identify with the vivid portrayal of high-stakes business practices here. I loved that this felt realistic (although taken to more of an extreme than your average business) and that the plight of these characters was one shared by many.

The cast was utterly fantastic. Al Pacino gives perhaps the most memorable role, as a ruthless salesman who also seems to have a bit of a soft spot as well. His long monologues and theatrical style fit perfectly for this film. Every moment of screen time shows such a vivid, energetic performance. Pacino is mesmerizing in this film, and I loved his performance. It's telling that in a film with truly remarkable actors all giving very strong performances, it's only Pacino who walked away with an Academy Award nomination (for Best Supporting Actor). He's terrific.

I also loved Jack Lemmon in this film. Lemmon is a terrific actor, but usually has given restrained performances in the latter of his career. As much of his career was in a time when swearing wasn't exactly done in movies, it was so much fun to watch him utter "F" words, "C" words, and so many other vulgarities. He embraces this in spectacular fashion. His performance is emotional and memorable. There's moments where he is broken, defeated, on the verge of tears. His desperation comes through powerfully. In others, he's elated, confident, cocky, and on top of the world. His character more than any other rides the ups and downs of salesman life, and it's fascinating to watch. He was incredible.

The rest of the cast is very good, too. Kevin Spacey doesn't get a very glamorous role, but he plays it very well. There are definitely moments where he perfectly emobodies that ruthless corporate boss we've all had at one point or another. Ed Harris is good, but he just doesn't get enough screen time to really make an impact on the film. He has some terrific moments, and in a short amount of time, he gives a memorable performance. I liked him a lot, but I wish he had more screen time. Alec Baldwin shows up for only a few minutes, but his scenes are incredible. He says some of the most vulgar, demotivating, awful things to his employees, but it's so perfect. This is the style many real-life managers take (even if they can't use the same words he uses) and the abuse towards the employees is stunning to watch. His scene is one of the most powerful of the film. Finally, I need to mention Alan Arkin. Arkin is such a good actor, and I really like him, but he got the short-end of the stick on this one. His character is just less interesting than all of the others. I know he turned down the role a couple of times for this very reason. He does give a good performance, but he just did not have as much to work with as the other actors. That shows, because his role was the least meaty. I did feel for him, but I was glad to see he made his character better than it would have been with almost any other actor in the role. As a whole, the cast is truly fantastic.

Now, as much as I like this movie, and I really do- I just don't think it quite reaches the heights of a great movie. This is an awesome film and fun to watch, but I felt like it needed to be a bit more powerful. The film starts off in terrific, memorable fashion, but it feels like the movie hits a few too many valleys throughout the story. There's a lot of smaller subplots, which are interesting, but they don't always move the action forward. I just wanted a little more to happen. The film is certainly dramatic, but we needed more. The film's conclusion needed to be a bit more satisfying. I am not suggesting everything needed to be wrapped up, because open-ended endings certainly can work, but I wanted a bit more payoff for the time and emotions I invested into this film.

I hate to nitpick because this film features a terrific cast, incredible characters, and a lot of drama. It's certainly worth seeing. I wanted to feel a bit more for them, and I wanted a little more to happen. The theatrical feel of the film is a strength, but we needed more movement and more action from the story. Still, regardless of a few flaws, Glengarry Glen Ross is a memorable, dramatic movie. This film is certainly worth seeing, and I really, really enjoyed it.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



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