Directed by Blake Edwards and adapted from a teleplay, this is an excellent portrayal of alcoholism and its destructive role on a couple’s relationship.
Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick are entirely convincing as a young, seemingly happy couple who slowly learn that they simply cannot be together, such is the destructive effect their addictions have on themselves and one another.
Their downward spiral makes for slightly gruelling, if hypnotic watching.
Adapted by David Mamet from his own 1984 play, this is a remarkable film that transfers amazingly well to the screen.
The plot deals with four real estate salesmen engaged in conning their clients. Although the details of the con are never fully explained, the real point is the relationships between the characters and the way they talk to each other as their situation intensifies across two days. These dynamics are explored with unusual intelligence.
I’ve never known so much swearing in a film. Also, there is a huge amount of dialogue with machine-gun-fire speech between the characters as they interact. Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Ed Harris and Alan Arkin are all superb, in their own ways, reflecting the tension that goes with their illegal work. And Alec Baldwin is more powerful than usual, playing a motivational salesman sent to inspire the others.
