Things Change (1988)

Gino, an Italian-American shoe-shiner with a remarkable similarity to a certain mafia don, is paid to take the rap for a murder. Jerry, a two-bit gangster on probation, is given a chance ... See full summary »

Director:

David Mamet

Writers:

David Mamet, Shel Silverstein

Stars:

Don Ameche, Joe Mantegna, Robert Prosky

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Don Ameche	...	Gino
Joe Mantegna	...	Jerry
Robert Prosky	...	Joseph 'Don Giuseppe' Vincent
J.J. Johnston	...	Frankie
Ricky Jay	...	Mr. Silver
Mike Nussbaum	...	Mr. Green
Jack Wallace	...	Repair Shop Owner
Dan Conway	...	Butler
Willo Hausman	...	Miss Bates (as Willo Varsi Hausman)
Gail Silver	...	Housemaid
Len Hodera	...	Ramone
Josh Conescu	...	Bellenza
Adam Bitterman	...	Marcotti
Jack Merrill	...	No Pair (as Merrill Holtzman)
William Novelli	...	Willie

Storyline

Gino, an Italian-American shoe-shiner with a remarkable similarity to a certain mafia don, is paid to take the rap for a murder. Jerry, a two-bit gangster on probation, is given a chance for redemption by guarding Gino for the weekend. But instead of sitting around a dingy hotel room, Jerry decides to give Gino a weekend to remember, taking him to Lake Tahoe. Jerry's bragging to his friends of his important charge, as well as Gino's dignified, quiet demeanor, soon result in much complication for them both.

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Plot Keywords:

italian american | friend | mafia | hotel room | hotel | 

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Taglines:

Dealing with the mob is always a gamble.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

21 October 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

As Coisas Mudam

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$3,527,886 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Filmhaus

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

First cinema feature of Felicity Huffman.

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Goofs

After they leave the airport, Jerry and Gino stop to talk with Billy Drake. Then Gino stays in front of the others, holding the overcoats, with Billy on his left-hand side and Jerry on his right. In the next shot Billy appears holding the overcoats and leading Gino with his right hand to the car. For this to be possible it would be necessary that them both had changed their places.

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Quotes

Gino: I give my word.

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Connections

Referenced in Swingers (1996)

User Reviews

...or do they?

In David Mamet's taciturn comedy of errors a simple Sicilian shoe-shiner is hired to take the prison rap for a mob hit man, in return for anything he desires after his release (all he wants is a boat). But the plan goes quietly haywire when his minder decides to treat him to a final weekend fling at Lake Tahoe, where the old man is mistaken for a mafia don from Chicago. Any other director might have played it for easy laughs, but even in such a whimsical mood Mamet is still a very careful, very deliberate filmmaker, and he approaches each scene with the same attention to nuance emphasized in every line of his trademark dialogue. It's a comedy of smiles more than belly laughs, summed up best by Shoe-shiner Don Ameche's childlike air of bewilderment and naïve trust in everyone around him (shades of Chance the gardener in Jerzy Kosinski's 'Being There'). Nothing seems to trouble him, because he knows a secret most people take for granted: the more things change, the more they stay the same.