Glengarry Glen Ross, 1992

Not to be confused with "Glen or Glenda". This is a filmed stage play so know that going in. There are reviews here complaining about how "stagey" it is. In my opinion, it's more fluid than Mamet's own filmed versions of his work- James Foley opens it up a little- but it IS stagey, it is a filmed play after all, and it is MEANT to be that way. Pauline Kael wrote a long essay years ago trying to explain why Americans like filmed versions of stage plays like "A Streetcar Named Desire" or "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf". I can't remember what her conclusions were, but it was very wordy and aesthetically complicated and I just think she overthunk it. The main reason we watch them is because most of us don't live in New York or Chicago. The only plays that come around our parts are touring versions of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and "Cats". I suppose the high school does "Our Town" every four years but the only way we'll see any version of "Glengarry Glenross" or "American Buffalo" is if they film it. I like when films to stick close to the original material. Jack Lemmon and Alec Baldwin standout among this stellar cast. Al Pacino shows up, screams his head off as always, but it's not nearly as annoying as usual, it fits his role. Mamet pens some great hardboiled dialogue here that twists in on itself like a pretzel. It is not realistic dialogue, and it shoudn't be judged that way, it's more like a dark extended Abbott and Costello routine. It hits on some uncomfortable truths about work, family and the American Dream. I like this BETTER than "Death of a Salesman". It's a dog-eat-dog world out there. 5 stars.

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