vincentlynch-moonoi This film is close to being brilliant. It is a totally unique film. And to top it off, a first class performance by Will Smith in what I would call his breakthrough film.Smith plays a young Black man who works his way into the lives of a number of people in New York City. Mostly his "victims" are the rich and successful, although one young couple befriends him, which ends in the death of the young man from suicide. In all cases, Smith's liaisons are designed to make him money. But later in the film you begin to realize he's not just a con artist; he's a deeply needy young man who lives in sort of a fantasy world. He wants all the good things in life, but only really sees his way free to get those things through hustling.However, it's not just Smith's performance that stands out here. The primary couple that he "befriends" are brilliantly played by Donald Sutherland and Stockard Channing (certainly her best role). They're a totally absorbed rich couple who have no sense of realism beyond their own art-filled world of the rich.Supporting roles are played by Ian McKellen (who coincidentally has one line where he mentions "The Lord Of The Rings" nearly a decade before that film series was filmed), Bruce Davison, and Richard Masur. There's not a bad performance in the film.My only disappointment in the film is that in the end we don't know if Will Smith's character is alive or dead.Highly recommended.

revnig Of all the movies I've seen this one has to be the most contrived and pretentious. Like the fast paced and totally unbelievable dialogue for the 60s sitcom "'MASH" this movie is like that on steroids. In a nutshell, PEOPLE DON'T TALK LIKE THAT! The best way to describe is it's a combination of that annoying snappy, quick witted, (again) unrealistic dialogue of Neil Simon AND (try to visualize) Woody Allen lampooning people who are impressed by their own self importance. The characters are either obnoxious or self absorbed. I find all the characters to be incredibly self important. It's a horrible movie and felt the need to shower when it was over, yecccccch. While watching the film I continued to ask myself .."what is this"? Now the good news ,,, it's so bad that its a must see, looking at other reviews on this site I seem to be in the minority. Of. Ourselves it's others who are full of themselves too, Sorry guys I'm right and you're wrong . I grade this movie F? And the F stands for something else

Rick Shur Occupy Wall Street might use this film for fund raisers. It presents the livIng hell of being rich and shallow, and it gives me the creeps much more today than it did when I first saw it. There are some interesting references that date it. For example, the Rainbow Room ejects Will Smith for dancing the tango with a male friend, an act which no such NYC establishment would likely do today. Along those lines, Michael Anthony Hall hands in a very courageous performance as the gay kid who falls for Will and sets his antics in motion. I remember how sensational that kiss between them seemed at the time. Will's character has universal appeal. He is the ultimate con man and hustler, but he is so successful because he is charming. Maybe if rich people today would allow themselves to fall for what is charming, they would delight in helping the struggling people of the world today rather than worrying so much about selling their Kandinskys. Stockard Channing turns in one of the great film performances of the century, showing how a One-Percenter can experience a spiritual epiphany. In this sense, Guare is a modern Dickens, deserving of all the accolades he received for this script and screen play, which reminds us that we are six degrees of separation not only from Kevin Bacon but of every kid in Zuccotti Park or Tahrir Square. "How much of your life can you account for?" With tears in her eyes, Stockard Channing asks Donald Sutherland this question with the same direness in her voice that Jesus must have had when he addressed the rich guys in the Holy Land.

copperncherrio I have gained new respect for Will Smith, as an actor, after this movie. Not that I didn't have much before… As much as I adore his personality among other talents, I really didn't expect him to pull off this role with such ease. Considering the difficulty.Paul is one of our main characters, who suddenly appears at a rich couple's home (who are art dealers). He's stabbed after a mugging and dressed in fine clothing, he claims to be the couple's son and daughter's friend from Harvard. After going through detailed knowledge about their children, he woos the dealers and their business guest with his charm, knowledge, and deep insight into the world (at this point Will Smith delivers some great monologue). Later the plot ensues and you find out the Paul is not who he claims to be… and the mystery unravels through dinner conversation and anecdote.This movie is based on a play, and through the movie you can clearly see the strength of the dialog carries the story as well as the actors who deliver them. I love the movie for its depth in simplicity. How it uses conversation to draw you in rather than the typical action. It uses conversation to reveal the action and mystery that you so desire.My favorite character in the movie is Ouisa Kittredge played by Stockard Channing. She's the main character who is closest to Paul and grows after this experience with Paul.Do not be mistaken, this movie is NOT about a bunch of rich snobs coming to their way after being exposed to a black boy with promise and potential but no means. No, there is perhaps 5% of that in this movie, and there is no strong pretenses with this film. It goes deeper than just a sympathetic rich white lady, much deeper indeed.This film may not be for everyone, but it is for those who love good dialogs and monologues and for those who love plays ( or at least don't mind them).(the kid's were stupid and pointless one dimensional characters, but that's my only qualm).