Mutant Reviewers from Hell do
"You can't play in the man's game, you can't close them? Then go home and tell your wife your troubles. Because only one thing counts in this life: get them to sign on the line which is dotted."

1992 R / Drama Directed by: James Foley Starring: Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin

Tagline

Lie. Cheat. Steal. All in a day's work.

Summary Capsule

Desperate, washed-up men fight each other and their own inadequacies in a film the cast referred to as "Death of a [bleep]in' Salesman." If that tells you anything.

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Amazon.com: DVD

Drew's Rating: PoolMan, put that coffee down. Coffee is for reviewers.
Drew's Review: Are you, by any chance, a salesperson? I'm not. A close friend of mine is, though - we're the same age, same height, same education, same manner of speaking, similar upbringings. He's got better hair, I'm a little thinner… but the point is, when we're out at a bar together, you won't find us vastly different to interact with. (Unless you're female, in which case he's the one who's still allowed to hit on you.)

"If you've ever wondered what it takes to sell real estate (hint: a delicate portion of the anatomy coated in a weighty metal)"

What I'm getting at is this: he possesses one thing I lack, and that is the drive to sell. It's not competitiveness, it's not courage… it's simply the conviction to introduce yourself to a complete stranger and know that no matter who he is or what he does, he needs what you're offering and will shell out hard-earned cash for it by the time you finish talking. And it's exactly that conviction that concerns the characters of Glengarry Glen Ross.

In the aggressive, cutthroat game of real estate, Shelley (Jack Lemmon), George (Alan Arkin), and Moss (Ed Harris) are scrubs, the guys who haven't closed a sale comparable to office hotshot Ricky Roma (Al Pacino) in years. All of them have sob stories, but the new edict from corporate, made crystal clear by "motivational" speaker Blake (Alec Baldwin), is this: the bottom two closers at the end of the month are out of here, history, don't let the door hit you on the way out, pal. Now it's a mad scramble to Always Be Closing; but when the office is robbed overnight and the valuable Glengarry leads sold to a competitor, the eye of suspicion falls heavy on those same losers. But who did it, and is he enough of a salesman to talk his way out of it? Ah, now that's the question.

Glengarry Glen Ross is not a visually rich feast for the eyes or a grand unfolding epic… it's a tight, taut film about men. What drives them, what frightens them, how do they react when crammed into a too-small office or backed into a corner? And in that context, it's about as effective of a movie as you'll ever see. I'm usually not one to notice little things like acting, but man, the entire cast is just outstanding. If, like me, you automatically envision Jack Lemmon playing straight man to Walter Matthau's crotchety antics, this movie will change your mind immediately, as he instills Shelley Levene with both heartbreaking sadness and weasely desperation by turns. Harris and Arkin are a great one-two act as the bumbling loser and the defensive, pissed-off rebel. Pacino is Pacino, oozing his unique blend of charisma and sliminess, and Alec Baldwin turns in the greatest performance of his career, period - I refuse to hear otherwise. It's just one scene, but he completely owns the room in such a dominant way, as if it's simply his right. Meanwhile, Kevin Spacey initially seems overshadowed by his employees as manager Williamson, but wait until the movie's over before judging him. All in all, it's no surprise that Lemmon called it the most talented ensemble he ever worked with.

A movie like this lives or dies by its actors, but that's not to diminish the other critical elements. It's one of the best stage-to-film adaptations I've ever seen, with full credit due to David Mamet for both works - the movie flows along briskly and never feels padded out. Like I said, there's not much in the way of scenery, but the constant rain and claustrophobic office effectively convey the impression of weary, beaten-down men in uncomfortable circumstances. The language is coarse and not for young ears, but you never once question that it's exactly what men in this situation really sound like. As for the soundtrack, it's mostly background jazzy fare, though the constant clatter of trains going past is an excellent stylistic touch.

I'm probably not selling Glen Ross very well… no surprise, given what I told you about myself. And if my friend had been an English major, maybe he could have done a better job convincing you why you really need to see it. But as it stands, I can merely tell you this: it is an excellent movie. It's hilarious without being particularly funny, and while it's not cheery, it certainly is compelling. If you've ever wondered what it takes to sell real estate (hint: a delicate portion of the anatomy coated in a weighty metal) and you don't mind language just this side of a Kevin Smith movie, know that Glengarry Glen Ross is out there. The only question is, are you man (or woman) enough to take it? Because if you don't, I got no sympathy for ya, pal.

"No, Mr. Lemmon, you're not as pretty as Tina Fey. Please stop asking." Dude, Walter Matthau looks GOOD. Sesame Street: the "supplementing Mommy and Daddy's income" episode.

Didja Notice? [some sources: IMDb]

• When discussing the Glengarry leads, Moss tells George they could sell them to Jerry Graff. Graff is an actor who has appeared in only 4 movies, all of them written and directed by David Mamet.
• Jack Lemmon's character was the model for Gil from The Simpsons.

Is It Worth Staying Through End Credits?

No.

Unnecessary Background

Glengarry Glen Ross was originally a play by David Mamet, who reworked it into a movie. The character of Blake was not present in the stage production, being created specifically for Alec Baldwin.

Intermission! [some sources: IMDb]

The ending of the play paints Roma in a slightly more sinister light, complimenting Shelley to his face and then trying to screw him out of money behind his back.

Groovy Quotes

Moss: I don't gotta listen to this crap.
Blake: You certainly don't, pal, because the good news is, you're fired. The bad news is, you've got, all of you've got, just one week to regain your jobs, starting with tonight. Starting with tonight's sit. Oh… have I got your attention now?

Blake: We're adding a little something to this month's sales contest. As you all know, first prize is a Cadillac El Dorado. Anybody wanna see second prize? Second prize: a set of steak knives. Third prize is, you're fired.

Moss: What's your name?
Blake: [Screw] you, that's my name. You know why, mister? 'Cause you drove a Hyundai to get here tonight, I drove an eighty thousand dollar BMW, that's my name. And your name is, you're wanting. You can't play in the man's game, you can't close them? Then go home and tell your wife your troubles. Because only one thing counts in this life: get them to sign on the line which is dotted.

Moss: You're such a hero, you're so rich. How come you're comin' down here, wasting your time with such a bunch of bums?
Blake: You see this watch? You see this watch?
Moss: Yeah.
Blake: That watch cost more than your car. I made $970,000 last year, how much you make? You see pal, that's who I am, and you're nothing. Nice guy? I don't give a [crap]. Good father? [Screw] you, go home and play with your kids. You want to work here? CLOSE.

Blake: I'd wish you good luck, but you wouldn't know what to do with it if you got it. And to answer your question, pal: why am I here? I came here because Mitch and Murray asked me to, they asked me for a favor. I said the real favor, follow my advice and fire your ass, because a loser is a loser.

Levene: You know I gotta tell you something, fella, it wasn't so long ago I just pick up the phone and I call Murray, I've got your job, pal. "Hey Murray, the kid is burnin' my ass." "Shelley, he's gone." You are gone before I'm back from lunch.

Roma: All train compartments smell vaguely of [crap]. It gets so you don't mind it. That's the worst thing that I can confess. You know how long it took me to get there? A long time. When you die, you're gonna regret the things you don't do. You think you're queer? I'm gonna tell you something, we're all queer. You think you're a thief? So what? You get befuddled by a middle-class morality? Get shut of it, shut it out. You cheat on your wife? You did it, live with it. [Screw] little girls? So be it. There's an absolute morality? Maybe. And then what? If you think there is, go ahead, be that thing. Bad people go to hell? I don't think so. If you think that, act that way. A hell exists on Earth? Yes. I won't live in it. That's me.

Moss: Just in or out, you tell me. And if you're out, you take the consequences.
George: I do?
Moss: That's right.
George: And why is that?
Moss: Because you listened.

George: When I talk to the police I get nervous.
Roma: Yes. You know who doesn't?
George: No, who?
Roma: Thieves.

Roma: You wanna learn the first rule? You'd know if you ever spent a day in your life. You never open your mouth until you know what the shot is.

Williamson: You've got a big mouth… now I'm going to show you an even bigger one.

DVD Review

The 10th anniversary edition contains the movie in full and widescreen, a retrospective tribute to Jack Lemmon, a documentary on selling with interviews from real life salespeople (?), some interviews with cast members, and a commentary by the director. Not bad, though a bit random.

If you liked this movie, try these:

• Boiler Room
• Wall Street
• Reservoir Dogs