Pocket Listing (2016)

A redemption story about a scummy real estate agent who falls from grace, becomes a slumlord, and then gets a comeback shot at the mother of dirty deals. Good story and excellent acting

A very interesting mix of different genres, but especially a backstage look at the real estate market in Los Angeles. Of all the actors showcased, Jurdi excels and does his job very well. It also must be noted that the trophy Malibu villa is not the best visual. That prize belongs to Clark, who turns Lana into a femme fatale to remember.

Not in recent memory has there been a film which deals with the intricacies of the real estate world, let alone one which features an actual real estate agent as the hero of the film. "I don't just sell houses, I deal dreams" remarks Jack Woodman (played by James Jurdi), a super hot, ultra slick shark in a suit who happens to be L.A.'s top realtor. This guy, or maybe Jurdi's engaging performance, actually made me want to consider studying up on real estate.Woodman's rise, fall, and ultimate redemption make up the bulk of the story, along with the crazy deal at the heart of the film which amplify the intrigue/mayhem. Satire in the vein of "The Player" and "Get Shorty" add to the mix, producing a film which flies fast, digs deep infrequently, but whose ultimate purpose is to entertain, and oh yeah, to make us all wish we were super cool Beverly Hills real estate agents who find themselves in situations with femme fetale bombshells, Russian mafiosos, Mexican gangsters, and Rob Lowe as a rock star-styled villa owner with a dark side. Are we having fun yet? You will. That's the point.

They've made great films about Wall Street, bankers, stock brokers, and even insurance salesmen. But not in recent memory has the real estate agent been a prominent film character. Now, we finally have it -- the real estate EPIC, and I'll be darned if it isn't damn good."Pocket Listing" romanticizes and embellishes the lifestyle of gaudy, smooth-talking Los Angeles realtor Jack (brilliantly and subtly played by newcomer Jurdi), who goes from hot tub orgies to cleaning toilets after some double dealing and a ruthless rival (Fahey, coldly terrific) contribute to his demise. As one of the film's main messages makes itself clear, you're only one deal away from hitting the jackpot or going bust.The hook of the film is how it shrewdly presents parallel universes within the same town, showing major contrasts between Jack's lifestyle over the course of a short period of time. In that sense, the film becomes not just a character journey but also the story of a city, presenting a hodge podge of different characters from varying ends of the economic spectrum. Some are filthy rich, others are dirt poor, and a few may be somewhat criminal- - but they are all chasing the American Dream of infinite excess and uninhibited desires. The American Dream has assumed many forms in cinema, but in "Pocket Listing" it embodies itself in the shape of a lavish, truly spectacular Malibu villa which just happens to be all of the characters' ticket to the big time. Watching Jack climb back out of the abyss and eventually take on the dangerous comeback attempt involving not just the house but also its owners -- a smooth as silk but oh so dangerous Rob Lowe and an extremely tempting femme fetal (newcomer Clark, chewing up the scenery here and looking to die for) -- makes up for the film's relentlessly engaging latter half. The plot twists and unexpected developments pile up as the story reaches its explosive climax.It's tough to really place "Pocket Listing" in terms of pure genre. It's a combination of funny, sad, thrilling, sexy, and even at times unexpectedly moving. As far as light crime films go, this one's a hell of a good deal.