Swimming with Sharks

Swimming with Sharks (1994) – Movie Review

Director: George Huang

Screenwriter: George Huang

Producer/s: Steve Alexander, Joanne Moore, 

Studio: Keystone Studios

Production Companies: Cineville

Top Billed Cast: Kevin Spacey, Frank Whaley, Michelle Forbes, Benicio Del Toro

LOGLINE: A Hollywood V.P.'s assistant struggles to cope with his tyrannical bosses demands.

VIEWING CIRCUMSTANCES: At home (lounge room), on a week night, single sitting, with my wife.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: This film gets mentioned in screenwriting books and filmmaking podcasts etc. along with The Player  as a supposed accurate metafilm (film about a film). 

STORY: The weak link in the chain of the film.

PRODUCTION: nothing really to note here other than it's well put together.

PERFORMANCE: This is one of several films in which Kevin Spacey plays a horrible boss (including Glengarry, Glen Ross and of course Horrible Bosses), which I think is a bit of a shame because these roles don't draw the best out of one of the world's finest actors. Frank Whaley isn't my personal favourite - I think mainly cause I just can't get past that haircut or the Career Opportunities bit (which I loved as a kid).

OVERALL: If you want to work in Hollywood this is required viewing, If not it's still worth a looksy, but maybe while you're doing something else (like I was... writing on this very blog if you must know).

MEETSLINE: Glengarry Glen Ross meets Straw Dogs.

FAVOURITE QUOTE: none.


RECOMMENDED ACCOMPANIMENT: Coffee with Nutrasweet NOT Equal.

RATING:

3 out of 5 reels of film.

Movie Review by A.B. McBlogsmith the Backwards Cap Film Reviewer

(C) Review Flix 2011