Review of The Player (1992) by Josh M — 26 Jan 2010

I haven't rewatched The Player since I started to really appreciate Robert Altman's work, and given my lackluster response to it when I saw it almost a decade ago, I always felt like I needed to try it again.

Knowing a lot more about the movie industry, Altman's career at the time, and Altman's style in general, I had a lot more fun with The Player than I did the first time, but I still feel like it's overpraised in Hollywood circles for its insider humor and industry focus.

Try comparing The Player to something as rich and vibrant as Gosford Park or even the underrated The Company and its shortcomings become more apparent. For all its vaunted dark satire, the central point here is pretty obvious and not really evolved all that much, and the story.

..well, when has story ever been the main draw to an Altman film? Still, it's clear that Altman is having a lot of fun, especially with that famous opening shot, and I do love the cynical look at it all, especially given how much the industry embraced something that looked down so much at the system.

I still feel it's a little overpraised, but I can't deny that it's a fun little movie.