Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Some tips for anyone who had difficulty with this film (from a guy who gained an appreciation for it after his first viewing):Don't go into it expecting a traditional three-act structure with rising/falling action and a resounding conclusion. This is more of a "show about nothing" a la Seinfeld (and even Catcher in the Rye). We're basically just following these quirky characters to see what crazy thing they'll do next.Another lens through which you can view this film: I suspect that Mamet penned this story as a form of therapy. It just seems "too real" to be pure fiction. I think it was cathartic for him to write it, and could potentially be therapeutic for anyone else who's had an awful, high-pressure, job.

Glengarry Glen Ross by Gabriel CambreGlengarry Glen Ross is a 1992 drama film based on David Mamet's Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name. The movie centers around four real estate agents in Chicago who are pressured by their company Mitch & Murray into to selling unwanted real estate to unsuspecting customers. "Coffee is for closers," says Blake, the man who is sent by Mitch & Murray to motivate them, yet he does so through verbal abuse. The two salesmen who sell the most within 24 hours will receive more leads (which are lists of contact information for potential buyers), while the rest will be fired. While eating at their favorite Chinese restaurant, the four men decide they are tired of the abuse they have endured at the hands of Mitch & Murray and consider breaking into their secretary's office, stealing the Glengarry Highlands leads and giving them to a rival real estate company.Glengarry Glen Ross is based on similar experiences from David Mamet's time working real estate. It explores the pressure of work and the things people are willing to do for respect, money and status, even if it means lying, bribery, manipulation and stealing. There is a particular scene in the movie in which Al Pacino, who plays the company's best closer, has a conversation with a potential customer who is perhaps a little too trusting. Pacino tells a long and incoherent yet mesmerizing speech about life and the weaknesses of man, and saves the real estate talk at the end of his speech. He is pandering to his customer's weakness and trust to sell his product. Mamet, who is famous for plays like American Buffalo and screenplays for movies such as The Untouchables, The Spanish Prisoner and Wag the Dog, often uses cynical, realistic dialogue in his stories. For example, his characters will occasionally stammer and interrupt each other mid-sentence, much like people do in real life. Also, his characters are heavy swearers and curse in a way that makes it feel like normal dialogue, which may be a turnoff for the politically correct, the faint of heart or the easily offended. With a screenplay from Mamet himself and a once-in-a-lifetime cast that includes Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Ed Harris, Kevin Spacey, Alan Arkin, Jonathan Pryce and Alec Baldwin, the movie adaptation of Glengarry Glen Ross is Mamet firing on all cylinders.Glengarry Glen Ross is a masterclass in acting, character development, and dialogue. It is one of those rare movies where it never feels like the actors are trying to upstage each other and instead everyone does a great job. Even Alec Baldwin, who has little screen time but also some the best lines, does not overshadow the rest of the cast. The characters are so well-realized and three-dimensional that you can not help but be sympathetic for them despite their actions. The script is sharp and wickedly funny and is of course heavy on profanity yet it never feels forced or unwelcome. Director James Foley balances the star power, profanity-laced script and thought-provoking themes to perfection. For an industry that loves to give sequels and remakes to anything, Glengarry Glen Ross is one of many movies that should never be remade. It is a classic in the best sense of the word.

Pretty cool movie written by one of my favorite writers, David Mamet.A group of untalented salesmen are pressured by their company to hike their production numbers or else lose their jobs. Somewhat unbelievable script, but solid acting all around.Here are some of the film's inconsistencies:1. 'Blake' (Alic Baldin) asks if all those required to be at the meeting are present. Office manager Williamson (Kevin Spacy) says one guy, Roma (Al Pastinko), is absent, but Roma is the top salesman and he does not need to be there. Still, Blake says "Well, I'm starting with the meeting anyway". Later, Moss (Ed Haris) questions Williamson, "Roma doesn't have to be here because he's the top man on the board?", to which Williamson answers, "That's correct!").2. 'Blake' boasts of being a great salesman, but the 'leads' (prospective clients) which he speaks highly of, are, in fact, worthless, as Williamson states later ("Those clients are insane.... would you like to see the memo from the main office?").3. Roma goes to the barfly's private home to meet the loser's wife. It makes sense that Roma would get the inebriated loser in the bar to sign a contract to buy unseen land, but the loser's wife is the smart one, as she sends the barfly to see Roma the next day to cancel the contract, therefore, why would the barfly's wife sign the contract, too?4. Roma accuses Williamson of losing him his bonus Cadillac for being 'Number 1' in sales for the month, and of ruining a deal Roma was working on which cost him his 10% cut from the deal, which is true... Roma would have lost that, but the bonus Cadillac Roma would get for being the top salesman in the office would still be his.5. How could the competition (developer Jerry Graff who works "across the street"), be so stupid as to risk his business reputation and personal welfare by purchasing the stolen 'Glengarry Leads'?Also featured is the competent Jack Lemon and Alan Arken portraying a down-trodden soul. If Al Pastinko had any balls, he would have wanted to play the part of the loser, Levine (Lemon's character), instead of the 'top salesman', Roma, who is 'respected' while he walks around with a wad of money in his pocket. And of course, Roma doesn't have to be around for Blake's caustic verbal tirade, which is part of the reason Pastinko opted to play Roma).One question over-rides the entire proceedings: Why would these idiots stay with this terrible excuse for a job in the first place?

One can't escape the feeling that it's a play. Very little is invested in the setting - most of the film is in an office. But it stands in contrast with how much is invested in the acting.All the main actors are really salesmen - with their typical salesmen problems. And their annoying habits of bothering their victims as much as possible. As the story unfolds, characters evolve properly. Some don't.The dialogues are intense, as it is written for plays. The mind tricks the salesmen are pulling are just amazing and may be compared to scenes of other great movies like The Wolf of Wall Street.The little substance of the plot - the sales team of a real estate office is put under pressure, as someone robbed it - is not annoying by the drama added. You can just feel Jack Lemon's tiredness of years and years of finding victims.One thing was annoying: once you start to notice it's based on a play, you start to notice the limitations. Dialogues can be endless. There could have been more shots without dialogues. One knows that when one actor leaves the room, another is going to come in.But it's still a very entertaining film for an interesting evening.