Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) User Reviews

One of the best films of its kind

[MovieAddict2016 · 9/10 · 28 April 2005]

I love movies like this. Theatre-styled motion pictures driven by dialog versus action. Get a few guys together in a room, watch them talk -- I have a soft spot for this stuff. I have ever since I can remember. Some of my favorite films are character-driven ones: "The Hustler," "The Big Kahuna," "Midnight Run," "Planes, Trains & Automobiles." At first glance this list seems skeptical -- but basically all these films follow the same central theme: clever dialog, character interaction and evolution, and depth.

"Glengarry Glen Ross" is one of the best of the genre. Scripted by David Mamet, the dialog never hits and weak patches -- it is realistic, extremely fun to listen to, and the actors all deliver flawless performances.

Al Pacino finally finds the perfect role to let himself vent (as he started to do in "Scent of a Woman" the same year, and won an Oscar for -- he deserved it more for this). Pacino has some great one-liners and quips, but he never seems too broad to find believable.

Jack Lemmon is similarly impressive, in what he called one of his favorite films of his entire career. Lemmon abandoned his comedic roots for this drama and it paid off -- he's not only an excellent funnyman, but a great actor.

Kevin Spacey, Ed Harris, and Alec Baldwin fill out the rest of the cast and all do very well; especially Baldwin in a brief cameo. I've never had much consideration for Baldwin as an actor, but his five minutes' worth of screen time here reminded me that when he's good, he really IS good! Overall "Glengarry Glen Ross" is not only one of my favorite films of the genre but also a solid movie by any means. If you aren't bored by movies in which people talk instead of running around defusing bombs, you'll probably really get a kick out of this.

Mamet Sells It

[jhclues · 9/10 · 13 January 2002]

Those who must rely on their wits to make a living are often prone to desperate measures born of the insecurities inherent in their field of endeavor-- a straight commission salesman, for example; or in this instance, a real estate salesman, in particular. And under pressure, to what will one in such a position resort to stay afloat when times are tough? A legitimate question that every consumer would no doubt like to have answered before signing the dotted line and committing some big money to a purchase. Well, hold tight, because help is on the way, as writer/director David Mamet goes to great lengths to answer it in `Glengarry Glen Ross,' an unflinching, hard-edged film that examines the motivations of those who would readily and eagerly separate you from more than a few of your hard earned dollars, and whose least concern, apparently, is the value of their product or that parcel of land, which according to them is situated just this side of Shangri-la. And if you've ever trusted a big-ticket salesman in your life, after visiting Mamet's film, it's doubtful you ever will again.

Very simply, the story is this: The Company wants results; the hierarchy expects their salesmen to produce, and they don't care how. Toward that end, a `motivator' (Alec Baldwin), has been dispatched to this particular office to put things into perspective for those who would sell their wares, as it were. The deal is, that at the end of a given period of time, the salesman whose name is at the top of the tote board will get a new car; those who fail to meet their quota are out the door. End of story. They will, however, be supplied with `leads,' but from the `old' file. The new, `fresh' leads are reserved for those who first prove themselves worthy, those who can do whatever it takes to make the sale, without qualm, reservation or conscience. But the prospect of being put on the street in the wake of the give-no-quarter edict only serves to drive one amongst them to an act of desperation-- an irrational act from which there can be no forgiveness and no redemption. A tough verdict, but then again, nobody said life was going to be easy.

In adapting his own play for the screen, Mamet returns to one of his favorite themes by exploring yet another variation of the `con' forever being perpetrated somewhere, on someone, in one way or another. In Mamet's world (in films such as `House of Games' and the more recent `Heist') nothing is ever as it seems, and the confidence game is always afoot, the causes and effects of which make up the drama of his stories. And this film is no exception. Whether it's the smooth and savvy top-dog of the office, Ricky Roma (Al Pacino), schmoozing a client into handing over a check, or a veteran loser like Shelley Levene (Jack Lemmon) showing up at someone's door on a cold call at a most inopportune and inconvenient moment and refusing to leave, Mamet convincingly maintains that the con-is-always-on, and the result-- especially in this film-- is a bleak, but riveting commentary on the human condition, delivered with an intensity that will keep you on the very edge of your emotional seat right up to the end.

The cast Mamet assembled for this offering is superb: Al Pacino is in top form and extremely effective with a comparatively tempered performance; the scene in which he lulls his customer (played by Jonathan Pryce) into complacency is absolutely hypnotic. This is the salesman you hope you never encounter, especially if something like the Brooklyn Bridge is being offered, as such overtures as those proffered by Ricky Roma are just too hard to refuse. And Pacino not only sells it, he closes the deal, as well.

Ed Harris, as Dave Moss, is outstanding, also, creating a character whose bitterness seems to flow from the inside out, and has long since overwhelmed that ability and better part of himself that could've made him a successful salesman, had he but turned his energies to more positive concerns and away from the self-defeating, self-pity into which he has descended. While at the opposite end of the spectrum is George, played by Alan Arkin, who unlike Dave (who though unable to act upon it, at least had promise at some point in his career) has nothing but insecurity and empty dreams to sustain him. As wonderfully realized by Arkin, he's the proverbial duck-out-of-water, who belongs anywhere except in a job as a salesman.

The best performance of all, however, is turned in by Jack Lemmon, who in Shelley Levene creates a character so steeped in despair and hopelessness that's it's almost tangible. You have but to look into Lemmon's eyes to understand the turmoil and depth of Shelley's desperation, and Lemmon successfully conveys the complexities of this man in terms that are believable and incredibly real. He makes Shelley a guy you can feel for without necessarily sympathizing with him. It's simply a terrific piece of work by a terrific actor.

Another of the film's strengths is the performance by Kevin Spacey, as John Williamson, the office manager. It's an understated, but pivotal role, and Spacey does a good job of making it convincing, which ultimately heightens the overall impact of the film, especially the climax.

The supporting cast includes Bruce Altman (Mr. Spannel), Jude Ciccoledda (Detective) and Paul Butler (Policeman). Mamet builds and sustains a tension throughout this film that drives the anxiety level through the roof; at times, it's exhausting to watch. In the end, however, `Glengarry Glen Ross' is a satisfying experience, involving very real situations with which many in the audience will be able to relate, and delivered with a high-powered energy equal to the subject matter. And once you catch your breath, it's one you're going to appreciate even more. It's the magic of the movies. I rate this one 9/10.

Very riveting filmed play...

[AlsExGal · 8/10 · 4 August 2023]

... involving characters with no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

I don't know how anyone could watch this entire movie and think that it was a celebration of capitalism or a model for human life. The characters are by various degrees dishonest, manipulative, vindictive and disloyal, and by competing them against each other it serves only to bring their negative traits out further. Also watching this would be a good incentive to learn a trade - plumbing, electrician, accountant, nursing, engineering - so you don't wind up selling for a living and swimming among sharks like those in this film.

It's about a real estate sales outfit and one office in particular with four salesmen played by Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Ed Harris and Alan Arkin. The office has been having flagging sales. Towards the beginning ace salesman Blake (Alec Baldwin) comes to the office to give what is supposed to be a pep talk but just ends up dehumanizing and demoralizing the sales force. He sets up a competition that ends up making the company worse for it in the long run or even the short run. He announces that during the next month that the top salesman gets a Cadillac, the second gets steak knives, and the bottom two get fired.

The Baldwin scene espouses the individualistic capitalist dream, but it is his words and actions that cause the moral degradation of the office. Whilst someone might sit on top of the ladder and get a cadillac, the office as a whole is a microcosm of the American capitalist business system. The top guy gets richer on good leads whilst the middle guys compete for scraps and the loser gets fired. This leads to the social structure of the office falling apart as individuals resort to immoral acts to get ahead and actively try to hinder each other's progress. The result is a net loss for the office rather than any collective gain that could have been achieved by working together.

As a former salesman, this is the most realistic movie ever

[SykkBoy · 10/10 · 26 March 2001]

I've read the comments about the amount of profanity in this movie..if you've ever worked in a less than ethical sale office, you'll know the language is very real...having worked a few years in telemarketing selling everything from wireless cable licenses to vitamins and ad specs, I can tell you, the dialog is very real.

This is my favorite movie of all time...sure, it's not flashy, upbeat or effect-laden, but it's so realistic that the first time I saw it, I got goosebumps...

Every character in the movie is one that I recognized from my office experiences...the mega-closer mouth piece (Baldwin), the complainers who always complained about the leads (Lemon and Arkin), the office manager who'd never actually sold anything before but had a little rub (Spacey), the hotshot salesman (Pacino)... it was just so real...anyone who's ever worked in a brokerage can tell you about the amounts of profanity in the sales profession...especially high pressure sales...

Ben Affleck's performance in "Boiler Room" has shades of Baldwin's performance in this movie...not a bad thing, just an observation. Baldwin's best acting is this 5 minute scene and his "I am God" speech in "Malice".

Amazing acting all around, tight realistic dialog (first time I saw this, I could almost say the words before they were spoken) Highly recommended! 10

enthralling

[MrsRainbow · 25 March 1999]

This film is perfect. I give out 10s about as often as Stanley Kubrick made films, and Glengarry Glen Ross is one of them.

There is so much more in this film than just a bunch of guys in a real estate office. I'm puzzled, as an aside, why the language is considered such a big deal. There is less of it in GGR than in the average DeNiro film I watch. Maybe it's because the film is composed of almost nothing but dialogue.

Back to the content. GGR contains at least two, maybe three of my favorite performances by anyone. Baldwin, who I really don't like, is perfect. Lemmon is excruciatingly good, and Pacino actually makes me forget who I'm watching. He really sinks into his character. Pryce also gives a commendable performance.

For those who didn't get this film, who think it's just dark and pointless, here's the point. The title is Glengarry Glen Ross. If you listen to the conversations you will notice that the Glengarry leads are the new leads, the ones given to closers, the leads given to those who go out and squeeze as much money out of people as they can so they don't lose their jobs.

Glen Ross farms are talked about in a brilliantly written conversation between Ed Harris and Alan Arkin, the one when Harris orders donuts and Arkin keeps repeating back to him what he said. "..Boots, yes." In that conversation, Harris talks about what he learned when he first got into the sales racket. You don't sell one car to a guy, you sell him 5 cars over fifteen years. But, he says, those guys who come in and burn everyone for as much money as they can get and then go to Argentina ruined a good thing. The drive to win the Cadillac had ruined the ideal of maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship between customer and salesman. Sharks like Baldwin came in, made their millions, and left a wasteland for the "losers" to work in.

The film is about how business in America is war, and about how the drive for capital has ultimately dehumanized us. The strongest contrast is between Baldwin and Lemmon. Baldwin is a machine. Everything in his life, his very identity, is defined by the fact that his watch cost more than a "loser's" car. "Family man? Go home and play with your kids." "A loser is always a loser." His name is that he drives a BMW.

With Lemmon, pay attention to the brief references to his daughter. The man is desperate to make money, not only to keep his job, but to pay for his daughter's medical treatment. A very human thing.

Eventually, these men prey not only on customers, but on each other. It's vicious. If you don't understand why, all you'll see is the viciousness, and you probably won't enjoy the film.

Astonishing...

[magma_iceman · 10/10 · 8 August 2003]

The first time I saw this movie my jaw was hanging down and my mouth wide open from start to finish. I was gripped.

This movie has no sex, no violence, no car chases, no action - but absolutely the most powerful acting I have ever seen. Uncompromisingly realistic.

Having said that, I can understand why so many people do NOT like it - you have to like dramas, and especially one centered so much around desparation and conflict, and NOT around action. It is adapted from the stage play, and I appreciate the way in which it was shot, retaining so much of the raw appeal that can only be felt at the theatre, as opposed to the cinema.

This movie is a veritable who's who of acting, with Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Ed Harris, Alec Baldwin, Alan Arkin, Jonathan Pryce - not to mention a then-relatively-unknwon Kevin Spacey.

If you can appreciate powerful acting, films based on dialogue with few scene changes, and can withstand an absolute barrage of foul language (which I must add is perfectly suited to this film), then this movie will blow you away.

Closers with a Silent C...

[Xstal · 7/10 · 19 June 2023]

In real estate you need to be a closer, use your vocabulary as if you're a composer, imagination, innovation, all leading to standing ovation, takes you to a place to wallow in the clover; getting the confidence of clients you might try, to bend the truth, slightly mislead, or even lie, the commission is the master, no cheque to cash, is a disaster, once the contract has been signed prepare to fly; and don't forget to outdo all your colleagues, ensure you always get the cream, get all the best leads, your success is all that counts, like a big cat you need to pounce, upon the heart, the soul, the body you need to feed.

Death of a f#ckin' salesman.

[TOMASBBloodhound · 10/10 · 1 May 2005]

I cannot believe this film has been out there all these years and I just now saw it for the first time this week. I rented it on a whim and I've watched it four times since Monday.

Glengarry Glen Ross is the story of a failing real estate office in which four agents are told they'd better get some property sold quick, or they'll be out of a job. By the end of the month, the top seller will win himself a Cadillac, the guy who finishes second will win himself a set of steak knives. The other two jokers will be out on the street. The problem is that the good leads are locked away in a filing cabinet in the office manager's room. They won't be distributed until the end of the contest. The guys are left with only leads that likely won't pan out at all.

The four salesmen are each very memorable individuals. Al Pacino plays the best of the bunch. He's smooth and confident, and he seems to be the only guy making any good sales recently. Jack Lemmon is the old lion of the bunch. He's a good talker, but he's been on a stretch of terrible luck both professionally and personally. It's looking like he is now obsolete, and could be one of the guys let go. Ed Harris is a brooding; scheming character also on a streak of bad luck. His plan is not to make sales, but break into the office and steal the good leads. Alan Arkin is a meek fellow who cannot even dial the right phone number or carry on any type of meaningful conversation. Each actor has their character down perfectly.

The story unfolds in less than a 24 hour period. Alec Baldwin is a hotshot salesman from "downtown" who shows up at the beginning of the film and lets the guys know how worthless they are. He lays down the terms of the contest in some very colorfully profane language that sets the tone for the rest of the script. Profanity can be monotonous and gratuitous, but not here. Mamet's script is like a piece of art formed by interlacing all the fine swear words in the English language together with a touch of ironic gloom. And how often do you hear the word "c*cksucker" said with the articulate dignity of Jack Lemmon? We see each character for what they are, and each actor is allowed to show us why they are so famous. I believe this film to be a landmark piece of cinema for this generation. As much as 12 Angry Men was in its own time. How often do you see such a cast get together with such a fine script? Not often enough, I'd say.

The Kevin Spacey character has a special place in my heart. I also work at a job where I have to deal with a bunch of pompous salesmen. I suppose it comes with the job, but salesmen always seem to think they are more important than they are. What they don't seem to understand is that different people can be hired to sell the same goods and services. More often than not, it is the company that retains or loses customers. That said, sales is a ballsy profession, and it does take genuine skill and luck to be successful at it.

For those out there who either are salesmen or like them, then this film will also be a treat. There is one beautiful scene in particular when Jack Lemmon has just made what he thinks is a huge sale to break his slump. He bursts into the office and happily demands his sale be noted on the board with everyone else's. Nobody but Pacino seems interested (Harris for example acts jealous and spiteful) in hearing the details. Pacino comes over and sits by Lemmon and listens to how the old master was able to pull it off. The camera subtly backs off and lets the two share the moment together. That was very well-done.

Due to all the profanity in this film, it is basically not possible to show it on network television. This may be the primary reason the film has slipped through the cracks over the years, and not made many top 100 lists and so forth. If you want to see some great actors doing what they do best, then DO NOT MISS THIS FILM!

10 of 10 stars

the Hound.

A Superlatively Acted Mediocre Piece Of Work

[telegonus · 7/10 · 30 June 2002]

This is a well-directed adaptation of David Mamet's trenchant play about corrupt real estate salesman, and one's enjoyment of it will depend on whether one cares for Mamet's tricksy, obscenity-laden dialogue, and if one is a fan of first-rate acting. I'm less than enthusiastic about Mamet's work, which strikes me as gimmicky and repetitive. He seems to be always working out some private issues that he inevitably hangs on sexual or economic politics; and there is a lack of depth and originality in his work, and a penchant for envelope-pushing that I do not personally care for. On the other hand, Mamet actors seem to rate him highly, and tend to give their all when appearing in his work. Glengarry Glen Ross is exceedingly well acted by all,--Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Alec Baldwin and, in a small but pivotal role, Jonathan Pryce. The edge of desperation around the eyes, and the crack in his Ivy league voice, makes Jack Lemmon's character of Shelley a pathetic, well-rounded figure. Harris and Arkin breathe life into their one-dimensional characters, and seem continually to be shouting throughout the film. Pacino's performance is the most flamboyant and also the most disciplined of the group, making the loathsome Ricky Roma both charismatic and repulsive. He at times sounds like he's literally singing his lines, and he moves more gracefully than I've ever seen him. The play is at times ludicrous, and the resolution (who stole the leads?) is strictly from the Golden Age of television. I can't imagine that people in real life could carry on like the characters in this play do for more than an hour or so, as most normal people would, were they to conduct themselves at such a fever pitch, go into cardiac arrest or suffer a stroke. Overall this is a first-rate adaptation of an essentially second-rate piece of work, with hollering and swearing making up for imagination and true insight into characters.

One of top 100 greatest films of all time! and it's based on a play!

[MovieMan1975 · 10/10 · 18 April 2005]

I cannot believe this film is rated below an 8

What else can be written about James Foley's adaptation of David Mamet's Pulitzer prize winning play other than devastatingly scorching.

Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Ed Harris, Alec Baldwin, Kevin Spacey, Alan Arkin, and Jonathan Pryce: perhaps the greatest acting ensemble ever put before a camera, collectively portray employees of a real estate agency- the sales department. Some of the greatest characters written in the 20th century cinema. Lemmon, 'the machine' Levene, is the old hero, now on a steady and sharp decline. Revered by others. Pacino,Ricky Roma the hot shot. He keeps an arm's length from everyone. Alan Arkin, George, is simply the loser. Never was hot, never will be - totally hopeless. Ed Harris is Dave Moss, a fighter, kinda like DeNiro in Raging Bull. Not hot, willing to do anything to reach the top. Like a rabid pitbull. Frustrated and at the boiling point. Kevin Spacey, Williamson, is the manager. A puppet of the owners, a real pencil pusher. But at least he doesn't live off of door-to-door sales. Alec Baldwin, in his greatest performance of his career, only taking up a mere 10 mins of screen time, tears the screen to shreds and burns the film up with one of the most incendiary, provocative, foul-mouthed, scene-chomping speeches ever. I was 17 when I saw this in the theatre and Alec Baldwin blew my mind with that scene. In college we used to watch this film over and over and rewind the speech 10 times over. We knew every line, every gesture. Jack Lemmon's face when Baldwin yells "Put that coffee down! Coffee's for closers". Or "You see this watch? this watch costs more than your car".We would kill ourselves laughing, that's how much we loved it.

Mamet's character driven screenplay delves into the place in our souls and in our psyches, where desperation exits. The men live off of selling near useless Florida real estate, and their tool is the cold call - the hard sell. Lemmon, Pacino,and Bladwin are true masters. Gold belt senseis of the cold call. The bullcrap that they can unload is remarkable. Stream of consciousness. Lie upon lie. Smug and greasy. Pacino's monologue to the hapless gimmel Pryce, leads to tangents about pedophilia, and the stench of urine in subways. He wields a cheezy brochure of the properties like it's Shakespeare, with a picture of a fabergé egg on it. Lemmon meanwhile desperately stands in rain drenched phone booths, creating illusions to the listener like a verbal ballet. When he worms his way into one of the lead's house, he plants himself on the couch and grabs a stuffed animal he sees there. That little thing he does there, that gesture; in those 3 seconds, his character's conflict is symbolized. Though the guru to all younger than him, his decline is turning into an avalanche, ready to bury him. He is so desperate he resorts to the cheesiest, phoniest, approaches. It is heartbreaking to watch. Drama not unlike that of the great Greek tragedies of Aeschylus and Euripides. Classic human fare. Alan Arkin is slightly type-cast as the bumbling, mumbling, passive, loser. He has done it so many times. But this has to be the apex of that characterization for him. Ed Harris is so full rage, spitting venom (and literally spitting on Al Pacino during his farewell speech, his "farewell to the troops"). It is literally one of the most expletive laden tirades ever projected in mainstream cinemas. You are just waiting for his ears to smoke and his head to explode. Gut wrenching. Williamson, is subject to, by Roma and Levene, the harshest tongue whippings ever. Ferocious, nasty, derogatory. Spacey is literally humiliated by these masters of bulls**t. He most certainly gets his comeuppance; and later, a pretty nasty little service return of his own. Much is written in these reviews about the swearing in the film. Swearing, in Mamet's works, is part of the syntax of those worlds. It is almost like the curse words become subtext. It is like the plié in his abusive ballet of words. But nonetheless, umbrage can be made about this matter. It is after all, foul swearing, carpet-bombed from a writer who uses it as his key verbal motif. You simply have to accept as Mamet's artistic license and move on. It is one of those things that you simply cannot let ruin the experience for you. Mamet is widely considered one of the greatest living playwright and screenwriter in the English language. Just consider the swearing as part of the stylization of the cold-caller salesman language.

The narrative of Glengarry Glen Ross takes place in one evening and the next morning, and is mostly in a dingy office and a Chinese restaurant. Superbly light, and with an awesome jazz score, it has great camera moves that highlight, accent, punctuate, and round out the actors' performances. My favourite motif is the subway that rattles by - at crucial moments of crucial dialogues. It is interesting to note, that the director, James Foley, who superbly crafted this ensemble piece, never really became an A-list director. All the elements are there, perfectly and purposely assembled - the sound, the image, the performances. Perhaps, Mamet did more directing than the writer normally would? Or did the real cinema pros - the cast - just take the ball and run, literally directing the film themselves, so used to playing those roles on stage, with the exception of Pacino and Baldwin. Another note of interest, is that I have seen this film numerous times, with a variety of people, and have yet to meet a female who liked it. This seems to categorize Glengarry Glen Ross as perhaps one the more masculine, testosterone soaked, man-only films ever. Like wild male animals fighting it out in the jungles. Despite that, I say this is definitely a must see for guy and gal cinema lovers all over.

I feel sorry for salesmen... still hate 'em though

[view_and_review · 7/10 · 12 April 2020]

Man! What a depressing movie. The life of a salesman is tough and by the looks of it, the life of a property salesman is the absolute pits. I've never had much sympathy for the likes of salespersons; they badger you, they interrupt your day, and they lie.

I remember when I bought a Kirby vacuum from a door-to-door salesman. He sold my wife on it so I come home and I'm $1800 poorer. They gave us a contract that was 18 months 0%. Well, the bank called and said, "So, we have a contract here for 12 months 0%."

I said, "No. It's 18 months 0%."

The bank said, "We don't do 18 month 0% contracts."

I said, "Then void it and come get your vacuum."

Ricky (Al Pacino), Shelley (Jack Lemmon), George (Alan Arkin), and Dave (Ed Harris) were in the business of selling property for Premiere Properties, a hole in the wall company in New York. They would do anything to make a sell--and who wouldn't if you depended on it to eat everyday. They are good salesmen, even if they *ahem* bend the truth a little bit, but even a good salesperson needs good leads.

I think they said the word "lead" about 100 times in the span of an hour and 40 minutes. They wanted the good leads and didn't want the old stale leads. It was a miserable existence.

I think the cast of "Glengarry Glen Ross" made the matter of property sales about as interesting as could be. The topic itself is not that enthralling, so to make a movie about it in which the audience doesn't go to sleep is admirable. I think all the performances were great, with Jack Lemmon and Pacino being the best. Did I ever feel sorry for them. I'm still shutting down any salesman that tries to pitch me, but I do feel sorry for them.

The plight of the working man

[gml17 · 10/10 · 26 March 2000]

No film that I have ever seen expresses the path that the working man follows better than this one. Lemmon and Arkin are perfect as the salesman who's luck has turned towards the negative. You can literally see their will to live being sucked out of them with every blown sale and missed opportunity. Ed Harris is great as the angry salesman who is willing to do what it takes to save his own future. Kevin Spacey plays the tight -collared boss to a T, pushing people and not giving them the breaks they need. The two most quoted characters of any movie I know are those played by Pacino and Baldwin. Pacino always excels in parts where his anger and ability to create believable outbursts are showcased, as they are in this part. All that I can say about Baldwin is that this is definitely his best performance and the writing for his character is unbelievable. I can watch his 10 minute scene over and over again. This movie rules in every way possible. 10 out of 10. (I don't give that rating easily)

Brilliant once you get into it.

[musings-morsels · 6/10 · 5 August 2019]

A lot of talking bs and profanities, typical sales business. You gotta be in the right mindset to watch it, and it takes effort to be in the right mindset and pay attention, but once you do, it's worth it & brilliant!

Blistering, bludgeoning, true-to-life though not at all entertaining...

[moonspinner55 · 4/10 · 3 April 2008]

Utterly joyless film, scripted by David Mamet from his Pulitzer Prize-winning play, about harried, put-upon real estate agents struggling to satisfy the corporate bosses and keep their jobs, lying to and cheating their clients, their co-workers, and maybe even themselves. Great all-male ensemble does first-rate work (with Alec Baldwin in the newly-written role of the company's Standard Bearer, a demoralizing sales hotshot who sees the workplace as a battlefield); yet, for all their combined brilliance, the material as presented here is difficult to watch. Barbed, ugly, belligerent, it leaves the viewer beaten and bowed. Jack Lemmon's "Save the Tiger" only scratched at the surface of these characters' dead-end lives. Director James Foley goes a bit heavy on the rain-drenched pitifulness (his chilly blues and grays become visually monotonous), while Mamet--an intelligent and insightful writer--refuses to let up, giving us no relief from the pummeling deluge of verbal assaults. This is one to admire for its obvious craft and as a showcase for the actors, yet it's not a picture to take to heart. ** from ****

The film that helped me discover the joy that is David Mamet...

[keihan · 26 April 2000]

I went into "Glengarry Glen Ross" totally blind. I had no idea who David Mamet was really (other than the fact that he was a writer), never saw any of his plays, or realized that he'd been in business for a while (through some backtracking, I found out that he was the writer behind the film version of "The Untouchables", one of the best films of the 80's). All that changed after I saw this brilliant, BRILLIANT film. It amazes me how all the big names in this film (and there are plenty, Jack Lemmon, Kevin Spacey, Al Pacino, Ed Harris, and Alec Baldwin) were pulled together for this two-act movie play about a salesman's life. It's all very dialogue heavy throughout, only about three or four different locations (the primary action all taking place in the office) and yet I was never bored for a second. Counting up all the "F*** You!"s in this film has convinced me that the tongue stings in ways a torture specialist can only imagine. The dialogue is clever, vicious, and occasionally even a little funny (particularly when Pacino is in action; intentional or not, he can be a VERY funny guy). The plotting doesn't show all it's cards straight away, as there are one or two suprises that ultimately catch the viewer off-guard.

Now as to the cast, what to say that hasn't been said? Hmmm...nothing really, I suppose. Watching Lemmon's desperation, Harris' anger, Pacino's laid-back cool, Spacey's authoritarian chutzpah, and Baldwin's icy dissection of his employees is astounishing to behold. Lesser actors would have made the results much less memorable and/or believable. These guys make it unforgettable. Two decades from now on, when all the hooplas of the 90's "hits" dies down, people will rediscover what I already know: "Glengarry Glen Ross" is one for the ages.

An intense emotional experience

[DennisLittrell · 9/10 · 2 November 2001]

(Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get it at Amazon.)

It doesn't take a movie connoisseur to see that this is a stage play filmed.

So what? The play is a work of genius--it won a Pulitzer Prize--and the cast is about as good as you can get. Jack Lemmon gives a performance that will tear your heart out...well, if you're like any of the characters in the play, you have no heart! And Al Pacino gets to put the pedal to the metal and fire on all cylinders. He is great when he's screaming, and he's even better when he's handing out buddy-buddy BS philosophy. Kevin Spacey as John Williamson, the boss of the boiler room crew, has the skin of a rhino and the heart of a baboon. Incidentally, the language is foul, fouler and foulest, and indeed, poor David Mamet, who wrote the play and adapted it for the screen, ran out of expletives. I mean how many ways can you suggest that someone perform impossible acts upon themselves? Yet, considering the moral fiber of the characters, the language seemed not inappropriate.

Indeed, Mamet is a master of dialogue and some of the set pieces are just marvels. The exchange between Dave Moss (Ed Harris) and George Aaronow (Alan Arkin) as Moss leads up to his plan to steal the precious 'leads' is like a ping pong match done as a pas de deux. And the harangue by Alec Baldwin as the brass...endowed motivational speaker was a crack up.

This is an extraordinarily intense film, so intense if you watch carefully you can see first Jack Lemmon and then Al Pacino so fired up and wildly expressive that spit comes out of their mouths along with the words. (I've done that.) In fact, all the actors feed off of one another. Being on the set must have been just an amazing experience with everyone trying to outdo everyone else. The timing alone is worth the ticket.

Note that no women grace the screen. I mean zero. This is a war flick with con artists in the trenches. Note also how carefully plotted the story is. Mamet thought it out and worked and reworked it so that everything fits. For example when 'The Machine' Levene makes his little slip revealing that he knew that the Roma contract had not been sent, we can immediately fill in the details realizing that Dave Moss had gotten to him with his cowardly scheme. And when Levene learns that his miraculous $82,000 sale is to crazies who have no money and just like to talk to salesmen, we see how perfectly ironic that is, and how tragic, like the life of Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. We can also see, if we really want to look beyond the movie, that Jack Lemmon's interpretation of Levene owes something to Willy Loman as does Mamet's creation. I have seen Jack Lemmon in many things, beginning with Mr. Roberts (1955) through Some Like It Hot (1959) to Grumpy Old Men (1993) and he has been wonderful, one of the great stars of the silver screen, but I don't think I've ever seen him more convincing than here. All the other actors in this film also have done larger pieces and had more demanding roles, but I'll bet they seldom had more fun.

You don't want to miss this movie. It is one of a kind. The cynicism is palpable and the desperation so humanly demeaning that it's almost funny.

Amazed

[er-usmani · 10/10 · 14 October 2019]

Alien planets, vast canyons, mars terrain, whales eating dinosurs, car chases, gun fights, train wrecks, underwater shooting, planes falling out of the sky, robots shifting into cars, dinosaurs punching the robots, bridges collapsing, sentient beings turning back time for survival, man sent in past to kill himself,

this movie has nothing of such BS

BUT!

it is one of the greatest movies I have even watched. PURE GREAT ACTING AND GREAT SCREENPLAY!.

Did I mention it takes place in almost one set?

Extremely well-acted tragedy about men on the edge

[Red-Barracuda · 6/10 · 8 June 2011]

You'll be hard-pushed to find a film with a better selection of power-house top drawer acting than Glengarry Glen Ross. This truly is an actors films if ever there was one. While the storyline isn't overly interesting, the chief selling point of this film is in the performances. Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Kevin Spacey, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Alec Baldwin and Jonathan Pryce are all excellent in characterisations that are multi-layered and believable. In particular it's great to see Lemmon in such a raw role, he pulls it off immaculately; while Baldwin proves he's got more talent than you might expect in an explosive ten minute appearance. Writer David Mamet has to be given a lot of credit here in providing all of the actors with a strong script to work off in the first place. The film is full of profanity-laden tough talking by men seemingly on the edge of nervous breakdowns. The general atmosphere of the film is one of hopelessness and despair. It's not exactly a happy ride but it is a satisfying one. This is undoubtedly not a film that will appeal to everyone, seeing as it's theatrical trappings and dialogue-driven narrative will not be to all tastes. Although despite the limited locations, the film is well shot and lit, while the jazz score gives it a mournful mood that adds a lot to proceedings.

Overall a very impressive emsemble piece. If you appreciate plays then this is a really good example of a cinematic presentation of such. It's more about acting and writing than cinema but don't let that put you off.

Ensamble acting with a great script

[minister_of_silly_walks · 10/10 · 18 August 2020]

A fantastic movie with realistic, extremely fun and profanity filled script that never seems dull and always demands your attention. Combine that with an ensemble cast of acting royalty portraying memorable characters and you got yourself a truly memorable cinematic experience that is surely to leave a lasting impression.

Good, within its limits

[miloc · 6/10 · 17 November 2005]

This movie has undeniable qualities: some of the best dialogue since the glory days of Billy Wilder, and a talent-packed dream-team cast (though the latter is never a guarantee; if it was, "Yellowbeard" would have been the greatest comedy of its era).

But ultimately it's a filmed play, and director Foley's failure to find anything visually interesting to do with it makes the movie feel more like a television program than anything else, albeit an unusually fine one. While this isn't necessarily a killing drawback, it doesn't provide a reason to see the film rather than a good stage production.

The compensation lies in the performances. For Alec Baldwin to steal the show from the line-up around him is a work of unparalleled larceny, and yet he does, with the help of a painfully funny new monologue provided by Mamet. The ghost of amusement in his voice as he asks, "Oh, have I got your attention now?" is something terrible to hear. He is Contempt Incarnate, and the outrageousness of the scene borders on the surreal.

The rest of the cast is predictably good, with Harris and Arkin particularly adept at Mamet's cross-talk rhythm, Pacino masterfully arrogant, and Spacey, before he had hit stardom, icily memorable. Lemmon goes further; his work here has some of the iconic quality of his performances of the 1960s. (The "Simpsons" character modeled on Lemmon's Shelley isn't a bad bell-weather for enduring pop resonance.) The crawling sense of need he projects becomes something genuinely uncomfortable to watch. Arriving at a young couple's house drenched in rain, his gray-white hair plastered flat, and his mouth pulled back in its ghastly salesman's smile, he captures something alarmingly real about the price of failure in America. As his sales pitch evaporates he is at last left only with an increasingly forced chuckle. In a life that consists only of patter, tragedy is having nothing left to say.

Masterclass

[thisyear-10904 · 10/10 · 1 February 2019]

An absolute masterclass in acting. Everyone is utterly brilliant. Obviously it's adapted from the play but the style doesn't try and pretend it's not. The camera just observes, like the audience in a theater, but that's not to say the film isn't cinematic. Beautifully lit and staged, with music that just sits nicely in the background lifting and dropping to push the story of these salesmen who live on a knife edge. They are all pretty selfish but each one has a motivation that feels very real and desperate. The only real villain of the piece is Alex Baldwin who is so amazing in just one scene. If you love cinema and/or theater, let yourself become engrossed in some of the best dialogue you'll ever hear, from some of the finest character actors we'll ever see. Don't miss this film.

Stellar performance

[catchuanbu · 7/10 · 3 January 2020]

Typical way of life for real estate agents in America trying to struggle to make money and stay in a job. Excellent cast in a film- stellar performances all round very enjoyable film. Especially Alec Baldwin - blake, Pacino - Roma & lemmon - levene their acting is masterclass.

In Many Ways, One Of A Kind

[seymourblack-1 · 9/10 · 14 March 2016]

Despite being character-driven, dialogue-heavy and very stagy, this movie adaptation of David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize winning play is immensely powerful, hard-hitting and intense. The stakes are high right from the start as a group of salesmen have to struggle against impossible odds (and each other) just to stay in their jobs. The ways in which the different characters respond to the pressure they're under provides a fascinating insight into human behaviour and their anger, frustration and resentment about the way they're being treated, triggers a whole series of highly-charged confrontations that generate a great deal of the energy that makes this remarkable drama so compelling.

When a group of real estate salesmen working for a small company begin to under-perform, an executive called Blake (Alec Baldwin) is brought in to give a motivational speech. His technique involves launching into a furious rant during which he insults, patronises and humiliates the three men present and announces that a sales contest is to be held. The prize for the winner will be a Cadillac, the salesman who comes second will be rewarded with a set of steak knives and everyone else in the team will be fired. The men's common complaint about the useless leads they're being given by the company is discredited by Blake who constantly boasts about his own wealth and says that salesmen should "always be closing". Furthermore, he adds that he's brought with him a bundle of new leads which will only be given to the men who are able to close sales using the existing leads.

The bad leads that the men have been working with, are people who they know either don't want to or can't afford to buy the properties they're selling plus a few time-wasters who just like talking to salesmen, but have no intention of buying.

Typically, the three men respond in different ways to Blake's tirade. George Aaronow (Alan Arkin) who'd already become disillusioned by his inability to close any sales is totally crushed. The more hot-headed Dave Moss (Ed Harris) is fired-up to retaliate against the company with the same level of aggression and disrespect that Blake had delivered to him and so tries to involve Aaronow in a plan to steal the new leads and sell them on to a rival firm. By contrast, Shelley Levene (Jack Lemmon) who's the company's most experienced salesman is prepared to do absolutely anything, however, disreputable, just to survive. The office manager John Williamson (Kevin Spacey) enforces Blake's instructions by keeping the new leads under lock and key but when the office is burgled and the leads are taken, Williamson calls in the police and everyone in the team, including top-performing salesman Ricky Roma (Al Pacino), who was absent from Blake's meeting, find themselves under suspicion.

The most striking feature of this movie is its sizzling dialogue which is sharp, well-written and rapidly-delivered. It reflects perfectly the desperation and aggression of its characters who are mostly fast-talking individuals with an extensive vocabulary of profanities which they use frequently and forcefully during their numerous outbursts. All the characters are well-defined and come over as extremely authentic, not least, because they're all very recognisable types.

With its all-star cast of top-class acting talent, "Glengarry Glen Ross" is full of powerful performances. Alec Baldwin makes a huge impression in his cameo role as Blake and Al Pacino is terrific as the company's current most successful salesman. He oozes charm, is thoroughly amoral and excels in his scenes with one of his clients (played by Jonathan Pryce) and his old mentor Shelley Levene.

Levene, as played by Jack Lemmon, attempts to bribe Williamson in a variety of different ways to get his hands on the good leads and uses some elaborate deceptions in his dealings with his potential clients. In an outstanding performance, Lemmon actually makes this unpleasant man sympathetic, partly because of a distressing problem that he has in his personal life and also because of the constant optimism he displays, even though he knows that he's over-the-hill and his most successful years are behind him.

"Glengarry Glen Ross" is unquestionably an extraordinary movie and in many ways, one of a kind.

Why all the drama?

[johno-21 · 6/10 · 9 March 2006]

This had been out for a couple years before I got around to seeing it and it was recommended to me by several friends. David Mamet takes his Pulitzer Prize winning Broadway play with his own screen adaptation to the big screen with an additional character pivotal to the movie written into the cast. Great acting from a terrific ensemble cast featuring Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey, Alec Baldwin and Jonathan Pryce. Pacino was nominated as Best Supporting Actor from the group for the 1992 Academy Award. Any of the others it could be argued would have been worthy of a nomination themselves. Mamet had been successful with his screenplay of the remake of The Postman Always Rings Twice and his original story for The Untouchables on the big screen before Glengary as well as some lesser films. He would have limited continued success with such films later on like Hoffa, Wag the Dog and Hannibal. James Foley had never had a successful film as a Director before this and never has had since. It's a great character study but after studying them you find you don't care for any of the characters. Lemmon gives a sentimental performance but what is his character doing in this venomous boiler room real estate office specializing in selling worthless real estate in the first place? This may have been quick and snappy and explosive on the stage but on the big screen it's confined and claustrophobic. It's intense but there is no life and death plot to warrant it's intensity. The Lemmon character might be to old and desperate to keep his job but maybe it's time to collect social security and be a greeter a Wall Mart. For the rest of the characters move on and get a decent job somewhere else. Why all the drama? I would give this a 6.5 out of 10.

Dull

[Gubby-Allen · 3/10 · 29 September 2003]

One of those films, that while watching (and disliking) it, I knew at the same time it would be popular on here. Surprise, surprise 7.8/10.

Acting apart, which was exceptional (but then that pretty much goes without saying given the cast) there was very little in this film to appeal to anyone. We almost turned it off but saw it through to the end. But it was a storyline that could have been condensed down to a 5 minute piece and not lost anything. Group of salesman have poor leads & stage a break in. It was pretty much two 45 minutes scenes devoted to those two stories. There's not a lot else other than that & about 10,000 expletives of which about 98% of those we could have done without.

It's enough to put anyone off the worlds of real estate & tele sales but then that was probably the point.

3/10