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MADE review
I have to be honest… I was nervous about this screening tonight of MADE. The ticket price was all headed to two charities… But it was a bit pricey and really… there hasn’t been much word of mouth on MADE other than a couple of reviews that came in from test screenings.
It was a film by a first time feature director… THAT IS MAJOR! Now just because Favreau is a screenwriter… well it could mean he’s a visual idiot in terms of placing images together… It could have been paced like a metronome set on 4/4 time… I knew Jon was a solid writer and actor… but there is more to the game than that.
My confidence was only really in place because ARTISAN is taking the film around to various College Campuses and SHOWING THE MOVIE to people months in advance, all for the purpose of getting advance buzz. A policy that served BLAIR WITCH PROJECT well… but this film didn’t have the buzz BWP did when it went on that tour… the online cult of people entranced by the mythology of that character.
But generally I like the screenings I throw to be fun times for the audience. Make them feel like they got their money’s worth and this time… well, this cost more than the BUTT-NUMB-A-THON tickets and I was just showing one film (of course they knew what the film was and that Favreau would be there and at BNAT, nobody knows the schedule in advance.
Well, Dad and I were on our way to the Drafthouse, set to grab some spaghetti before the thing started… and I gave Dad my order and ran something up to Tim (Alamo Drafthouse Owner) and there had been a press screening early that morning and some of the Drafthouse waiters and waitresses and the local critics were apparently not too enthused with the film.
Well… This did wonders for my confidence in the event. Heh, So I eat my dinner, learn that the strike has been averted and a few details from Moriarty about his mangina operation’s success… And just trying to feel good about this whole thing.
I get to the Drafthouse and sit down in the Lobby to greet folks as they arrive… the good folks that really are helping out The Saturday Morning Film Club’s budget and the Austin Film Society’s as well… I’m talking with friends when I see Jon arrive… and standing next to him was…. PETER BILLINGSLEY!!!!! And ya know what? He looks just like a grown up Ralphie! Seriously. Well, I see Tim, point out Peter to him and Tim says, "MAN! I have the A CHRISTMAS STORY trailer up in the booth… I’ve got to put it on the print!" and like a big ball of iron out of the cannon he was off!
The event was sold out and I had to get up there and introduce Jon and the film… but my confidence was shaken in the film, so I did it low key… No big hype, no "This will kick SWINGERS’ ASS" rap. Nope, I didn’t want to over sell this one as it could be uncool.
I mean, I know Favreau can write and act, but what if his direction sucks? So I was quite nervous.
I handed the microphone over to Jon and watched as he cracked sarcastically about how he was so happy that this theater served their audience alcohol, as he was sure they would all enjoy the film! Apparently the Drafthouse reminded Jon of a Comedy Theater he performed in up in Chicago (and later in the evening Vince Vaughn mentioned the same thing). Quickly though, he got to his seat… the lights were dimmed and the flicker of the screen came to life.
After the Drafthouse Coming Attractions, the CHRISTMAS STORY trailer came on to GIGANTIC CHEERS… HOOTS and HOLLARS!!! After all, everyone knew that Peter Billingsley was in the house! This trailer got everyone very very very charged up!
Then came the film…
I can’t compare the film to SWINGERS, because I have not seen SWINGERS.
WHAT???
Well, you see… When SWINGERS came out, everyone that recommended the movie to me was a bit of an ass about it…. Slobbering all these hipper than hip phrases at me… I felt they were so artificial that I unfortunately missed the initial run of the film. NOW, of course I know the error of my ways, but I’m waiting for the Drafthouse or some other venue to screen it big so I can see it on a big screen.
So this review is coming from one that does not know the ‘magic’ of SWINGERS.
First off, I’ll say right now there will be critics of this film that will not like the movie much at all… I’m safe in this assumption as the morning critics didn’t care for it, BUT… Well, these same critics didn’t particularly care for FEAR & LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS or THE BIG LEBOWSKI.
Both of those films, traditional film critics were way way waaaaaaaay out to lunch on. Not that I don’t go out on those excursions myself some days, but FEAR & LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS and THE BIG LEBOWSKI were seemingly attacked by the Critics at Large.
One critic that hated FEAR & LOATHING, I decided to corner one day and find some things out. First I asked this person if they had read the book. They said that they had and that they loved the book. Upon my statement that the film was a wonderful adaptation, there was great whining followed by, "Welll… yeah, but ya know, I just didn’t want to spend anytime with that character on screen."
You see… For some strange reason, Johnny Depp’s Hunter S Thompson annoyed the hell out of critics… Jeff Bridges’ The Dude or El Duderino or His Dudeness… Well, he was also ‘annoying’ to these folks.
Well, Vince Vaughn’s Ricky is a character very much in the tradition of Depp’s Hunter and Bridges’ Dude… He is a force of nature… A character that can be loved by a friend in small doses… but as the evening wears on… it ceases to be funny and becomes an annoyance. He’s that friend that you love… but just can’t be around all the time.
He’s annoying as all hell, but ya know what, his character is just speaking his mind, trying as best he can to simply make the boat sail smoother, but… He just isn’t cut out for the work he’s being pushed into.
I’d say about 40 minutes into the film I got a real real bad feeling. I just knew this was all going to end real bad… I mean real bad. And I got this kinda sick feeling in the pit of my stomach because these were good guys, but dear God… Ricky just needed to chill, but he isn’t wired for chill… You can’t CHILL Ricky. That can’t happen… unless a few ounces of lead injected 3 times in the head in quick succession commences… EVERYONE IS GONNA DIE! I just knew it.
Now, while I was sick to my stomach about what I knew was going to happen… I also couldn’t stop laughing and smiling at what was happening… But I really wanted to hop on screen and help Favreau’s Bobby out.
Now, I won’t say how things go… I don’t want to spoil the film for anyone, but whew… This film isn’t just yucks and guffaws… there is a heart here, and sometimes it is breaking and sometimes it gives the film a soul that is incredibly endearing.
In a nutshell the story is about two hardluck half-assed boxers that have pretty shitty lives. Jon’s lady (Famke) is an exotic entertainer with a cute little kid. Jon dreams of being a boxer, Vince boxes because… well because Jon does. And they like punching one another apparently.
Peter Falk plays an indeterminate status crime lord that wants to give Favreau’s Bobby a chance at being a MADE guy… And is forced to take Vaughn’s Ricky on as well, because Bobby does nothing without Ricky. Ricky is kind of Bobby’s Lennie Small. They are both fiercely loyal to one another and would stick together through anything… But… There are times where if you could leap from your seat with the LAST ACTION HERO golden ticket and a ton of rope and a red ball gag to subdue Ricky for Bobby…. YOU WOULD!
You know in Horror films where you feel like screaming, "CONTINUE STABBING HIM!!!! HE ISN’T DEAD!!!! NO!!! DON’T PUT THE KNIFE DOWN!!!! YOU IDIOT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!! Well, you’re just dead, yup… Stupid idiot!"
Well, this is the crime comedy version of a suspense horror film. You feel like screaming at some characters… You just can’t help it. And there’s that sick feeling of hopelessness and doomed destiny that you see looming around them. I think it is because they are so wide eyed and scared by what they are doing, but excited to a point of idiocy… Favreau is on a slow burn throughout…
When I heard that Puffy Combs was in this, I just rolled my eyes… But ya know what? He completely underplays his character dead on right. He’s a yuppie criminal. A guy that treats it like an everyday job. This deal ain’t no biggie for him.
Faizon Love is just another poser, but unlike Favreau and Vaughn, his character knows that all he is supposed to do is look like a badass and everything is gonna be ok. Stay quiet and look mean. Laugh at their jokes, be pleasant, but DON’T ROCK THE BOAT!
Famke Jannsen doesn’t have a very large part, but you can not for a second write her character off… She and her child in the movie are at the very center of it all. She doesn’t play the exotic entertainer as a glamorous job… She looks rundown… Tired of life, but so tired that she can’t imagine doing anything else. THIS IS HER LIFE and she’ll live it. There is such sorrow in her eyes. For everyone that thinks about seeing this movie because she’s hot and she’ll get you hot… This isn’t that movie.
PETER FALK! Ok, the man is just a god in this film. I ADORE HIM! He is so good. It has just been forever since I’ve seen him in anything, and here he is just as cool as can be.
Sam Rockwell! Ok, now I haven’t seen him listed anywhere as being in this film, but Sam Rockwell is quickly becoming what I call a ‘Lucky Charm’ when I see him in a movie. Ever since GALAXY QUEST, GREEN MILE and CHARLIE’S ANGELS, I’ve been eyeing him fiercely… He’s doing a ton of character work… Small parts here and there, but building in stature and confidence on screen. He such a strong presence, that even though he has a TINY part in this film… He’s one of the very few people that appear in this movie that while onscreen… even without the lines… but by sheer body language and facial acting… Over shadows Vince Vaughn’s Ricky… even if only for a brief moment or two.
In all… For folks looking for great character work, a damn funny movie and a punch in the gut while their at it, this film works and works quite well.
Seek this one out!
Now, after the first screening, I handed the mike over to Jon, who then announced that his friend hired a private jet to fly himself to Austin just for this screening was here…. And he announced Vince Vaughn…
You should have heard the place. You could just feel a wave of a joy buzz throughout the audience. Imagine if after you saw FEAR AND LOATHING or BIG LEBOWSKI if Johnny Depp or Jeff Bridges popped out.
Jon is wonderful in the film, but he gave the showy role to Vince. And Vince is a marvel in the role. And this Alamo audience knew it. The crowd just roared. The look on Jon and Vince’s face was just bliss… They knew that if nothing else came of the film, this audience on this night loved it like it was their own child walking for the first time.
They fielded questions from the audience… We learned that the script was treated a bit like a rough outline… That there was a lot of rehearsal time, and that the actors all were given the freedom to make decisions with their characters. Like the last scene you see Sam Rockwell in… He happened to be on set, and wasn’t supposed to be in the scene… He was thrown in there and Vince and he improved the whole thing… It winds up being a classic scene… Priceless.
Then there was the A.D.D. LADY… That moment and that lady… Well she made the night eternal. And this moment, this is why you come out for special events… Why you see your filmmaker idols interact with fans… The A.D.D. LADY will inevitably end up in some Jon Favreau movie at some point… Or she’ll just stay with the 250 or so people in that room that night.
It was as if Brando sent an Indian Lady in traditional garb to accept an Academy Award… It was as if Devito was eating celery in the audience and was brought dip by Steve Martin in front of a Billion People… It was a classic moment. And for us in that room… the line, "Is She Still Talking?" well… It sends us into fits of laughter… It is a verbal shorthand to a precious memory.
After the screening, and after we introduced the second showing, I found myself in the bathroom in a stall sitting there… when Favreau, Vaughn and Billingsley all walked in.
All draining the Shiner Boch from their systems, the conversation goes…
Vince – "I have to hurry up and get in there, I don’t want to miss your trailer Peter!"
Peter – "I can’t believe they have that trailer here, I’ve never seen it before!"
Jon – "I can’t believe that not only did they have it, but they managed to in like 5 minutes, find the trailer and put it on the print! This place is amazing!"
Indeed… The Alamo Drafthouse is Amazing!
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Juss jesting Harry, you sold me on it, I'm looking forward to this. And you *Must* see SWINGERS, it's funniest in places where the jokes aren't out loud or obvious, just inherent because you've got to know Favrau.. Favreu Fav..Favreau's Character, and the pity he wallows in. (Goddam unspellably Gay name)
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But I'm beginning to see what all those guys harpin about how you sell out mean Harry. You rode the line...edgy stuff. But overall nice advert for the film...and the Alamo Draughthose (does the /beer taste good!!!!!!!) Coulda done without the image of you pinchin a loaf though big man. Or do you have to sit down to take wizz...? (just curious as it had such an integral part to the story - I mean if he hadn't been sitting there, and been standing at a urinal, they might not have had that conversation....)
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The gorgeous pervert lady from House on Haunted Hill is back in some serious flick!
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This was one of the goddamn funniest scripts I'd read last year. Looking forward to seeing the pic.
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was there a free screening already in NYC? If not how does one get tickets?
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"PETER FALK! Ok, the man is just a god in this film. I ADORE HIM!" ALRIGHT, how many times has Harry called someone a god? at least a bazillion times. Time to find some new adjectives Harry. and what kind of fudge eating, salad tossing thing is it for a man to say he adores another man, especially a 60-year old man with gray pubes? Can we trust a man to say made is good when he has not watched the beauty that was swingers? I'm renting this one just cause poop doodie is in it.
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I just want to thank Harry and the gang for putting on the screener that night. Harry captured the night perfectly by telling how the audience went nuts for the guys and how the movie rocked. The Drafthouse is the best place in Austin. I know that I will have a great time every time I go there. And I will also be there when Swingers is shown.
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May 09, 2001 8:53:03 AM CDT
THIS IS COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT BUT CAN SOMEONE TELL ME THE SERVER
by rage
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The answer is accesible somewhere on this page....If its a real hassle e-mail the admins
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Funny as hell movie. Much better than the trailer makes it look (mostly due to lack of profanity in the trailer; you never hear a full line without the word 'fuck' in the actual movie). And the ADD lady did rule. Smilin' Jack Ruby UPDATE YOUR SITE PLZ! need... more... horror... news...
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Be afraid, Sam.
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Classic, Harry. I think she scared and amused all of us at the same time. And remember . . . I STILL think you were great in Monkeybone.
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Imagine "Swingers" as "American Graffiti" with profanity, but less of a plot as well.
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I fucked up and voted a 5, then when I tried to change it back, it said I already voted. I LOVED this movie. And I SAW Swingers too. It was the perfect follow-up. God bless these guys, God bless Falk, God bless the Drafthouse, and, for Christ's sake, God bless the ADD Lady. Ramble on, woman, ramble on!
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Caught the free New York screening, and I'm just warning you all not to get caught up in the rampant hype inflation on this. The occasional funny line can't solve Made's basic cultural pointlessness and lack of narrative drive. Once the film leaves L.A., it dies. Ending strives for poignancy- but it's unearned, cringe-inducing b.s. Vaughn's character is funny for three minutes and monotonous for 90. Puff Daddy chooses a lame role to launch his film career. All in all, this film is nothing to get excited about. Hopefully Favreau, a talented writer with a great ear for dialogue, will write something more honest next time around.
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Maybe I'm a bit daft, but what the hell is the movie about? I don't really care about the Drafthouse crowd, or how you thought the critics were off about "Fear and Loathing" and "The Big Lebowoski" (By the way, a read a large number of critics who liked TBL). I want to know about the movie. Instead I get a endless series of segues into other films both seen and unseen by you and I alike, and quite frankly, I don't know which way is up. I assume you like the movie, and somewhere in that mess of segues you wrote is why. Please, first just give a brief plot summary who's in it, and then conduct an analysis of the film's basic elements. If you want to through in the drafthouse crowd, please do it more briefly, or better yet, save it for later. To take a term from William Gibson, this review about "flatlined" me.
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I went with Annette Kellerman and Tom Joad and had me a real good time. I asked Fav if he and Vince ever argued in real life (like without cracking up!). They're like Mattheau and Lemmon in a way. Afterwards we went to the Speakeasy and Joad left before Vince and Jon and Peter showed up. Harry was holding court and I nudged Annette into shaking hands with Fav. She needed no such coaxing to jump up and stand next to V.V. VV was talkin bout how he had to open a can on the foo who stabbed Steve Buscemi. Then a girl asked VV to dance and that was weird watching her gush and he said no i'm ok. And some dumbass screamed out your money man!
And that was weird. fame. But those guys were real cool and I loved the movie. Alamo Drafthouse->50 feet to Speakeasy->50 feet to www.bookmyband.com
to see a rockin show! good times. -
I've read all the various reviews and they're 99% positive. It sounds like a great film. I love Swingers and it sounds like Fav and Vince didn't make the mistake of trying to cover the same territory. Good to hear. That would've been the kiss of death. I thought your review was fine. Sure, you may've rambled a bit, but there was a solid sentence or two that covered the five W's. I am most impressed by how many different people felt so similar about the merits of this movie. I don't think I've ever seen such a widespread AICN consenses.
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I'm looking forward to this movie, and the presence of Peter Falk is one big reason. Be sure to check out Tune in Tomorrow with Falk and Keanu Reeves, one of Keanu's few good performances. But that Sam Rockwell on the other hand. He really annoys the crap out of me, or at least he did in the two movies mentioned in this review. In Galaxy Quest he was mildly annoying, but Charlie's Angels, o Dear Lord. Only Tom Greene was able to irritate me more. His whole "I'm a smooth bad-ass" routine was pitiful. Especially working in the same movie as Cripin Glover, who did everything Rockwell was trying to do and succeeded without saying one word.
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He, as the rest of the endless troupe of cameos, is hilarious. You won't even recognize him. And if you love to hate him, better still. I won't spoil it, but you'll be sadistically satisfied. BTW, tell me you didn't love him in the Green Pile *cough cough* I meant the Green Mile. He was the best thing in it.
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I guess I should eat a little crow, in that you do get to the 5W's further on. But to be blunt, you did ramble on so in the opening, and I'm still having a little trouble connecting dots on the relation between Made's plot summary and Swingers (which I saw and loved). Just the same, I kind of pounded on you a bit, and it's only right to acknowledge when I'm off the mark.
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All I got to say is that this film is shot by Wong Kar Wai's Chris Doyle. Eat it and like it.
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Hi, my virgin post here at AICN's talk back. Can't wait to see this movie, I have been ecited about it for a while. Jon Favreau is a genius, and if you haven't been to the site for this movie, it's at www.gettingitmade.com. There is bulletin board there where Jon FREQUENTLY answers all kinds of posted questions. It's a wonderful, brilliant thing.
OK, I'll stop gushing now, and head over to the Matrix Reloaded argument! -
I HATE Vince Vaughn, hate Jon Favreau, hated Swingers, hated everything either of those schmoes ever did...but this is a fucking great movie. Favreau's direction is amazing. He seems to have studied Cassavetes' MINNIE AND MOSKOWITZ and Elaine May's MIKEY AND NICKY about 10 million times. Fucking brilliant.
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Made is no Swingers, but still a very fun movie. Vaughn is one royal pain in the ass, but he's like a train wreck that you can't take your eyes off despite the horror.
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I've seen him cross post over several unrelated tb's praising MADE. Makes one think...
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