garbstanley This is a highly underrated movie in my opinion. Based on the experiences of Hollywood interns Swimming with sharks is a fictional account of an intern who is subjugated to daily abuses by his boss. It is a satire but Kevin Spacey is in such good form you start taking it personally. It is shocking that the writer-director George Huang's career never took off because this is a well written screenplay and shot with expertise. Give this film a shot if you wish to understand the ruthless world of Hollywood filmmaking.

copperncherrio This comedy is similar to that of American Psycho and its just dark and fun. Kevin Spacey does an fantastic job as the an evil boss. However, there is no connection to his character, not as much as you'd hope you would get. I like the idea as well as the unique outlook and plot, however, I would say that it didn't feel complete…However, I was still surprised and intrigued by the beginning ending… (you know where you begin at the end and the start from the beginning to see how they got there)….Overall a fun watch.yay Kevin Spacey!

jennifer626 I was so depressed after watching "The Men Who Stare At Goats" that I actively sought out Kevin Spacey movies to help redeem my perceptions of him. I saw "K-Pax" last week, which was adequately engaging, then found "Swimming with Sharks" on the IFC. What a find! This low-cost(less than $1M) film must not have had a very big marketing budget -- it completely escaped me at the time -- but it's one of the best performances Kevin Spacey I've ever seen. An abusive, self-indulgent, arrogant boss in the film industry, his role easily translates into that of a recognizable evil boss in any field. Spacey nicely runs the gamut of expression from god-like to humbled. His once-idealistic assistant is played by Frank Whaley, who never really saw his full potential subsequently develop in his career but has had nice turns in Pulp Fiction and a number of high-production TV series. Whaley too should be commended for his ability to grow the character from a wide-eyed beginning his dream job, to a vengeful warrior out for blood. The film centers on the dysfunctional relationship between these two and is weak only when it attempts to introduce minor roles featuring Michelle Forbes (Maryann on "True Blood") and Benecio del Toro (though these actors perform well with what they've been given).

thinker1691 Kevin Spacey arrived on the professional screen in 1986 and few people noticed his presence. Since then he has firmly established himself as a commanding actor, with such films as 'SeVen' and the dramatic suspense film ' The Usual Suspects.' Playing heavies comes natural to him as when he portrays sympathetic victims. In this movie called " Swimming with Sharks " Spacey displays true artistry. The film industry in Hollywood is a dog eat dog world and in order to survive that environment, one must become as vicious as a starving rottweiler. Buddy Ackerman (Kevin Spacey) is as heartless, ruthless, unsympathetic and ambivalent as a circling shark. His newly employed assistant arrives with great enthusiasm, brimming naivety and is called simply 'Guy' (Frank Whaley). No sooner does guy start his job, when Ackerman makes him believe he is working in the Devil's Domain, by treating him to an unending barrage of verbal and physical abuse. The situation becomes explosive when Ackerman discover's Guy's girlfriend Dawn Lockard (Michelle Forbes) is a former lover and now rival producer. Insulted, verbally berated and dressed down in front of every other employee in the office, Guy decides to give his boss a payback. The entire film is a triumph for Spacey and one which with the help of his co-stars has created a Classic for audiences everywhere. If you're strong enough to see Spacey as a monstrous Taskmaster, this is the movie for you. ****