Glengarry Glen Ross ~ Excellent Character Study

I'm not sure what I was expecting when I picked this up, but what I got wasn't even close. This is not a bad thing. Glengarry Glenn Ross is a character study type of movie. It's about a real estate sales office and the trials and tribulations which accompany any lead-driven sales job.

They are trying to sell condos/apartments in blocks, tracts of land, that sort of thing. Their leads are generated by folks filling out cards for more info on property investments. You know the cards, you see them everywhere. The problem is, most of the leads they're being given are really old. They've talked to these same folks before. And now they are being threatened with their jobs if they can't close a deal, like, yesterday.

This is approximately 24 hours in the life of these men. Don't expect a lot of action here. Set more like a play, the main stage is the office. It seems to plod along, but before you get a chance to glance at your watch it's over. This is due to the stellar acting abilities of the cast.

Jack Lemmon is Shelley Levene. Now Shelley has been around the block a time or two. He's used to being the top dog in sales but lately he's been in a slump and he, like everyone else, blames bad leads. His daughter is apparently going through some kind of treatment that never gets fully explained, but you know the jist of it is he needs some sales fast. He's under the financial gun already, and now his job is totally threatened by the hot shot Blake (Alec Baldwin). Each sale he fails to close messes with his self-esteem which makes it harder to try to close the next one. It's a viscious cycle that all sales folks have been through.

Al Pacino is the current hot shot, Richard 'Ricky' Roma. Ricky has all the angles and all the answers. The top salesman is to win a cadilac, second gets steak knives, third gets to go looking for a new job. Ricky has that cadi in the bag until his latest sale (Jonathan Pryce) walks in to cancel...seems his wife said no. heh.

Let me digress a moment here. His wife said no? Hello? This may not sit well with some of you, but if the guy is working for his money then he should be able to buy what he wants as long as the bills are paid. Nick works with a guy like this. He's bringing in 6 figures yet has to hide any new toys he happens to buy from his wife... whatever! I don't understand that at all. Grow a spine!

ok.. back to the movie.

Ed Harris is Dave Moss. This is basically a good guy who just can't seem to get a break. Everyone in this was outstanding, but Harris was just completely amazing. He nailed this part totally. He's just... well, you gotta see it.

To top it off, you have Alan Arkin as George Aaronow, yet another salesman on the skids, and Kevin Spacey as their office manager, John Williamson. What makes this script so remarkable is the timing. They're all talking, but nobody is really listening to the other person. It's like all of these conversations going on, but they're talking to themselves. They are all so self-absorbed with their perceived bad luck that it's all they can think of. While one is talking the other is thinking about his own bad situation, and streams of what appears to be two-way conversation is really not. It's brilliant.

You have come to pretty much expect a great movie when you see any of these names by themselves.. but oh wow when they are all together it's just freakin beautiful!

It's no wonder it has the feel of a stage play since it is, in fact, based on one by David Mamet. Luckily, Mamet also did the screen adaptation so it flowed, I'm sure, just like the stage version. James Foley (After Dark, My Sweet, The Chamber) directed this masterpiece wonderfully. I'm not extremely critical on most things when it comes to direction, so I didn't see anything I would have done differently. It just all flowed and melded so incredibly well.

This one runs right at 100 minutes and is rated R in the US. This is due soley to language. For those who choose to get offended by such, I'll say that it is strong language. Baldwin's character, while a short part in the beginning, gets pretty jiggy upside the sale forces ears. Toward the end there is quite a lot of the 'C' word being yelled about too. This is a male sales office. This was pretty realistic. If a kid could stay interested in the leisurely pace of the movie, the language is not going to cause psychological scarring. heh. They're your kids, you make the call.

This is one of those movies that I think everyone should see, so yes, I do recommend it highly. Even if you don't care for the subject matter, the performances are worth the price of the rental alone. I think you'll like it though. It's not near as dry and boring as it sounds on paper.