Review of Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) by Keith A — 02 Oct 2009

A movie that's just about men who have trouble selling real estate (and who are kind of ruthless in doing it). The fact that this movie had such legends as Al Pacino and Jack Lemmon was compelling enough just to SEE this movie.

What I got when I actually DID view it, was an extremely thrilling character drama; more exciting than the explosions in typical action fare or the sexual tension in romantic films. In fact, I don't think any women even appeared in this movie.

The entire cast here is phenomenal. Some of the actors include:

Alec Baldwin, doing a great one-scene appearance as a true "motivator", if there ever was one in real-estate business.;.

A younger Kevin Spacey is showing that he can be a wonderful "jerk" (for lack of a more appropriate word) ;.

Ed Harris unleashes some great early passion from his career as a beat-down, ticked-off man (and I mean tremendously ticked-off), ready to go desperate. It allows for any of his admirers to take pride at what he can accomplish with, especially as how his character is not given quite as much of a character arc as the others;.

And Alan Arkin is a joy as another pushed-around worker. It seems like he stutters his words a tad; I almost thought he was exhausted on set, but then I stared at his eyes, and then I realized that Arkin was sinking himself into this role, and he excells.

Al Pacino has a magnificently magnetic prescence, though a little brief. As a real estate salesman, he's ruthless, and I loved it every minute of his sleazingess. I swear, there came a scene where I could not look away from his eyes. Like Arkin, you can see a fire in those eyes;this would be just before he started crazily yelling out "HOO-HAH" in "Scent of A Woman" and "Heat.

Finally, and of best note, Jack Lemmon shows off a tour-de-force performance that at times was heartbreaking in his desperation, and intriguing at the slight hint of his sleaziness. A veteran of the screen, Lemmon is perfect for playing characters that are down-on-their-luck and sometimes dorky or over-the-top. That capture of character continues to aid him here, and the result is a role that may just rank up at one of the best of his career. At the end, he left me a little out of breath, as usual.

Finishing the movie, it felt as though it struck all the right notes.Here, the cast of actors are refreshingly intense. The story has a pace that is gripping and quick. And, very pleasantly, the dialogue felt honestly angry (although laced with cursing that could've been in a Scorsese movie, but maybe that's just how this writer, David Mament, works).

An amazing film and stunning piece of entertainment, Glengarry Glen Ross is perfect to have in any movie time capsule. Acting and writing at their best.