Glengarry Glen Ross Reviews

• You call yourself a Special Edition DVD you son of a.......?

  
  By AUAOBEFRR6393 on 2002-11-11
  I have been waiting for Glengarry Glen Ross since I first purchased my DVD player several years ago. This film is easily in my all time top 10. When I heard it was going to be a 2 disc special edition, I figured it would be worth the wait. I managed to get my hands on a copy early and to be honest it is a let down. The widescreen transfer is beautiful but this has to be one of the most empty 2-disc SE's around. The most disappointing missing feature is the commentary that Jack Lemmon did for the SE laserdisc. What better way to preserve his legacy than to include his comments about arguably his finest film performance? Instead, you get a Jack Lemmon "tribute" feature with interviews from his son, Peter Gallagher, and other folks who are mildly ammusing. Another feature is "New Cast Interviews" which is simply Alan Arkin and Alec Baldwin (separately) doing commentary over scenes from the movie. No Pacino, no Ed Harris, no Spacey. They have included a nice Charlie Rose show clip with Lemmon and a very short Spacey clip from "Inside the Actor's Studio". Then you get a non-Glengarry related feature on salesman. Why? You do get a new commentary from the director which is nice, but this was an actor's movie first and foremost. Why Artisan took several years to finally release this on DVD is quite frankly hard to understand with what has been delivered. Mitch and Murray would be very upset with Aristan's effort here. Long live the Machine!
  
  

• This Film is for Closers Only

  
  By A2ZLROGIL2V7GV on 2002-12-19
  Welcome to the world of real estate, where the golden rule always is "A.B.C." Always Be Closing. This means, lie, cheat, steal, whatever. As long as you get a signature on the dotted line, nothing else matters. And times aren't the greatest for the salesmen at Premiere Properties. None of them are getting the good leads that they need in order to close. And if they don't start closing soon, they're going to find themselves out of the job. There are the "Glengarry" leads, but they're reserved for closers only. And this heated-up and emotional drama gets even more deeper when it turns out that the next day the office was broken into and the Glengarry leads were stolen. In a business where lying, cheating, and stealing all are in a day's work, everyone is suspect.

  I cannot believe I had never heard of "Glengarry Glen Ross" until recently. As soon as I popped the DVD in, I fell in love with it immediately. It is so well written and well acted that you can't do nothing but watch in awe. And then, you want to watch it again and again. I have just purchased this movie a couple of weeks ago, and I know my viewings of the film are already in the double digits. This is a movie you can really watch whenever you want. You don't need to be in a certain mood to enjoy it.

  The cast is sensational. You've got Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey, and Alec Baldwin. Pacino is great as always and really steals the show during the second act of the film. Your eyes never leave him for a second. Jack Lemmon was also so terrific in it, and it's heartbreaking that he didn't win an Oscar. Everybody else did great in their roles as well.

  What I liked about this movie most was the realistic dialogue. People may think that there's a lot of profanities in this film, but this is the real world. People talk like this, especially in the business world. David Mamet did a spectacular job in writing it. I look forward to reading the play. I love it when the story mainly focuses on the characters than on plot.

  The DVD is also very good, but not special. But alas, isn't that what it says on the cover? "Special Edition." While there are quite a few extras, it's still nowhere near "special." "Requiem for a Dream" had more extras, and it wasn't even a Special Edition DVD. I know people were let down by this and I can see why. Personally, I didn't have a real problem since I hadn't seen the movie before buying the DVD. I was satisfied, but I clearly understand how others were not.You get the choice of either watching a widescreen version or a full screen version. You also get the choice of watching it in DTS, which is always a nice thing. The picture and sound quality is really great. Some of the extras are a documentary, a tribute to Jack Lemmon, new interviews, commentary, production notes, and cast and crew biographies. Aren't those a couple of features? Yes, but nothing I'd consider "special." For a two disk set, I was expecting more. However, I'm not that let down.

  "Glengarry Glen Ross" is a fabulous film that had me hooked from the very beginning. It is now one of my favorites. If you love a good drama where the main focus is on the characters themselves, then this is the movie for you. The only flaw is the lack of special features, but that's no fault of the film itself. Welcome to Real World 101. It's a jungle out there. You think you've got what it takes to close the deal? "You call yourself a salesman, you son-of-a-(bleep)?" Maybe you are... and maybe you're not.
  
  

• Real Human Drama

  
  By on 1999-11-14
  This is perhaps the most well written movie of our time.If you are looking for explosions and car chases,please move on.The dialogue(David Mamet)is scintillating,the interaction of the characters is intriguing.The editing is quick,the cinemetography superb.The cast is phenomanal.Al Pacino(Ricky Roma):the quintessential swarthy,bottom feeding salesman...Jack Lemmon(Shelly Levine):The has been,looking for any angle to snap out of his sales malaise;the pathos conveyed by Lemmon is gutwrenching...Ed Harris(Dave Moss):The scheming,conniving loser;he will go to any lengths to move ahead...Alan Arkin(George Aranov)The mousy under achiever;easily swayed.His understated lack of direction is carried off with deft subtlety by Arkin.Kevin Spacey(John Williamson)The clueless office manager,and whipping boy.Spacey manages to give this role a sinister undercurrent.He ends up as quite the paradox...Alec Baldwin turns up for ten of the most memorable minutes ever filmed.This role is the highlight of his underwhelming career.Arrogance oozes from his every word;contempt permeates his every sentence.Expertly directed by James Foley,this is 36 hrs.in the lives of men desperate;on the edge.The world of real estate sales will never be the same after you see this classic.An extremely cerebral flick,not meant for those with short attention spans.A gauranteed can't miss movie experience.
  
  

• "Coffee's for closers only". Fortunately, the DVD is not.

  
  By A2YAABMT80RLYA on 2003-07-26
  David Mamet's unquestionable masterpiece, Glengarry Glen Ross, was made into perhaps one of the best dramas of the early 90's. It stands as having some of the best dialogue of any movie I have ever seen, and definitely one of the best cast ensembles as well. This is one DVD release I couldn't wait to get my hands on.

  In the shady world of real estate sales, good leads (customers) can make or break the salesman. The Glengarry leads (the best available) have arrived at Premier Properties, but with a message that unless sales pick up, they will not be given the prime customers, and consequently be fired. The late Jack Lemmon plays Shelly "The Machine" Levene, a former top closer who is on a bad streak, and Al Pacino delivers a powerhouse performance as Richard Roma, the hotshot of the month. Two others (Ed Harris and Alan Arkin) are equally unahappy with their jobs, and conspire to strike back at the company they work for. The leads are "for closers only", so the pressure mounts on them to perform while their personal lives are in equal turmoil. This is one of the most depressing, but brilliant, stories ever adapted to film.

  The quality of the script and the acting speaks for itself. The characters are people who have sold their soul in the pursuit of money, but we are still able to sympathize with them. Lemmon in particular gives one of his grittiest performances as a truly tortured soul who is living under a constant raincloud. Al Pacino is way over the top with his character, with some of the juciest lines. It is easy to see why some people wouldn't like the script (the constant profanity), but the dialogue in this movie is priceless.

  The long awaited Special Edition is somewhat hit and miss with the special features. The pieces from "Inside the Actor's Studio" are priceless, the documentary "A.B.C. Always Be Closing", while not overly exciting, is very interesting. Also good is the Tribute to Jack Lemmon, where a handful of actors (including his son Chris) remember Jack Lemmon through anecdotes and other insights into his career and personality. Rather bland, on the other hand, is the comentary by Director James Foley. I was completely tedious at times. Otherwise, this is a quality DVD package. The transfer and the Widescreen presentation far surpass the laserdisc and VHS versions.

  There should be a law that states that every film buff should have this movie in their collection. It is that good. Some of the best performances from very distinguised actors and a script that can melt candles...what more could you want?
  
  

• Sizzling, Intense, Brilliant.

  
  By ASR84M1GD9X89 on 2000-08-01
  I bought this movie because Alec Baldwin (one of my favorite actors) is in it. I'd never seen it before--wasn't interested when it first came out in theatres, had never even seen the play on stage--but I'd heard Baldwin was brilliant in it, so I bought it.

  Now I'm kicking myself for never having seen it on the big screen. And I've seen it at least a dozen times since buying it.

  The story, if you've read any reviews, you already know: Four guys in a real estate office (Jack Lemmon, Alan Arkin, Ed Harris, and Al Pacino) are in a sales contest from "Mitch and Murray", the big bosses from downtown. As the slick-suited real estate millionaire sent to motivate the sales force (Baldwin, in a role written expressly for the film) explains, "First prize is a Cadillac.[...]Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired." With such motivation complete, Office Manager Williamson (Kevin Spacey, in his first big role) hands out the night's allotment sales leads, and they're pure drek...driving the men to various stages of desperation to ensure they don't fall off the sales board.

  That's the story. What makes this movie work is the outstanding performances. Pacino as office hot-shot Ricky Roma got the film's only Oscar nod for acting, but Jack Lemmon's performance as Shelley "The Machine" Levine would have been a better choice. Levine hasn't had a sale in months, and has lost his edge; his scene bargaining with Williamson for a better lead capsulizes Levine's frustration and fears perfectly. Just to watch Lemmon, a wondrous actor, bring every nuance of this character to life is fascinating.

  As for the reason I bought this in the first place, Alec Baldwin? He's magnificent. You'll forget he's only in one scene; his character's threats and emotional manipulation swirl through every scene in the film. His profanity-laced motivational speech is searing; you can feel every man in the room cringe as he verbally emasculates them in the name of generating more sales for the unseen Mitch and Murray. And the film's most quotable lines come from him: "Put that coffee down! Coffee is for closers." "What's my name? F--k you, that's my name! You know why? Because you drove a Hyundai to get here, and I drove a $80,000 BMW. THAT'S my name." "A-B-C--Always Be Closing. Always Be Closing. ALWAYS BE CLOSING!"

  Enough talking. See the movie.
  
  

• "A:" always, "B:" be, "W:" watching the best dialogue film ever!
  By A36QYTMMJ0O2IZ on 2006-02-19
  David Mamet's play, "Glengarry Glen Ross" is beautifully translated into the silver screen medium. Even though it is a movie, it runs like a play. It uses only two locations. The strength of this film lies with its actors and the dialogue.
  
  Put the talents of Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Ed Harris, Kevin Spacey, Alan Arkin, and Alec Baldwin, and you can't help but hit the bullseye with this one.
  
  The story takes place in a small real estate office where four men are in the cut-throat business of real estate. The constant pressures of deception, working for and against each other, tells a most provocative story.
  
  Jack Lemmon turns in his most impressive work which is a turn from his usual up-beat comedic characters. As Shelly "the Machine" Levine, he plays the part of a wise-cracking, yet desperate man perfectly. Levine is a man who has been in the game for many years. At one time, his status was almost legendary. Now, he can barely scrape by, and no one cares or remembers his golden years as a top salesmen except for Ricky Roma (Al Pacino) who still holds Levine with the utmost respect.
  
  Al Pacino is equally brilliant as Ricky Roma, the current top dog in the office whose hot streak is still hot, and he knows it. He's sitting on top of the world, and hardly has time or the inclination to hear the grumblings of Dave (Ed Harris) who can't stand him.
  
  Ed Harris plays the part of Dave, a man who no longer gives a damn, and is frankly, fed up with his work situation, and vows to do something about it. He holds contempt for everyone except for George (Alan Arkin) who nods and agrees with everything Dave says like an robot, but hasn't the courage to take the necessary steps to break out.
  
  Kevin Spacey is John Williamson who is the office manager. The man takes more abuse from his team of salesmen than any character I've ever seen, as they hurl one profane word at him after another. He's young and doesn't have the experience or knowledge of Ricky or Levine, but he still holds the power in the office, and in the end, it's all he needs to maintain his status and control.
  
  Alec Baldwin is only in the film for about 5 minutes, but he turns in the best scene in the entire film as he plays Blake, a high-up executive who tells this team of "f**king losers" that he would just as soon fire their asses because "a loser is still a loser." He is on a mission of mercy to tell them about a contest for the top sales man. "First place is a Cadillac. Second place is a set of steak knives. Third place...is the door!" He treats them all with a fierce contempt. He's a power executive, and these "peasants" are literally nothing to him. "I made $900,000 last year. How much did you make?" he sneers at them. "See this watch? This watch costs more than your car!" Even Levine fails to impress him.
  
  The dialogue in this film is so good, that you just sit and marvel at the performances. Word has it that during their off-days, the actors would come to the set to watch each other.
  
  I never get tired of watching this film. It is beautifully made. Despite being laced with nearly 300 expletives, the tone, the energy, and the strength behind this film are so profound that you can't help but be roped into it. There are so many memorable lines, that you will A: always B: be Q: quoting them!
  
  
• How much you make?
  By A2V3P1XE33NYC3 on 2004-09-22
  Playwright David Mamet certainly has something to say about the art of selling with "Glengarry Glen Ross," and the overall statement isn't good. I don't have a clue as to what his background was before he struck it big in the entertainment biz, but I suspect Mamet either worked in sales himself or had a family member who went through a similar experience. How else could he capture perfectly the seedy underbelly of boiler room scam artists? Because "Glengarry Glen Ross" is first and foremost a story about real estate scam artists trying to con a buck out of the average Joe. I think many viewers forget this point. It's disheartening to see so many people take the lessons of this film and apply them to all sales jobs. For example, my father worked as a salesman for his entire career and never experienced anything remotely resembling the horrors seen in the film. On the other hand, everyone has dealt at one time or another with a salesman who just cannot accept "no" for an answer. So in some respects, "Glengarry Glen Ross" rings true even as it exaggerates for dramatic impact. Regardless, the film version of Mamet's play is a fascinating experience.
  
  Spirits are low in a branch office of Mitch & Murray, a shady real estate concern that sells properties of dubious value to anyone with a few grand in a savings account. The office is a cauldron of seething resentments as the salesman grind away day after day to seal that elusive deal that will translate into one more day on the job. You've got Shelley "The Machine" Levene (Jack Lemmon), an old timer who once ruled the roost but has since fallen into a dry spell that leaves him wondering about his job on a minute by minute basis. Ricky Roma (Al Pacino) has superseded Shelley as the new lion, a young, spiffy, silver-tongued con artist with the ability to rack up sale after sale. Dave Moss (Ed Harris) and George Aaronow (Alan Arkin), both peripheral figures in the larger scheme of the office, have their own problems. Aaronow too has hit a dry spell, and Moss spends so much time complaining about the lousy job that he barely has time to go out and sell. Presiding over this insane asylum is office manager John Williamson (Kevin Spacey), a smarmy, by the book type despised by the others because he has never sold a darn thing in his life.
  
  Then Blake (Alec Baldwin) struts into the branch office, and what was once a pressure cooker of a job shifts into a primal struggle for survival. Swaggering, brash, insulting Blake announces a new contest for these poor wretches. They will, announces Blake, clear out all of their old "leads" (cards filled in by potential customers and mailed to the company) before receiving a shot at the fresh, exciting Glengarry leads. The salesman who closes the most deals wins a new Cadillac. Second place is a box of steak knives. Everyone else gets a pink slip. Even worse, Blake threatens, he swears, he impugns the salesmen's manhood; he does everything he can possibly think of to motivate these guys to hit the street and sell. After all, he made nearly a million dollars closing these leads, so anyone who falls below his stellar record is dirt on his shoes. With their very jobs hanging in the balance, the office rapidly disintegrates into chaos and pure panic. Only Roma racks up a sell, to the odd James Lingk (Jonathan Pryce), but even that potentially falls apart in the end. Levene nearly has a nervous breakdown trying to save his skin, a breakdown fueled by the thought of his daughter's desperately needed operation. Some of the salesmen try to bribe Williamson into giving them the Glengarry leads; others plot to steal them out of Williamson's office. You won't figure out how this film ends in a million years.
  
  I'm finding it difficult to write about this movie largely because the film lives and breathes through its characters. "Glengarry Glen Ross" is all about dialogue slathered with a generous helping of profanity and rage fueled rants. It's what goes on behind the dialogue that makes the movie a winner. Mamet sets up this Catch-22 situation (the salesman can't get the good leads until they sell the bad leads, but it's impossible to sell the bad leads) in order to examine the damaging aspects of the "sell, sell, sell," all or nothing mentality on the human psyche. The despair etched in the faces of these men, who will probably never find another job if they lose this one, speaks louder than the set pieces or even most of the mundane dialogue. Sure, a lot of these rants are hilarious in and of themselves, but there's a raging desperation behind them that puts a damper on the giggles. Isn't there something fundamentally wrong about a business strategy that drives men to consider stealing in order to protect not only their jobs but also their sense of self? You bet there is, and that is the point Mamet drives home in "Glengarry Glen Ross."
  
  You get a bunch of extras on these two discs. An audio commentary, a short "Always Be Closing" documentary on selling, a tribute to Jack Lemmon, clips from "The Charlie Rose Show" and "Inside the Actor's Studio," and a bunch of other goodies should keep you watching long after the movie ends. What I discovered most from watching these extras had little to do with the movie, surprisingly, but the realization that Peter Gallagher is one of the most annoying people on the planet (watch the Lemmon tribute to see why). No review will do this monument to modern American business justice-just watch the movie and experience it for yourself.
  
  
  
  
  
• You can enjoy this movie even if you're not a "closer"!
  By A2A4KF3T0LKPJ5 on 2000-02-26
  Ever wonder what really goes on at the office of whom you bought your last piece of real-estate from? Well, maybe this movie doesn't describe exactly what goes on in every office, but it's very entertaining, never the less! With a star-studded, Oscar winning cast including Jack Lemmon, Alan Arkin, Ed Harris, Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey and Alec Baldwin (In a role created specifically for him), this film delivers top-notch performances that will leave a lasting impression on anyone who watches this movie. I would pay 5 times the price I paid for this film strictly for the masterful scene in which Alec Baldwin "motivates" his sales force to close questionable real-estate deals in a poor, early 90's economy.

  This is not one of those action-packed, blockbuster movies that get lots of attention, but if it's pure genious in dialogue executed by some of the best filmmakers in Hollywood you want, this is truly the movie you want to see! Do likewise, and watch this film!
  
  

• Excellent acting and script, cussing is poetry
  By A95SF04RX9G8 on 2005-05-17
  The other day I was discussing salespeople with a friend and we determined that nobody likes being sold anything. Coincidental, then, that I saw Glengarry Glen Ross that night, as the film seems to support our hypothesis, but it adds another dimension to it: the salespeople themselves may not necessarily even like selling anything. In fact, the men in this movie are selling for survival; if they don't sell, they don't eat.
  
  Near the beginning of the film, a man from the downtown office (Alec Baldwin) offers encouragement to three salesmen who aren't meeting their quotas by way of verbal abuse. First prize is a brand new Cadillac, second prize is a set of steak knives, and third prize is the door: you're fired. The men are selling real estate, using the weak leads handed down to them from above. There is Shelley Levene (Jack Lemmon), nicknamed The Machine for his past sales record, who has hit a wall in his career and can't seem to close any more sales. He desperately needs to keep his job to pay medical bills for his wife. Dave Moss (Ed Harris) is fed up with all of the bureaucracy, and doesn't feel people should be treated this way--and they shouldn't. George Aaronow (Alan Arkin) isn't the sharpest tool in the drawer, and tends to be swayed by his colleagues.
  
  All three of these men are jealous of the only guy making any sales lately, Ricky Roma (Al Pacino). Dave is convinced that the rest of them would be doing just as well if they were getting the good leads that he is, but according to their by-the-book company-pleasing manager John Williamson (Kevin Spacey), only closers are worthy of the good leads--the Glengarry leads. Dave comes up with a plan to break into the office, steal the leads, and sell them to the competitor across the street, and tries to convince George to do the dirty work, and as a reward, he can take a cut of the pay and have a job with the competitor. We don't see the actual robbery, though--only the aftermath--and it's not clear who exactly did what. Everyone's got their motives, but who had the guts to do it?
  
  Glengarry Glen Ross was written by David Mamet based on his stage play of the same name, and it must have been an actor's paradise. There are no special effects, hardly any sets at all, and some fantastic dialogue, which flows with the cadence that only Mamet can produce. Nobody else can write profanity with such poetry. Director James Foley doesn't intrude on his actors, which is the perfect way to deal with this talk-heavy picture. The acting is excellent all around, especially by screen legend Jack Lemmon, though nobody is overshadowed by anybody else.
  
  The only fault I found with the film was the abrupt ending, but to go into any more detail would be a crime against anybody who hasn't seen the film. The subject matter is fascinating, as most of us have only seen salesmen when they're being phonies. Here they are given personalities, and are struggling with not only their jobs, but with their lives, and they live in such a sheltered world that they can't even see the opportunities that might be available outside of this bubble. It's a really foolish idea to steal from the place you have to go to every day, but if you don't know any better, it makes perfect sense.
  
  
• DVD is for closers
  By A1GO73DM89N033 on 2000-03-11
  The finest salesman movie of all time (sorry Willy Loman). The scene with Pacino selling the property to the mark in the bar is supreme. ("You know, I'm glad I met you). I watch it over and over. Could Spacey be more of a putz? By the way, it's worth it to see Boiler Room, just to see Ben Affleck do a WEAK impersonation of Baldwin from GGGR. Issue: How could this not be on DVD? Anyone have any info on DVD availability?
  
  
• Always Be Closing....
  By A1V5G1O9TRGO7M on 2000-08-16
  This is just a mesmirizing picture. For 100 minutes, you are rivited to the screen, watching the presence of six spectacular performers speaking dialogue so crisp and beautiful it can almost be considered poetry.While this film is initially about real estate and the men who sell it, Glengarry Glen Ross is ultimately about the working man and what lengths he will sink to to perserve both his job and his pride. Of all the superb performances in this film, Alec Baldwin and Jack Lemmon stand out the most. Baldwin's ten minutes of 'motivation' are harrowing, Lemmon's performance of a once great real estate broker who has fallen on hard times is both touching and pathetic. Of course, Al Pacino, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin and Kevin Spacey are spectacular as well, it's Lemmon who is perhaps the most identifiable character to most viewers.One reviewer wrote of this film that ensemble casts of this magnitude rarely ever stand up to the presented material, this film's cast certainly does. Brilliantly written and acted, this is one of the very best films of the 1990's and a true masterpiece for all time.
  
  
• A Great Film About Scam Artists, Not Professional Salesmen
  By A2KG8WLR1AKO12 on 2000-12-03
  I rank this film among the all time greats. There is some speculation that playwright David Mamet was attempting to subtly cast aspersions upon the Reagan economic era. If so, I unhesitatingly reject Mamet's interpretation of his own story. This, however, does not in the least detract from my wholehearted appreciation of "Glengarry Glen Ross." I simply consider Mamet's Pulitzer prize winning play turned into film as not about professional salesmen, but low life con men. The former must represent legitimate products and develop long term business relationships in order to be successful. Scam artists, on the other hand, merely seek victims to deceive and plunder before disappearing once again into the void.

  Mamet's story revolves around a group of fast talking crooks who are finding it increasingly difficult to locate fresh suckers willing to purchase real estate at far above fair market value. These losers are without a conscience, and seem only to draw the line at opportunities involving violence. They are willing to push the legal envelope, but try their best not to place themselves in harm's way with the law. These confidence men are currently getting desperate and the top management of their organization realizes that it has a major crisis on its hands. The bosses send a ruthless and brutal sales motivator played by Alec Baldwin to either fire up the troops, or cut them from the payroll. The famous scene where Baldwin throws down the gauntlet is powerful and mesmerizing. I might add, though, that the scene that has Al Pacino, in an Academy Award nomination role, as the top con man of the group trying to scam the wimpy and vulnerable mark (Jonathan Pryce) is perhaps my favorite. Pacino's character makes an extraordinary effort to save the sale to the gullible victim until he realizes that it's irreversibly lost. One then immediately senses that the sleazy representative will never again even think about the prospect. The dupe would be out of sight and out of mind. The swindler had lied to gain his trust, and failing to accomplish the hoped for result was now indifferent whether he lived or died.

  David Mamet's artistic genius earned him the respect and willingness of major stars to perform for far below their standard fee. The other actors involved with this project, Jack Lemon, Alan Arkin, Ed Harris, and the always brilliant Kevin Spacey, also have meaty roles. Mamet's incredible talent for creating true to life riveting dialogue provides actors an opportunity to do work that that is truly special (some of you will even make it a point to memorize some of the unforgettable lines). There are no weak and extraneous characters. Mamet obviously thinks long and hard about the meaning of every word. There is never any fluff and wasted energy. The audience feels compelled to pay full attention, and almost certainly will wish to see the production again. You owe it to yourself to seek a copy of "Glengarry Glen Ross." This one deserves a place in your permanent film collection.
  
  

• I cannot figure out what everyone is raving about....
  By A25V5W777PIOW7 on 2004-01-18
  This movie was just awful. I kept waiting for something to happen and then the movie just ended. A star studded cast sitting around an office dropping F-bombs. That is about the sum of the movie. It ranks up there with some of the worst movies I have ever seen.
  
  
• Credible, riveting condemnation of the yuppie era.
  By AP9TSAQICVEVT on 2005-04-15
  Glengarry Glenross istantly reminded me of Miller's Death Of A Salesman (for obvious reasons), the comparisons between the Shelley character and Willy Loman are particularly striking.
  
  Glengarry Glenross is more of a snapshot than a composition, there is no engineered changing of mood or pace which would suit most dramas, it ends in a similiar way as it begins and this creates extraordinary realism which is very powerful. The characters are brilliant, the cast exists as one of the finest collection of actors you are ever likely to see in a movie, period. I'm not sure who's performance was best, Lemmon is scintillating as the insecure ageing salesman who's morals are being challenged by economic hardship. Spacey is at his very best as the harried and despised manager at the firm. Pacino probably just steals the show as the firms most successful salesman, the way he manipulates the timid client gives a hint into his dark side, his character is able to bypass any moral questions easily.
  
  It is interesting to think about the film in terms of chronology, Lemon's character was 'once' a succesful salesman but no longer, he is surely what Pacino's character (currently successful) will one day be, Spacey's character only tolerates Pacino's verbal abuse because of Pacino's current success..'you fairy you', in a few years he will get his revenge as he does with Lemmon's character. Meanwhile Pacino's otherwise rough-edged character is strangely gentle and indulgent with Shelley, perhaps he also sees himself in Shelley, twenty years older. The firm itself is a hot stew boiling over, there is constant pressure to perform constantly, and you are only as good as your last deal, is this turning them all into desperate crooks with no moral compass? The constant bickering between the characters betrays their unhappiness, the break-in at the firm betrays their moral decline, one character only (Pacino) seems to be thriving in the pressure cooker atmosphere and then only because of his amorality, the rest of them are unproductive unhappy employees. At one point in the movie an employee complains about how past mismanagement in the company has led to their current unprofitable situation epitomised by his clever line "you dont sell a man one car, you sell him 5 over fifteen years" - ie you dont screw your customer or he wont come back. The ultra-capitalist do-or-die attitude of their bosses is clearly failing on the business side of things as much as it is failing the employees, on a human level.
  
  Best Line
  
  "they're insane, they just like talking...to salesmen."
  
  
• 2nd prize: a set of steak knives. 3rd prize: your fired!
  By A2M9XZ2UD8ZM40 on 2005-05-10
  "The man from downtown" comes and informs the sales staff "we're adding something special to this month's sales promotion. First prize, a cadillac convertable. Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired!
  The pressure is on--how far would _you_ go to preserve your job?
  
  This movie is based on a play which is a riviting, penetrating study of the Male psychie as expressed in the workplace. Men are front and center--they are working, drinking, schmoozing--and selling. The part women figure in this play only by the impact they have on the men--the sick daughter, the wife who answered the wrong sales ad. Your manhood is directly proportional to your sales volume, so A.B.C. -- Always Be Closing!
  
  How ironic then is the line Al Pacino delivers towards the end of the movie: "We're not living in a world of men. We're living in a world of clock-watchers and office holders."
  
  This is one of those movies you can watch over and over, savoring the dialog and marveling over the excellent performances.
  
  
• Greatest Movie of All Time
  By A1C6G6R8DY7T7E on 1999-12-17
  Words cannot describe this movie. It is an absolute masterpiece. It is one of Jack Lemmon's best performances. This movie has so much (pardon the expression) balls it'll bring tears to your eyes. To tell you the truth, I almost cried the acting was so good. If you haven't seen a good movie in a while, now is your chance. You're making a huge mistake by not seeing this. I'd give it 10 stars if I could. Unbelievable.
  
  
• Seven great actors let loose on a modern classic play
  By AH1M9A3JTV7C3 on 2000-12-04
  There's not a wasted moment in this film of David Mamet's classic modern American tragedy about capitalism at it's most rabid. Set, where else?, in a Real Estate office, it is one of the best filmed plays of modern American life. BOYS IN THE BAND is another drama that is worth looking up. The poetic music of Mr Mamet's writing is retained intact and continues to glow and resonate through the superb work of the great acting led by Mr Pacino and Mr Lemmon. A film to return to over and over. The superbly ironic rendition of Mr Jarreau's singing of Blue Skies as the credits run at the close of the film still echoes in my mind. Quite a moving and resonant work of art. A document worth owning.
  
  
• Ten Years On.....and it is still a masterpiece
  By on 2002-04-28
  1992 was quite a year. We had Unforgiven, Bram Stoker's Dracula, A Few Good Men, Of Mice and Men (starring Sinise and Malkovitch), the director's cut of Blade Runner, and some other good films such as Sneakers, Raising Cain, and Scent of a Woman. All of them are on DVD except for this film. I really can't add much to the outstanding reviews that are already posted here. This film, among with 12 Angry Men, stands as the best adaptation of a stage play to the big screen. If and when a DVD is released, I hope that it includes the audio commentary recorded by Al Pacino and Jack Lemmon for the special edition Laserdisc release in 1994 (anyone who has that by the way is holding a treasure!). It's only a matter of time before this is released on DVD. This October (2002) is the tenth anniversary, and that would be the perfect time, assuming the legal hurdles have been taken care of. Let's keep our fingers crossed!
  
  
• Never Taken One That Made Me Feel Like I'd Slept 12 Hrs
  By A2ZE73RFY0GD3K on 2002-10-30
  This is one of the best movies of the past 50 years -- stunning, dramatic, captivating, shocking, saddening, brutal and wonderful. Never has a better cast been assembled, and never has a cast performed better. Never has dialogue been so riveting. The performances are like music, like songs you relish hearing again and again. The realism is obvious to anyone who has ever worked in an office where profits are all that matter. Watch this movie today, and again from time to time. It is magnificent.

  "How can you present investment opportunities without television, without magazine ads? I say, you take something this good, you go to a man has invested in the past, you go to him direct and offer the money to him: REBATE!"

  The spiels just don't come much slicker than this, at the hands of the immortal Jack Lemmon. P.S. Put that coffee down.
  
  

• One of the top 100 flicks of all time
  By on 2000-01-06
  This is one of the best movies ever made. James foley is a brilliant director, and the ensemble cast is amazingly good, especially Jack Lemmon and Kevin Spacey. If you like great cinema, you can't miss this film.
  
  
• BEST WATCHED ON A LASER-DISC PLAYER. READ ON:
  By A1P2NBM3P3TS2X on 1999-11-09
  If you can manage to get your hands on a laser disc player (they still exist, y'know) then buy the Collector's Edition of Glengarry Glen Ross. Not only is the presentation in widescreen (as every movie should be), but you can hear Jack Lemmon and director James Foley give running commentary on alternate audio tracks. That will give you even more insight into a masterful film version of this masterful Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Incidentally, I managed to get Ed Harris to autograph my laserdisc jacket to this movie. This movie in no way got the credit it deserved, and the absence of any Oscar wins (or more numerous nominations) for the cast undermines the credibility of the Academy voters, in my opinion.
  
  
• WHINEY OLD MEN...
  By on 2001-01-02
  I feel like I was the one who was scammed! This movie is about whiney old men...and each one says the "F" word more often than the one before him. "Death of a Salesman" it is NOT! More like "Death of Some More Time"
  
  
• Watch the movie for the actors and the script.
  By AR37967IAR6ZT on 2002-12-31
  Jack Lemmon, one of the screen's great actors, gives a startling performance as Sheldon Levine, a once-great salesman now gone to seed and plagued with desperation over losing his job in David Mamet's "Glengarry Glen Ross." Lemmon's work really makes the movie, though the cast of stars (Alec Baldwin, Al Pacino, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey and Jonathan Pryce) is uniformly excellent. And, through Mamet's screenplay, each is given an opportunity to have at least one powerhouse scene, particularly Baldwin, who appears only in the beginning 10 minutes of the film.

  With a cast that talented, it's good that they're all given moments to shine.

  The plot of the film is beside the point, really. Much of the "action" that drives the plot, including the pivotal robbery of the office, occurs off-screen. (This is done so that the plot can function as a whodunit - but also because the film focuses more on how these men, when their masculinity is challenged through threats to their jobs, react in violent outbursts to one another.)

  The DVD offers up two discs, featuring both a fullscreen and a widescreen presentation of director James Foley's film. Features also include a tribute to Lemmon and a commentary track by Foley.

  If you like dialogue-driven drama that's usually reserved for the stage, this film is a must-see.
  
  

• Timeless classic!!!
  By A27RJ30RN5K9MX on 2003-09-24
  Glengarry Glen Ross takes us into the world of real estate sales. Premiere Properties is going through some tough times. Veteran sellers Shelly "The Machine" Levene ( Jack Lemmon), Dave Moss ( Ed Harris), and George Aaronow ( Alan Arkin) are all in a big time slump. The only one who seems to be on a hot streak is Ricky Roma ( Al Pacino). To make matters worse, the heads of the company send down an executive motivator ( Alec Baldwin) to initiate a sales contest. The winner gets to keep their job, and the ones that fail to meet their quota, are fired. Office manager John Williamson ( Kevin Spacey)could help the sellers out by offering the new "Glengarry Leads", which point to legit clients wanting to buy. The problem is that, the leads are being held back, until they can all prove themselves. Unfortunately, someone decides to take matters into their own hands, and steal the leads. Now these men are forced to try and keep their jobs, as well as prove their innocence.

  This film succeeds on so many levels. The multi - layered story, is a beautiful combination of mystery, and a realistic look into the selling world. The film portrays all of the pressure that one feels when having to meet a sales quota. The quotes given in this film are especially realistic when dealing with sales. "Live by the ABC's. Always Be Closing!" Anyone in sales will especially love this film, because of how accurate it is. The mystery of who stole the leads, is impossible to solve. All three men seem guilty and have reasons why they would want to steal.

  The cast is what brought the story to life. All of them are equally brilliant, and bring something to the story. Al Pacino plays the hotshot Ricky Roma. Roma is a treat to watch because of how good he is at closing a deal. Jack Lemmon plays Shelly "The Machine" Levene. Levene used to be the best seller in the business, and now he is getting by on memories of his past glory. He refuses to believe that he is no longer "The Machine". Alan Arkin is great because of how naive he acts, and he refuses to accept the fact that they could be fired. Ed Harris is fantastic because he plays the "hot head" that blows up all the time and has a bad temper. Kevin Spacey is great because he plays the weasel of the story. He is the boss who is only out for himself, and feels no pity. Finally there is Alec Baldwin who makes a short but impressive cameo as Blake "The Motivator". The performance is explosive, charismatic, and he delivers some of the best lines of the film.

  As good as the film is, the DVD is better. It is extremely low priced and offers outstanding extras. The best extra is the documentary entitled ABC ( Always Be Closing). It traces the psychological intersection of fictional and real life salesman. There is also a tribute to Jack Lemmon, new interviews with the cast, commentary from director James Foley, and a lot more. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up!
  
  

• Welcome to the Jungle
  By A3DPJU0U1UD8MO on 2005-03-21
  David Mamet's Pulitzer-winning play has been transferred to the screen in a deliberately, "rainy night noir", 1950es style, ala "12 Angry Men": almost all the action takes place either in the office or in a bar across the street.
  The story is simple and almost secondary: a group of real estate salesmen in a seedy office get told in no uncertain terms to shape up, sales-wise, or ship out. Desperation, crime, and infighting ensue.
  What makes this film a masterpiece is: language and acting.
  Mamet's flood of talk, filled with blistering profanity, odd rhythms, and harsh humor, is a dream for an actor, and the cast in GGH is one of the best ever.
  
  When Alec Baldwin, sent from the corporate office to "motivate" the weary troops, starts his 15-minute monologue to them, you are just blown off your seat. His hate-filled, arrogant, belittling verbal whipping is simply one of the most amazing scenes in film. (Baldwin to Ed Harris's Moss: 'You see this watch? This watch costs more than your car.') You get the idea.
  
  Spacey as the cold office manager, Pacino as slick top-seller Roma, Harris as the angry lout, and Arkin as the befuddled ner-do-well all turn in magnificent work that intermeshes beautifully. However, in a career of some amazing films, Jack Lemmon, as has-been top dog Shelley 'The Machine' Levine who is now broke, delivers what I think is the performance of his life.
  
  Lemmon's mannerisms fit Shelley to a tee: an older, desperate man at the mercy of something he can't sell, and with a daughter in the hospital, he is at the end of his rope. His scenes are at times almost unbearable to watch: his pleading with a cold, cynical Williamson (Spacey), his being put out in the rain by a prospect who doesn't want to buy. You are seeing a man going down, and Lemmon hits every nuance just right.
  
  So then, a fairly stage-bound story about human failure and what we do to each other. It should, by that description, be dull and depressing.It is in fact mesmerizing from the first scene, and it is a film you will never forget.
  
  Get the 10th Anniversary set, to get the widescreen version. Technical quality of the transfer is superb.
  
  
• Great flick - awesome performances
  By AYZZADF4JFOLB on 2005-05-07
  Okay, as others have said, this is a great flick, and a stunning cast. But I'm not sure there's any such thing as an "actor's movie" as others have said - these guys would be sitting around with nothing to do if not for Mamet's trademark staccato dialogue.
  
  Speaking of which, IMDB notes that the word f*ck and its derivatives are uttered 138 times in the course of this movie... so much, in fact, that during filming the actors referred to the movie as "Death of a F*cking Salesman."
  
  Jack Lemmon was a great actor who tended to get a little over the top at the end of the film - and he doesn't disappoint here, if that's what you're looking for. And Pacino LIVES over the top - this is another one of those films where he treats his performance as if it's a great big freakin' joke, just between him and his audience. But for my money, the standout performance in this film is Kevin Spacey's. His performance is as tightly controlled - perhaps claustrophobic is a better word - in this as in "American Beauty."
  
  Folks who like this movie should check out two of Mamet's best: The Spanish Prisoner and The Winslow Boy (an early 20th century play Mamet adapted for the screen, and directed).
  
  
• Gutwrenching Masterpiece, 10 Stars
  By A3H0MNPO4D1WNZ on 2005-09-21
  Probably in my all-time Top 10...the only other ensemble film I can think of in the same league is 12 Angry Men. There are lots of similarities: a group of men caught in the same situation, whose starkly distinct personalities expose a cross-section of humanity that is terrifying in its realism. GGR of course has no Henry Fonda as a pillar of justice and reason, nor a Robert Webber/Jack Warden character to ease the tension. It is not a feel-good movie, and if you're looking for some sort of plot-driven pay-off, you'll be disappointed. The "plot" is inconsequential to the film - the thing could have taken place any day of the week in this office...which gives a viewer with any imagination even more reason to sweat bullets. True, people either love it or hate it.
  
  Jack Lemmon: Bold words to ascribe to a man of his stature and legend, but I think this could be his finest performance. The character is pathetic and reprehensible at the same time...and it appears Lemmon was able to tap into a part of his soul that recognized had his life not gone the way it did, he might very well find himself in this horrific situation. The desperation is, as another reviewer said, very difficult and painful to watch. You see him slipping a few notches in each succeeding scene...a man literally crumbling before your eyes...made worse by the all-too-obvious self-illusion and fantasy that he is operating under: The Machine is on the comeback trail. What makes this performance bearable and wondrous is Lemmon's mastery in making you want to believe in the legend: unfortunately, the dying embers of his former smalltime glory do little to shelter one from the relentless rain that pours down on this movie and on this sad character.
  
  Al Pacino: I have to believe that this is withtout a doubt his greatest role. He was born to play Ricky Roma...it's pure poetry, astounding. His scenes in the restaurant selling the dupe are as good as anything I've ever seen in cinema. Interesting (for me at least) that for all of the huffing and puffing Pacino is known for, it's the sly, whispered, understated dialogue here that leaps off the screen with a deftness of touch that is awe-inspiring. The scene with Lemmon at the office in front of the reluctant client is a delightful master class in portraying deceit (probably the only moment that offers some temporary relief)...and it's so convincing, you want him to prevail. The relationship between he and Lemmon that reveals itself in the last part of the film is heart-wrenching; Lemmon sees what he once was, and what he mistakenly believes he can be again; Pacino demonstrates a half-hearted deference for Old School, and sees what he wants to believe he won't end up as.
  
  Kevin Spacey: Cold and ruthless as they come...as another reviewer pointed out, he only tolerates Pacino's character because he's currently the producer in the office. We all know that situation has to - and will - change. Spacey's skillfully-nuanced relationship with the others immediately establishes the graduated office hierarchy - from Blake and the boys downtown, to the office doormat (Arkin). Spacey's scenes with Lemmon are the most difficult of all to watch, it almost makes me wonder how they did it.
  
  Ed Harris: Dripping with venom, and bringing new meaning to the word "bitter." The kind of guy you feel for on one level, but nontheless despise - until you see him confronted by the likes of Alec Baldwin. This character is the ticking time bomb in the movie, and you cringe to see the influence he's having over Arkin. Their scenes together are fascinating, as you realize neither of them is going to make it. The dialogue between them is brilliant, and the editing enhances the urgency of their predicament.
  
  Alan Arkin: I was so glad to hear his commentary in the Special Features, because his description of the background he invented for his character matched precisely my ideas about the guy. Mealy-mouthed, weak-kneed, and swimming amongst sharks, he'd be the first to die if this were an action flick. Part of what makes his character so compelling is that he reminds us scruples and morality have no place in the seedy business of third-class sales.... It's tough to see someone doing a job that you can tell from a mile away they don't have a prayer at.
  
  Alec Baldwin: Every actor should be so lucky to get 10 minutes like that....an extraordinary opportunity for an extraordinary role amongst the top people in the profession. He was perfectly cast, I can't imagine another actor in this part. This SOB could make ANYONE feel like a complete failure. There is a strong underlying sexuality to the character, and a hypnotic appeal that makes you hate and fear him (of course), but there's more.... he brings out in the viewer a dark side that admires this kind of power and determination - an almost giddy, willing subservience. Part of you actually starts thinking his way: "Yeah, geez, you guys are losers."
  
  Jonathon Pryce: It's a strange sensation rooting against a victim! This guy was a tremendous launching pad for Pacino's character. A brow-beaten, hen-pecked, shadow of a man who has difficulty standing up for himself even when he's right. Lulled and reeled in by the vituoso Roma over drinks, you end up resenting him for spoiling the dream and tarnishing Roma's golden touch. A great and understated performance.
  
  Again, the storyline is almost superfluous IMO. As for the language - it would be odd if the film were not steeped in crude invective, that's how this class of businessman talks; it's absolutely essential to the film.
  
  I really like another reviewer's remarks about the deadly atmosphere generated by characters we never actually see: Mitch and Murray, Jerry Graff, Shelley's daughter in the hospital, Mrs. Lingk, the Nyborgs, etc. They weigh gloomily over the characters, and create a genuine sense of un-ease within the viewer. I've never seen this device used so effectively.
  
  This film is far more disturbing than any conventional violence or horror, because this is the kind of horror that touches many more lives than guns and ghouls. It happens everywhere - grown men grovelling to eke out a meager existence under the thumb of inhuman bosses, and brown-nosed middle-management. As awful as it is to witness, the performances of this stellar cast are so far out of the ballpark, I find myself inexorably riveted to every single word, line, gesture, and facial expression.
  
  This is a monument of horrible beauty, epic in its dissection of a brutal world, and the men that are consumed by it. I'll watch this film for a long time to come. Thank you David Mamet, James Foley, and the aforementioned actors for making this masterpiece.
  
  
• a treasure trove of great acting from a stellar cast
  By APN6DO7VHDLTN on 2005-10-09
  This "Glengarry Glen Ross" movie has been criticised for being considerably unrealistic and overblown. At the core of the movie's plot is 4 real estate salesmen involved in a do-or-die contest--the top two sellers win a Cadillac Eldorado and a set of steak knives respectably, not to mention getting to keep their jobs, while the bottom two are to be fired. Perhaps this whole contest setup is a bit far-fetched in terms of real-life, but the resulting movie is extremely compelling anyway, with its dog-eat-dog nature being gripping and easy to identify with. And of course, there's the acting... The late Jack Lemmon is at his best here, once again playing the role of a man who's emotionally distraught and at the end of his rope (very much like his role in 1975's "The Prisoner of Second Avenue"). Alec Baldwin landed the role of a lifetime as a no-holds-barred executive who comes to give the salesmen a "motivational speech" (ahem), and his superb performance is simply devastating. Ed Harris and Alan Arkin each deliver brilliant performances as well--the Harris' character is filled with rage, and Arkin's character is basically a defeatist. Kevin Spacey plays the office manager, and his performance is fittingly cold-blooded.
  
  In regard to the double disc DVD version, you get widescreen as well as full screen versions of the feature, plus some great bonus material including intriguing commentary from Baldwin and Arkin (individually, not together). Yes, it is a shame that Jack Lemmon's commentary featured on the SE Laserdisc version isn't included here, although do you get an interview segment with Lemmon from "The Charlie Rose Show". Considering the list price of this 2 disc package, and with the movie itself being so arresting and compulsively watchable, you really can't go wrong getting this.
  
  
• If you're in street sales, this movie will be like a horror flick to you..
  By AY2I93QHFGNPS on 2006-03-12
  You wont understand much of it otherwise. There's a 10 minute scene with Alec Baldwin (his only appreance in the film) that I used to show my sales crew in my own business. All tongue and cheek but sort of not. Alec gives one of the best manager ass-chewings I've ever seen on film or real life. Its dark and dank throughout the whole movie. But not in a depressing way really. It also sets a record of sorts for how many times the "f" word is said. It's real world. Jack Lemmon plays the not-quite-burnt out gray beard looking for one last home run. Al Pacino was totally, completly slick. You want to buy somthing from him but you can't because its a movie.. He's that good. Kevin Spacy is the whipping post beat on office manager and Ed Harris is just plain pissed at the world thru the whole flick.One of those "its everybodys elses fault" type roles. But to fully take in and absorb G.G.G.R, a serious street sales background will bring this first rate production right into your head. EG; You'll "get it". By the way, if you prefer certain movies that have NO female cast members anywhere, here's your movie. Not one. (Actually a waitress in a restaraunt makes a 2 second showing but that's it) Yes, Its a kind of guy flick but in an office setting and nothing blows up and no guns. Action packed however, except with suits and ties.
  
  
• for closers only...the rest of you can go watch Double Team
  By A2PBP3V4EON1OZ on 2000-01-30
  This movie has the best performances I've ever seen by some of these actors. Al Pacino and Jack Lemmon were the best. There's no action, no sex,no violence, and no intended comedy, even though a lot of the dialog is hilarious. It's about a day in the life of some real estate sellers, most of whom are at a low point. All this information would normally persuade someone to skip this movie, but it is definitely worth the couple of dollars it takes to rent it. Al Pacinor Jack Lemmon should have got an academy award for their performances. Maybe the same for Alec Baldwin if he had a bigger part. He's only in the movie for five minutes, but his character is very memorable. If you're afraid of a lot of relentless profanity, then maybe you should skip this movie and rent It Takes Two. Otherwise, you most likely won't be disappointed.
  
  

• Boiler Room
• Wall Street
• Barbarians at the Gate
• Tin Men
• Rogue Trader