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Visitors Review

2012-05-24 09:27:09

"We do not arrest the wrong person. That's L.A.!"

Robert Altman's "The Player" opens with a breathtaking crane shot across a film studio lot. The film then goes into the story of Griffin Mill (Tim Robbins), a shallow studio executive with little creative insight. His story unfolds as the film itself flings one zinger after another at the creative void known as Hollywood. "The Player" has gained the reputation of being a biting satire on the state of the film industry - a place where style matters over substance and where compromise triumphs over artistic vision. The truth, however, is that the film is a mixed bag. Full of wit at times but flat most of the time.Mill is troubled by a rumor that he is about to be replaced by a new hotshot rival executive named Larry Levy (Peter Gallagher). To make matters worse, Mill is also receiving threatening postcards from an anonymous writer Griffin had previously rejected. A series of circumstantial clues leads to Mill tagging David Kahane (Vincent D'Onofrio) as his tormentor and Mill does away with him. Along come the police and lead investigator Susan Avery (Whoopi Goldberg) who slowly puts the pieces of the puzzle together but is eventually thwarted by a witness with poor eyesight. "The Player" reveals itself to be many things upon close scrutiny. The film is a loving tribute to cinema as the characters and settings are always referencing films of the past in various ways. The film is also a sort of game as you try and catch as many real life Hollywood celebrities as you can as the film unfolds. It is also effective as a satire of Hollywood thinking as we get to see how a combination of Bruce Willis, Julia Roberts, and taking the easy way out utterly undermines a fictional film being produced. Yet "The Player" is also disappointingly un-involving as a viewing experience. Not much interest is generated by the murder, the murder investigation, and the subsequent cover-up. The characters also are muted. Robbins, Cynthia Stevenson, and Goldberg turn in acceptable performances but none of them really help to raise the energy level of the film. Their characters are as staid as the image co-star Lyle Lovett creates for himself in real-life. In sum, "The Player" earns some points for its accurate critiquing of Hollywood but one wishes such a message could have been delivered via a more entertaining production.

Josh 2012-05-24 07:18:57

Nothing Special

The Player is a fine film and is very well made but in the end is missing something that I have trouble pin pointing, it is flawlessly written and the plot is one of the best in history, the performances are generally wonderful Tim Robbins in particular, and the film is well directed. Why do I have trouble liking most of it? That may be a mystery to me but lets try and figure it out.The Plot: We meet a slimy movie producer named Griffin Mill. He is aparently being stalked by a writer he turned script away. Mill gets paranoid and jumpy but than finds the man who is doing it. He accidentally kills the man. The police think of him as the top possibility, he is falling in love with the writters girlfriend and the letters continue, but slightly differently.The performances: Tim Robbins is flawless as Griffin Mill and all of the the performances are very good, I loved all the cameos.The Direction:The direction is very good, but not flawless and could have been done better.In all a very good film but not one to see more than once, than again I will watch it again to see if it gets better on a second viewing.

Wayne Malin 2012-05-14 01:34:08

Good, but not great

An executive at a movie studio (Tim Robbins) accidentally kills a writer whohe thinks is harassing him. He tries to cover it up. Also his job at thestudio is in jeopardy as he's competing with a younger, aggressive man(Peter Gallagher). This was Altman's first Hollywood film after a 12 year absence ("Popeyeeffectively stopped his career). At first I hated this movie. Very cold,VERY cynical with not one likable character in it. Slowly, though, it wonme over. Basically, it's a satire of Hollywood and movie making...but a very viciousone. The script is great (there are countless great lines) and Altman doeshis usual great directing job...I love the opening 10-15 minutes which isdone without any cutaways--just one long shot. It's just too cruel attimes.The acting is (with one exception) fine. Gallagher is dead on perfect asthe young hot-shot (he was in his 30s when he did this but he looks in his20s). Robbins, however, is a disappointment. He has a blank, depressedlook on his face during most of the movie and sleepwalks through his role. In a way that's a good thing. If he had been real good and convincing inthe role this would have been unwatchable. Also Whoppi Goldberg ishysterical as a police officer investigating the case--watch for the scenewith her and a tampon! Also a huge amount of Hollywood actors appearplaying themselves. It's a lot of fun in certain scenes playing "who's inthis one"?So it's good, but Altman has done better...like "MASH" and "Nashville".However, this isn't as bad as his worst film ("Popeye"). So, I ultimatelyliked it, but the first half was a trial to sit through. I give it a7.

Spleen 2012-05-13 11:16:50

62 cameos is 59 too many in a good film, 50 too many in this film

Read at your own risk: there's a mild spoiler buried in my commentssomewhere. Not that it matters.Films about Hollywood are stinkers, everyone knows that. But people whoshould know better think that this one must be an exception. It's made by adirector who is, no doubt, talented - his skilled handling of actors andcamera is everywhere apparent - but the film is empty rubbish; there's nogetting around it.Look at the few Hollywood films about Hollywood that AREN'T empt rubbish andone can immediately sense the difference. "Sunset Boulevard", "Singin' inthe Rain", "Barton Fink" and "Ed Wood" ... although, by rights, they OUGHTto be standard examples of Hollywood navel-gazing, somehow they spring tolife. ("Singin' in the Rain" was one of the very best films of the 1950s;"Barton Fink", of the 1990s.) What have they got that "The Player"doesn't?Interesting things to say about their subject matter, for one thing ... butactually, the main difference from which all others stem is that "ThePlayer" has something they don't: self-reference. "Singin' in the Rain","Ed Wood" and "Barton Fink" keep themselves free of this intoxicating (forartists, not for audiences) drug partly by setting the action 24, 36 andc.55 years in the past, respectively; Wilder doesn't do this with "SunsetBoulevard", yet he adroitly manages to avoid all the nasty traps into whichAltman doesn't so much fall as joyfully leap. Altman is keen to remind us -as often and as tediously as possible - that we are WATCHING A MOVIE thatwas produced under THESE VERY CONDITIONS. (In fact, one of the films thatgets greenlighted in the course of the story turns out to be "The Player"itself! I don't actually object to this kind of twist, and sometimes Ienjoy it, but I'd realised that it was neither interesting nor novel beforeI turned ten.) No doubt Altman feels this frees him of the responsibilityof making the characters worthy of our attention, or of telling us anythingabout the production of films that might illuminate our understanding ofthem, or the people that make them, or anything else.One of the ways Altman keeps nudging us in the ribs is with cameos ...hundreds and hundreds of cameos. Well, not quite that many, but still morethan enough to get him a place in "The Guinness Book of Records", which wasdoubtless his intention. There are in fact 62 actors and actresses who playthemselves, as well as 35 who don't, and if you can keep the two classesmentally separate without watching the film a dozen or so times first,perhaps Altman will be kind enough to give you a prize. And who COULD watchthis film a dozen times? It was kind of fun the first time, I'll admit, butnever again.Still, I'm more than willing to sit down and try some other Altman films. So far as I know, they're about other topics - war in Korea, the fashionindustry, country music, life in Los Angeles, etc. - which might allow thecraft on display here to be turned to good account.

2012-05-08 15:42:40

All's fair in love and moviemaking

Everybody in Hollywood takes the cheap-and-dirty approach to success -- even to successful murder.That's the theme to Robert Altman's bitter, tart, and hilarious black comedy "The Player," based on Michael Tolkin's novel. The caustic observations and barbed wit bring Hollywood's nastiness to light, and Altman's minimalist direction only underscores the brilliant script and acting.Exec Griffin (Tim Robbins) is nervous enough about his increasingly imperilled job. But then postcards with death threats start arriving -- apparently from a writer he lied to months ago. After some research, he thinks he's found the guy -- David Kahane (Vincent D'Onofrio), a POed writer whose script he mercilessly rejected. After a disastrous meeting with David, Griffin kills him in an alley.But that's not the end -- the threatening messages keep coming, and Griffin becomes more desperate as he becomes a suspect in Kahane's murder. He also becomes fascinated by David's chilly artist girlfriend (Greta Scacchi), and tries to bury his fear in an awkward love affair. But as the investigation heats up, Griffin is threatened with the ultimate cancellation.If "The Player" has a meaning, it's that everyone who wants power in Hollywood has to sell their souls -- legally, personally, or just by selling out so your movie has a pat happy ending. Like planets being sucked into a black hole, they all get pulled in by the lure of affluence -- they don't even notice their souls vanishing!It's also wickedly funny to watch. Altman peppers the movie with celebrity cameos (John Cusack, Anjelica Huston, Bruce Willis, to name a few). The dialogue is simply brilliant -- at one point, Robbins muses, "I was just thinking what an interesting concept it is to eliminate the writer from the artistic process. If we could just get rid of these actors and directors, maybe we've got something here." Talk about a reality TV prediction.Altman's style is minimalist here, with lots of tense moments, sexy interludes -- right up to the ironic twist finale, which makes you wonder for a moment just how much of "The Player" is really fiction. And during dramatic scenes (the murder, the cobra, the phone calls), Altman stretches the tension as taut as a wire, and leaves it to slowly slacken over the scenes that follow. The only scene that doesn't work is the police interrogation with Whoopi Goldberg. Really, it's cringeworthy.Tim Robbins is simply brilliant as the cold-blooded Griffin, especially since he looks so boyish and bewildered -- you don't know whether to cheer for or against him. Scacchi is quite good as the even chillier painter who falls for him, and the other characters are pure satire -- the movie creators don't watch movies, and if they did, they'd only want to remake it with a happy ending."The Player" is one of those brilliant movies that skewer Hollywood, and make you glad that it exists... just so long as it occasionally gives us a piece of satire like this one, instead of a mindless blockbuster. Hilarious and needling.

2012-05-08 09:25:16

A strong if slightly over-ratted film

Ok, lets get this out of the way. I like The Player. It's a good film. However, I don't feel it deserves the classic status it has achieved. The script starts out quite well. Griffin, a Hollywood executive is recieving threats from an angry writer. He ends up killing who he thinks is sending the threats but it turns out to be the wrong guy. Griffin is also fighting to save his job and is working on making a movie from a writer that insists it has no stars and a sad ending. This is where the film's problem is. There are numerous subplots but none are developed enough. The police investigation doesn't go anywhere. We don't learn much of anything about this writer who is threatening Griffin. We also see very little development in the upcoming script. When the film ends, it simply feels incomplete. On the up side, film buffs will appreciate alot of the in-jokes. The cast is relativly strong with a ton of celebrity cameos and some good chemistry. Tim Robbins totally steals the show however. It may be because he is just a very strong actor but it's also partly because his character is the only one which really feels developed. The Player would be a classic if it were an hour longer or focused more on one of the many plots. As it stands now, it's a well-made, entertaining, if somewhat shallow film.

Kelv-1 2012-05-07 09:16:56

An Unpredictable Film

When i first saw this film, i was blown away. The film was nothing likei had expected. From the poster and from reviews here on IMDB and thesummary on the front page, i expected a real satire on Hollywood with abunch of hilarious celebrity cameos and lots of in-jokes. I waspleasantly surprised when i first saw the film because it was sodifferent. Hollywood is hardly a big part in the plot and most of thefilm is more like a dark comedy drama with hints of romance than thelaugh-out-loud cameo machine I thought it would be. Another surprisingthing was the fact that it was a very independant film, something ihadn't expected. Don't let any of this put you off, the film is simplyamazing and should be seen by anyone interested in the Hollywoodfilmmaking life.Tim Robbins plays Griffin Mill, a studio exec whose job is to hearpitches from various writers (Ideas like "The Graduate Part 2") andpick the best ones. Those ideas will eventually become Hollywoodmovies. Griffin's career already seems to be going badly when he startsgetting angry and abusive letters from a writer who he rejected.Griffin is obviously scared so when he finally decides that it's beenenough, he tries to find the writer who is sending him these messages.He comes across the name of David Kahane (Vincent D'Onofrio) and goesto his house to confront him. David isn't home but his girlfriend June(Gretta Scacchi) is and an amazing scene ensues where Griffin talks toher on a mobile phone while looking through the windows. June isoblivious to the fact that the person talking to her on the phone isonly a few feet away looking through the window. Griffin later findsout that David is at a theater seeing a showing of "The Bicycle Thief".Once the film is over, Griffin confronts David in an alley where afight ensues. Eventually, Griffin accidently kills David. Scared andparanoid, Griffin runs from the scene after changing some stuff at thecrime scene to make it look like a robbery. Perfect, it could nevercome back to him. But it does and then the messages start coming again.If that's not enough, Griffin is slowly falling in love with June,David's girlfriend.The rest of the film deals with Griffin's fight to keep his position atthe studio and to try and not become a major suspect for the death ofDavid. A subplot deals with a film pitched to Griffin by Tom Oakley(Richard E. Grant) that is "real" and not some Hollywood drivel.Throughout the course of the film, we have scenes dealing with themaking of this film.I still find this film amazing. It is very smart but not too much forit's own good. The performances are all brilliant with Whoopi Goldbergstealing the show as a hard boiled, foul mouthed detective.s film ismostly known for the famous eight minute tracking shot at the beginningof the movie. It follows various people around the studio as they livetheir normal Hollywood big-shot lives. It is a beautiful, amazinglyshot scene that should go down in the amazing moments of masterfulcinema.The good thing about the many celebrity cameos that litter the film isthat they never steal the show or drive the film away from the mainplot. The cameos are amazing though. There are some that last less thana minute and there are some that last less than ten seconds (SusanSarandon, for instance, has a very small cameo role near the end of thefilm) but they all shine in their roles.The writing by Michael Tolkien based on his own novel (Which i have notread but will very soon) is masterful and he writes each of thecharacters as if they were real people (Albeit real HOLLYWOOD people)and no character seemed far fetched or unrealistic. It definitely addsto the grittiness of the film and it's characters. The directing byRobert Altman only adds to Michael Tolkien's amazing writing. Altmanknows how to direct a film no matter what it's like and this film isone of his films he should be remembered by (Next to MASH, Nashvilleand Short Cuts).All in all, this film deserves the cult status it has received even ifit does take some repeat viewings to get used to.By the way, on the excellent audio commentary to the DVD, MichaelTolkien mentions that he made a pilot for a "Player" TV series. I'mguessing that the series never happened but does anyone have any infoon the pilot? If you do, please send me a message through IMDB.

2012-05-06 23:57:48

The Player - New Line Platinum Series

This one has everything but the kitchen sink. At once a celebration and satire of filmmaking and Hollywood, this one of those movies you can watch with your friends over and over and see new stuff all the time. Made with a wink to the audience this movie is even better than them. Great stuff!

2012-05-04 19:19:18

Great movie and wonderful DVD

Altman is terrific talking about his movies, and this is one of my favorites. It is by no means a deep film, and it has a breezy, irreverant feel despite being a movie about treachery and murder. There are some deleted scenes on the disc that are interesting, too.

Polska42069 2012-05-03 23:58:30

the player

The player is a movie that lets us, the viewer get a closer look atwhat life in the showbuisness is all about. We learn that everything isnot what it seems to be. You see how people use there powers to takeadvantage of one another and set old scores.The thing that i enjoyed about the movie was the fact that the directorused real actors to play themselves in small roles. Through out themovie we hear writers giving horrible pitches about anything hoping toget a movie produced. You the viewer sit back and laugh as we hear howdumb some of these pitces sound. Realizing that no matter how funnysome of these may seem we have all seem some type of movie in our timethat was the same.This was a great movie and i recommend it to anyone who is up for agood well scripted movie full of mystery and suspense.

tomsull 2012-05-03 10:38:26

"The Player" plays the game

An excellent movie about the games that Hollywood plays. The plot isabouta movie executive that kills a screenwriter that was threatening him. Themovie twists and turns faster than a rollercoaster at Magic Mountain!Alongthe way, cameo appearances by some of the hottest stars of the early 90stake shape, like Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, Burt Reynolds and Cher.TimRoberts performs his best role as the movie exec, and Greta Saachi isfabulous as his love interest, the ex girlfriend of the screenwriter. Seethis one!

tedg 2012-05-03 00:45:25

The Trick is the Confusion

Spoilers herein.All (fiction) films are about other films. Every actor we see on the screenhas another life. Every film somewhere contains a story about itself --often it takes a film archeologist, but sometimes it is registered in areadable, even unavoidable way.All of the masters and a good many ordinaries play with this notion in oneway or another. Some even take it on as a literal challenge: `Sunset Blvd.,'`Wayne's World,' `French Lieutenant's Woman,' `Apocalypse Now,'`Draughtsman's Contract,' `Bowfinger,' `8 1/2' quite a few. `The Player' hasthe advantage of excess which makes it seem unique. It is not, but becausethe method of making it is as much a part of the parody it is uniquelyclever.Part of the parody is the one and only thing most people see. Dozens ofactors play themselves amidst many other actors who play characters. Some ofthose characters are film types, some not. This shifting of worlds is asimple trick, but it works. Much more subtle (except at the beginning) ishow Atlman uses the camera to sometimes be in the film's film world, then inhis film world (the character's real world), then in our real world (thesame as most of the actors). It starts with that first Wellesian shot whichincludes a comment on pretentiousness of such shots.The writer is watched by both use, but also by a writer who eventually getshis film produced. And of course at the end we discover that it is the filmwe have been watching. The player is the creator of the player at play. Ilove this stuff, but get offended when it is juvenile hands as is the casein say `8MM,' or even `Cut.' But Altman is different, he is smart and not atall afraid to take chances. This film marked a change in Tim Robbins. He would go on to produce his ownversion, `Cradle will Rock,' with many of the same tricks, including thenarrative shift and the long tracking shot.Ted's rating -- 3 of 4: Worth watching.

2012-04-26 14:35:13

Altman scores again

The Players is Altman's sardonic, tongue-in-cheek look at Hollywood. The opening shot alone is worth the price of admission. It's a continuous tracking shot that must last over 10 minutes without a cut (I've not timed its length, but I should). If you've ever wondered how Hollywood films get made, see this film. But, remember, too, that it's a lot more than a look at the workings of Hollywood filmdom. It's funny, sarcastic, and, at the same time, deep. I highly recommend it.

shepardjessica 2012-04-26 05:17:24

Robbins glides through Altman-ville!

Robert Altman's best film of the 90's (slightly above Short Cuts) with ainnocent gleam in his eye while defacing Hollywood Proper with a millioncameos and a great cast. Tim Robbins was never better (although he's usually better playing slightlyfeebed-out non-players), but he captures the shallow confidence that worksin Tinseltown with timing, good neckties and temporary power that is assmooth as a pina colada in Malibu. It's not even the best script he evertouched, but Mr. Altman knows how to get the best out of his people (EVERWONDER WHY ACTORS LOVED E. KAZAN?) without slashing/hindering whatever theirpersona needed to be THAT YEAR. Most older directors (especially the best)get cynical, senile, and just plain useless if they aren't a part ofmodern-day lushness. Not this dude! I recently saw The Company (not one ofhis best), but you could see that he still isn't out of it yet. It's a wonderful story, so well-cast that you'll crack up (the only timeWhoopi Goldberg has been serious (and funny) since The Color Purple), butit's hard drive down Route 66; Hitch a ride!

2012-04-20 09:33:09

Classic Movie

I haven't seen any other Robert Altman films and I've heard that they are generally an aquired taste. The Player, however, I think would appeal to almost anyone. There's great stuff for film buffs and literary critics, for people interested in Hollywood , but there's also some good genuine suspense.

Stu-5 2012-04-20 01:07:23

The best satire I've ever seen in a movie

The scathing satire and rapier witted black comedy in this film is in thecalibre of "Catch 22". The expose on the dog-eat-dog movie world is of topquality, at the same time delivering a story which is perfect for exactingall the satirical connotations of the film.Tim Robbins plays a slimy executive producer, who starts receivingthreatening postcards from a writer whom he did not call back in regards toa pitch. He gets increasingly worried about it, and eventually loses hiscool and tries to hunt down the writer.The following series of events are all perfectly timed and impeccablydelivered, each of the performances rock solid, especially Robbins'character, Griffin Mill. The film has many, many cameos (66 all up), so keepyour eyes out for some big name stars that appear for a meresecond.Altman is at his best here, as he is in "Short Cuts". But some of hisrecent works, "Pret-A-Porter", "Kansas City" and "The Gingerbread Man" haveall been flops. It's good to see what he can do when he's in the zone.Ten out of ten.

vostf 2012-04-15 17:22:31

Feels like a tongue-in-cheek Noir B movie sprinkled with A players

On the whole The Player is pretty enjoyable if you can appreciate theavalanche of cameos and insider's jokes. Now, with all the Hollywoodself-references this doesn't feel too real and actually thestars-as-themselves look cheap with boring lives from that perspective.With the counter-productive glamour context constantly out to chew upall the main plot, the movie itself feels like a Noir movie that neverreally knew how he should behave with so many big people around. Thechemistry between the two main characters is cranky at best - and Iwon't even try to compare to classic poisonous noir couples. Then theplot doesn't really move forward, and when you get used to it andunderstand it's more about a big inside joke than about a plot, youfind it really drags its feet.Could have been an acceptable joke at 90 minutes max. At over 2 hoursit's an over-stretched joke, a movie guilty with self-indulgence andover confidence.

2012-04-15 02:42:20

A Movie for Movie Buffs

In the realm of satire, "The Player" is one of the best. A viscous, funny satire about Hollywood that can easily be called one of Robert Altman's best films. This is a movie buff movie, in the sense that it is jam-packed with film references and celebrity cameos. Not only is it entertaining, well made, well written, and well acted. It's fun to watch. Tim Robbins plays Griffin Mill, a Hollywood hotshot studio executive who is in danger of losing his job. Around the same time, he begins receiving anonymous death threats from a rejected screenwriter (Vincent D'Onofrio). Upon learning who the screenwriter is, he meets him at a movie theatre. Their meeting ends with Griffin killing the man. Making the death look like a botched robbery, Griffin tries to return to normal but finds that he's being followed by a mysterious man (Lyle Lovett) and is questioned frequently by a pair of cops (one of who is Whoopi Goldberg). To top it off, Griffin finds himself falling for the screenwriter's girlfriend. The movie's huge cast includes Fred Ward, Malcolm McDowell, Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis, Nick Nolte, Kim Basinger, Alec Baldwin, Lily Tomlin, Susan Sarandon, Scott Glenn, and many others...Many appearing only in mere cameos. Not a lot of director's could handle this sort of material. Only Robert Altman could have gathered as many actors for one film and not turned into a forced, convoluted film. Altman was a fantastic director who made many great films over the course of his long career ('McCabe & Mrs. Miller' & 'Short Cuts' & 'M*A*S*H' to name a few) and "The Player" ranks right up there with the best. It cuts down deep to the center of Hollywood, exposing the darkside of it and doesn't candy coat anything. The movie accomplishes what Billy Wilder did with 'Sunset Boulevard.' He tells it exactly how it is. Some people won't like the film...As I said it has a lot of movie references. Many of which most people won't understand. This isn't a movie for the casual film viewer. But it is one of the best satires around and certainly one of the best HOLLYWOOD satires around. Definitely worth seeing.GRADE: AR.I.P.Robert Altman

rupatop 2012-04-14 02:50:26

Excellent movie, its really worth seeing.

I rented this movie because the one I wanted, was out. I thought it was alittle above average when the credits started to roll. The video had aninterview with Altman. The interview gave new insight to the movie and itbumped the movie from above average to fantastic. I think its worth a tripto the video store to get the tape and see it with the interview. (its evengot some scenes which were cut)

krkemp 2012-04-13 19:12:23

I guess, only watch if you are in the business????

I found this movie so slow and boring. I'm sure I didn't get a lot of thesatire, I guess because I'm not in the business... But still, the final"twist" we find out at the end is not worth watching the whole movie tofindout. I consider myself half decently intelligent and I just did not getthis movie which leaves me to conclude after seeing the rave reviews onthismovie that you have to be in the business to get it.