Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Like moths to a flame, great actors gravitate to the singular genius of playwright-screenwriter David Mamet, who updated his Pulitzer Prize-winning play for this all-star screen adaptation. The material is not inherently cinematic, so the movie's greatest asset is Mamet's peerless dialogue and the assembly of a once-in-a-lifetime cast led by Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, and Alec Baldwin (the last in a role Mamet created especially for the film). Often regarded as a critique of the Reagan administration's impact on the American economy, the play and film focus on a competitive group of real estate salesmen who've gone from feast to famine in a market gone cold. When an executive "motivator" (Alec Baldwin) demands a sales contest among the agents in the cramped office, the stakes are critically high: any agent who fails to meet his quota of sales "leads" (i.e., potential buyers) will lose his job. This intense ultimatum is a boon for the office superstar (Pacino), but a once-successful salesman (Lemmon) now finds himself clinging nervously to faded glory. Political and personal rivalries erupt under pressure when the other agents (Alan Arkin, Ed Harris) suspect the office manager (Kevin Spacey) of foul play. This cauldron of anxiety, tension, and sheer desperation provides fertile soil for Mamet's scathingly rich dialogue, which is like rocket fuel for some of the greatest actors of our time. Pacino won an Oscar nomination for his volatile performance, but it's Lemmon who's the standout, doing some of the best work of his distinguished career. Director James Foley shapes Mamet's play into a stylish, intensely focused film that will stand for decades as a testament to its brilliant writer and cast. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com essential video

David Mamet at His Best

It's just a great movie with lots of star power. Who couldn't love Al Pacino as Roma, Alec Baldwin as the sales "motivator" & Jack Lemmon as the has-been? Ed Harris as the wanna-be, Kevin Spacey as the Sales Manager & Alan Arkin as the simple guy just trying to make a buck also do wonderful jobs here. If you are in sales or more likely, if you are a sales wanna-be, you'll love this movie. If you're looking for something to make you feel content find a cartoon movie with some woodland animals in it. You won't find any warm fuzzies here, but you will find wonderful examples of playwriting & acting. November 23, 2008

Glengarry Glen Ross Reveals the Genius of David Mamet.

Long before there was Mad Men, there was Glengarry Glen Ross. Combining superb performances and brilliant dialogue, Glengarry Glen Ross is the 1992 film adaptation of David Mamet's 1984 Pulitzer Prize and Tony-winning play. The film chronicles two days in the lives of four New York real estate agents, who become desperate when corporate management sends in a threatening executive named Blake (Alec Baldwin) to "motivate" them with an ultimatum that, in one week, all except the top two salesmen will be fired. The top closer will win a Cadillac Eldorado. Second prize will be a set of steak knives. Management wants results. (Mamet created Baldwin's character for the film version of his play.) One of the agents, Shelley "The Machine" Levene (Jack Lemmon), is in the midst of a sales slump. Using his charm, then threats, then bribes, he unsuccessfully attempts to persuade his office manager John Williamson (Kevin Spacey) to give him some promising "Glengarry leads." Williamson offers to sell some of the leads, instead, demanding cash in advance. Meanwhile, two other agents, Dave Moss (Ed Harris) and George Aaronow (Alan Arkin), conspire to steal all the Glengarry leads and then sell them to a business competitor. Ricky Roma (Al Pacino) is the agency's sales superstar and top closer. He is ruthless, confident, and unethical. These guys were the original "mad men." Ultimately, in its spot-on depiction of the corruption of the American business world, Mamet's film offers a scathing critique of the Reagan administration's negative impact on the American economy. Glengarry Glen Ross remains relevant as our country struggles with dark economic times, and rising unemployment, and the subprime mortgage crisis of 2007 and 2008. Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, and Alec Baldwin are all in top form here. Highly recommended.

G. Merritt November 22, 2008

Hardcore salesmanship

If you ever want to scare you kids from being a salesperson get this video. Hardcore "boiler room" selling at its finest/worst. Alec Baldwin at his best. October 21, 2008

predators in twilight

It's a David Mamet movie: enough said.

Ok, I'll say a couple more things as if you didn't already know them. But if you don't know about this movie -- just see it is the point. GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS is an adaptation of a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by the brilliant playwright-screenwriter David Mamet. Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin, Jack Lemmon, Alan Arkin, Ed Harris, Kevin Spacey are all in it. They worked for low pay just to be in this movie. There were many other famous names that expressed interest. It's a story of real estate salesman that are desperate as hell to meet their quotas or else get fired. Mamet created a role for Baldwin just for the film version in which he plays a "motivator" brought in by the corporate office. Alec Baldwin is now almost synonymous with characters of this type. As the exectutive motivator he delivers one of the most famous monlologues in film history: "Coffee's for closers". You just gotta experience it for yourself. The story takes place over a couple days and you watch the salesman struggle to save their careers. All the acting is great. Jack Lemmon is considered by many to give the performance of a lifetime. The dialogue is golden. The acting is superb. The director James Foley did a good job helping bring the play to the screen. Clearly the story offers a critique American business in the go-go 80s, but beyond that it's just masterful story telling.(Last I heard Mamet has converted from self described "brain dead liberal" to "conservatism" apparently largely through reading Milton Friedman and Thomas Sowell. He announced this in a fascinating and arguably absurd essay entitled, "Why I Am No Longer a 'Brain-Dead Liberal'" that portrays "liberalism" as idealistic nonsense out of touch with human nature and reality. Well perhaps his version of liberalism, but this ain't the place to get into that.) Movies written by David Mamet are always worth checking out and always interesting. Actors get all the attention but you can understand why Mamet got a little bit from the general public even though he merely wrote that dialogue and created characters that highlight actors' careers. That's all I have to say. See the movie if you haven't. The DVD has some great bonus material.
October 1, 2008

Great movie, great performances, great cast

This is one great movie. It takes place in an office building, a Chinese food restaurant, a diner, a car, and outside in the rain. It is brilliantly written and has a large amount of suspense and tension that really catches the viewer and holds him in its clutches. It shows the costs of depravity and the greed lust for success in a tough business.

The cast is fantastic with Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, and screen legend Jack Lemmon. They make this movie what it is and what it is is fabulous. August 12, 2008

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