The Guys Reviews

• Unusual movie, powerful reminder of 9/11

  
  By A1YUL9PCJR3JTY on 2004-09-01
  *****
  This movie is, on the surface, a simple story about a fire captain who is assisted by a writer in composing eulogies for the men he lost in 9/11. However, it is much more than this. As the writer tells her story (how she worked with the captain), she explores the many complex ramifications of 9/11 on New York City, and indeed, upon all of us. Moreover, as the captain and the writer work together, you come to see the firefighters individually, and to appreciate their daily service and sacrifice.
  
  It is a moving and powerful movie. It is somewhat painful, but in a good way, as we all need to be reminded of 9/11, to never forget. There are no graphic scenes or heavily disturbing visual scenes. I cried at several parts through it. It deeply affected me, and I will not forget it, as I do many movies, once their story has been told. I don't think I'll ever look at firefighters the same way, either. Although it is a movie about one moment in America's history, it is a movie about all of life, too, and a good exploration of grief and existential things (without being preachy or intellectual at all).
  
  The acting was great, music great, and it was put together in an unusual way--9/11 through the eyes of two people writing eulogies--who would think of this? But it works, and it works well.
  
  This is a movie to own. If the idea of the movie interested you enough to even read this review, I would highly recommend getting it.
  ****
  
  

• A Powerful And Moving Eulogy For The Guys!

  
  By A1RECBDKHVOJMW on 2003-10-18
  On September 11, 2001, 343, (three hundred forty-three), of New York City's Bravest were killed while doing their job, rescuing people at the World Trade Center. The tragedy of September 11, and the loss of these courageous men and women, as well as the deaths of thousands of innocent human beings, haunts the people of New York to this day. "The Guys" is a most powerful and fitting eulogy to those who sacrificed their lives so that others could live.

  A fire captain, (Anthony LaPaglia), of a ladder company located in lower Manhattan, lost eight of his men when the Twin Towers collapsed. Six other men in his firehouse, part of the engine company, also died that day. He is experiencing tremendous grief, and is obviously still in shock, when he approaches a journalist, (Sigourney Weaver), to ask her for help in composing eulogies for "his guys." He says, "The call came. The guys went out. They haven't found them yet. The families want a service. What am I going to tell them?" The journalist, living with her own grief, sadness and depression, has felt helpless, useless when confronting the terrible events that have so impacted her city, the nation and the world. At last, by helping this grieving, inarticulate man to compose the eulogies for his men and their families, she can do something to help.

  The writer coaxes information about each lost firefighter from the captain, piecing together anecdote and tidbit until portraits emerge that give life to each individual. The result is a thoughtful and powerful tribute that makes men who became heroes into human beings again - recognizable to friends, family and co-workers.

  The screenplay is superb, as is the acting of Weaver and LaPaglia. He is steeped in sorrow and loss, but emerges from his shell occasionally to relate stories about the guys. Ms. Weaver, appears to be walking a fine line between giving in to her feelings and trying to be objective, to empathize with LaPaglia in order to glean as much information as she can.

  This film has been produced in a very tasteful manner. There are no shots of fire and destruction. The catastrophe is portrayed in a very poignant manner, by sheets of paper from the WTC flying along the street, near the firehouse. The music is exquisite and appropriate. As a New Yorker, I feel better having seen the film, and for this powerful reminder of The Guys.
  JANA
  
  

• Excellent, Moving, Powerful

  
  By on 2003-08-21
  I was fortunate enough to see this movie when it was released in April at Lincoln Center in NYC and a second time in a smaller theather in Westchester, and was even more priveledged to have Jim Simpson, Anne Nelson & Sigourney Weaver at the screening to answer questions. That night after I saw it, I immediately e-mailed everyone I knew and told them they "MUST SEE" this film!!!

  This is an extremely moving story, articulating the thoughts and emotions of most New Yorkers who endured the tragedy in our own city. Beautifully written, acted and directed. People out of the NY area might not appreciate it as much as the rest of us, but nonetheless, extremely powerful and touching.

  P.S. - There are no scenes of the towers for those who are hesitant to see it.
  
  

• Emotionally Healing

  
  By AWPODHOB4GFWL on 2005-06-17
  Anne Nelson's play wonderfully captured on film runs the gamut of emotions. Sigourney Weaver as a journalist helping out a fire captain (Anthony LaPaglia) write eulogies for eight different men from his ladder is poignant, funny and eventually heartbreakingly real. The initially awkwardness of the two meeting is overcome by personal anecdotes and touching stories each share to bring about the final product which is to give each fallen hero his accurate due. Weaver and LaPaglia are perfect in their portrayals as two people trying to help each other in a horrific and emotionally draining period which commands them to bring out the best of each man's life. It is essentially a love story. The pain each character feels when discussing each man individually is a rarity in films and this one gets it right. This film acts as a healer for all affected by 9/11.
  
  

• Honoring those who died while giving their all

  
  By ACMH4ONXCWABT on 2004-08-08
  I stumbled across this film this morning while waiting for a call from my son. I didn't know what it was at first because I came into it a few minutes late. I soon realized what I was watching. I found this film to be very touching. It brought back much of the sorrow I felt for all in New York during that time. At the same time, it provided me with comfort in knowing that there are still so many people like these men out there doing their jobs as firefighters, police, etc. Saving so many lives day after day. I think this film captured the essence of those men and gave many of us a chance to glimpse into their lives. I believe we owe them that much. In conclusion, I give this film 5 stars. It accomplished it's goal by putting me in touch with my emotions about 09/11/01.
  
  
• LaPaglia is amazing
  By A1V4AIL7XPU2MN on 2004-05-11
  I almost never cry at movies, but Anthony LaPaglia had me tearing up all through this movie. I'm not a big fan of soppy platitudes about 9-11, but this movie was very touching. It dismissed a lot of the big-picture stuff in favour of the minutia of people's lives that make them worth knowing about. This is a story about humans, not heroes, which I found refreshing.

  Sigourney Weaver is also very good, as usual.

  My only complaint is that there were a few instances of repetition in the writing. I'm not sure if that was supposed to be deliberate, as in the character repeating himself out of angst and stress, or if it was bad script editing. I noticed it though because it was jarring, which means if it was supposed to be there, it wasn't handled expertly by the writer. That could have used some polishing.

  Other than that, I thought this was a good movie, especially if you're a LaPaglia fan as I am.
  
  

• The Guys
  By A33KX26FJDL4G4 on 2004-12-29
  This movie is meticulous, captivating, and a real tear jerker.
  Watch Anthony Lapaglia's eyes. You can feel the emotional depth of being lost and helpless; confused (not being able to really comprehend the why behind the act), and the immenseness of the loss resulting from the event. Sigourney Weaver is quietly compassionate, maneuvering through the confusion of feelings to find the personalities of the missing comrades. It's beautifully done and Sigourney Weaver and Anthony Lapaglia were perfect choices for the roles.
  
  
  
• Very touching
  By A1I6UDKZ138TBY on 2004-05-11
  I just watched this on Starz last night and was very moved by it's touching dialogue and beautiful theme, "Dawning of the Day".
  I'm glad they didn't show any of the actual horror, that would've ruined it.
  I don't think we're kissing anyone's a$$es by the way, we owe FDNY a great deal. Maybe, "Are you kdding me", you should think about that if they ever have to rescue you from a burning building.
  
  
• Great 9/11 commemoration
  By A1YQ6QB2127AJ4 on 2003-10-19
  "The Guys" wonderfully desplicts the families' losses from 9/11. The screenplay writers display the aftermath of this terrible tragedy, leaving little to the imagination. Anthony LaPaglia and Sigourney Weaver wonderfully perform their roles as a NY fireman and a newspaper reporter. The cast and crew appeared to have researched the event through more than just news coverage. This is what made "The Guys" more than just a movie. It's a commemoration of the lives that were lost and the friends/families left behind.
  
  
• Powerful and moving
  By on 2003-04-11
  Anthony LaPaglia and Sigourney Weaver give powerful performances that grab your attention from the beginning and hold you spellbound until the end. Together they truthfully conveyed the raw emotions of people struggling to make sense of the incomprehensible. LaPaglia certainly deserves an Oscar for his portrayal of Nick. He is truly one of the most gifted actors on screen. The only negative is that the movie ended so soon. I wanted to learn more about this captain and his guys.
  
  
• Art and life both real
  By A4E7GD5DPTAAL on 2003-07-06
  Seven or eight years ago, I was the only audience member in this screening room of this movie theater, for the great two-person movie, CLOSET LAND which, to my mind, made a star of Alan Rickman. Similarly now, there was no one else in the same screening room watching THE GUYS.

  Sigourney Weaver did her usual fine work, if a bit dispassionately.

  But Anthony LaPaglia, a very competent actor on television ("Murder One," "Without A Trace") proves himself one truly fine artist in this two-person movie. At the top of his game, he plays a NYC fire chief who, shortly after the 9/11 tragedy, has to give eight eulogies and seeks the help of a writer who helps him with his ideas and words.

  This is a look into the creative process as, first, we hear LaPaglia talk about each man to Weaver, then we hear her translation, and at times we hear his rendering of that. Moving and fascinating.

  This movie is singularly unpopular so see it now.
  
  

• The Guys
  By A1QZFKCZU86MBH on 2007-04-10
  Great movie! As a New Yorker, this movie really hit home. It isn't nearly as sad as I thought it might be. It actually has many cute scenes and celebrates the lives of the firemen that perished on 9/11, not concentrating on their deaths. I highly recommend this movie. Anthony LaPaglia was fantastic!
  
  
• 3 Stars as a film, but this is more than just a film
  By APT91HNPAJ3Q5 on 2003-11-20
  I have often wondered what I could get out of a particular movie. I wondered what I would learn, what enjoyment I would recieve. This movie, for the first time, gave me the idea of giving something back.

  This is not a great film on any tehnical aspect. The story isn't all that enjoyable either, but this movie was still a powerful reflection on the impact of Sept 11 on America specifically, but beyond that, it attempts to glorify the humanity which surfaced in everyone after the events.

  We may not take much out of this film, but we can at least give back compassion to the cause which this film is dedicated to.
  
  

• The Guys - A Play About 911 Put On Film; Anthony LaPaglia's Magnum Opus
  By A17BUUBOU0598B on 2008-11-25
  
  
  The Guys is a simple movie that humanizes the pain and suffering that first responders endured on September 11th. How many eulogies could you give in a week, a month, or a year? Fire Captain Nick Costello, played by Anthony LaPaglia, didn't have the choice. He had to give a countless number of them for his men from the Fire and Ladder Company in the destructive wake of 9/11. And with 350 men still missing at the time, he didn't know how many more he would have to give beyond the first 7 that had been planned. They included men as close as his best friend and as distant as the rookie he knew only two weeks. And each of their stories had an impact and a meaning.
  
  Sigourney Weaver has a solid role as the writer who shows the civilian side of the 9/11 aftermath. Though she was not in the towers, she is forever changed by the events of that day. And she is not alone. Every person from Manhattan, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, New Jersey, Connecticut and Long Island was affected in a deep way by the events of that day. In a sense, every American everywhere was affected too, as was anybody in the world who ever walked through the twin towers. You don't have to have been a fire-fighter to understand the extreme sense of loss created by the events of 9/11. And by showing us both sides of this equation, this film gives a more comprehensive personal portrayal than some other more high profile movies about the 9/11 attacks.
  
  One of the things that is apparent watching this film is that the dialogue reads very much like a play. I not surprised to read in the product details, after I had already written most of this review, that it was written as a play by Anne Nelson and adapted for the screen.
  
  Most of the pivotal scenes are dialogues between LaPaglia and Weaver that take place in her home. He recounts the lives of the men that he must now eulogize, and she takes notes and asks questions to help him put those eulogies together. LaPaglia really shines here, with simple and direct acting that is honest and highly effective. You have no doubt when you are watching this that he is that fire captain, that those stories he is telling about those men are real stories. It's a rare thing in a film to have the story come to the front and the *film* blend into the background.
  
  The one aspect of this film I would have changed is the use of voice-overs in the writer's voice. In the beginning and at a few random times throughout, there are some voice-over moments with flashes of Weaver on the screen. This attempt at artistic introduction to those scenes seems forced considering the rest of the film is essentially a play. This technique doesn't take away too much but it doesn't seem to add much either. The close-ups of Weaver reading as she types away her thoughts are well done from an acting point of view but still should have ended up on the cutting room floor. While some of her inner monologue is very interesting I don't think this method was the best way to deliver them.
  
  Still, the characters are the center of this film and they are very well written. If I ever get the chance to meet the playwright, Anne Nelson, I will have to ask her if the Weaver character is based on her. That's the best testament to good writing that anybody could ever make.
  
  The crux of this movie is the emotional roller coaster ride that comes from learning about the victims and reflecting on them. While New York City is also of central importance, the film somewhat makes this a more national story by focusing so many of the scenes in Weaver's home office. In that sense, these conversations could have happened anywhere.
  
  This is one of those movies that aspiring actors can learn much from and lovers of good acting can enjoy. Straight to the point and yet powerfully moving, it's difficult to imagine a more affective way to humanize the events and aftermath of that fateful day in 2001.
  
  Enjoy.
  
  
  
• The Guys
  By A2EWOATY1L0FSK on 2008-06-18
  This is what I'd call a quiet movie. It sounds boring when you summarise the plot but the wonderful acting draws you in. Basically there are two people for most of the movie, one a fire chief and the other a writer. This fire chief has to speak at funeral/memorial services for the men he lost on 9/11 and enlists help to write the speaches. At first he is withdrawn but gradually he opens up and together they write fitting eulogies for those men.
  
  
• male grief
  By A37T14OD61WOBF on 2005-08-28
  This film offers a realistic view of the grief of a man who loses his comrades, men for whom he was responsible. It offers a realistic picture of a relationship that develops as he tells the story of his comrades. A very good movie for a male discussion group.
  
  
• Fitting Tribute
  By APOGXH3A74CM3 on 2004-12-31
  This is a very touching and moving film and a fitting tribute to the many heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice during the 9/11 attack on America. The acting is as it should be, conveying bits and pieces of so many lost lives for the viewer to reflect upon.
  
  This should by no means be considered entertainment, but rather a sincere tribute and thank you to those who gave their lives!
  
  
• "The Guys" a Triumph
  By A38T159WU3GRMO on 2009-11-03
  "The Guys" is the finest movie I've seen so far in the 21st Century and contains the performance of the decade by Anthony LaPaglia. A New York firefighter captain (LaPaglia), who must deliver eulogies for eight of his fallen men, approaches a writer (Sigourney Weaver) to help him shape and articulate his thoughts about his heroic breathren. Anne Nelson's screenplay, amplified by Jim Thompson's direction, ferrets out the soul of strong blue-collar sentiment and couples it with the essence of what writers do - taking the words, thoughts and feelings of others and distilling them into an accessible, digestible, compelling form. "The Guys" is one of the most moving experiences ever adapted to film. - Ed Blank, film critic (ret.)
  
  
• The pain lingering after tragedy...
  By AS6SH2JM2YY3H on 2009-04-04
  After a tragedy, how do survivors cope? How do family members heal? How do those not directly affected relate?
  
  In The Guys, the tragedy of 9/11/01 has occurred. A fire captain (Anthony LaPaglia) has lost 8 members of his crew, and must prepare for the upcoming eulogies. However, the scope of the disaster was so large and so powerful, that he is at a loss to know what to say. He turns to a New York City journalist (Sigourney Weaver) who is grieving in her own way, to assist him. Together they work to capture the lives, and deaths, of these firemen.
  
  This is not a movie depicting the last few minutes of those lost while attempting to rescue others in the Trade Towers. It's not an action movie at all. In fact, the most haunting scene is the black and white image from a firehouse surveillance camera showing an off-duty fireman just showing up at the station to see his friends, and then noticing the cloud of paper escaping from the damaged towers. He gears up, and leaves to do his job. And like the others, he never returns.
  
  Haunting, yet uplifting. The Guys is about real people, real suffering, and real remembrance.
  
  
• Good but slow
  By A321070KMDIWK4 on 2008-09-13
  great movie I just wish it had more scenes then just them talking I could have listened to it in audio and got the same thing.
  
  

• Twin Towers
• World Trade Center (Widescreen Edition)
• 9/11 - The Filmmakers' Commemorative Edition
• Brothers... on Holy Ground
• 102 Minutes That Changed America