Glengarry Glen Ross Movie Review

Pacino should have won an Oscar for his performance as a land salesman/con-man in this ensemble piece about what happens on the other side of the phone line during those late night sales pitches you get. In this case it's real estate (worthless, of course, though that's never stated) the sharks are selling. And they aren't really that good at it, either. Pacino's the rainmaker of the group, but supporting characters played by Jack Lemmon, Alan Arkin, and Ed Harris are struggling. When some breaks in to the manager's (Kevin Spacey) office and steals the good "Glengarry" leads, all hell breaks loose.

Who knew director James Foley had this movie in him. With credits from Who's That Girl? to Fear to The Corruptor, Foley hasn't made a passable movie before or since this 1992 production. Having a script by David Mamet (based on his stage play) doesn't hurt, nor does having at least two screen legends in the cast. Hell, even the minor characters are stellar. Jonathan Pryce's beaten-down mark is one of the most memorably pathetic losers on celluloid. Alec Baldwin's five minutes of screen time here is his greatest work ever.

The film is an utter masterpiece.

Now -- finally -- released on DVD, the film features two DVDs (widescreen and full screen), a partial commentary from Foley with as much profanity in it as the movie itself, plus countless interviews, tributes, and a documentary about salesmen and their portrayal in the movies. Quite interesting, and worth a look even if you weren't interested in the movie. In which case, you'd be insane.