92. Glengarry Glen Ross

Adapted for the screen by David Mamet from his Pulitzer winning play, Glengarry Glen Ross has the simple, unadorned look of a barebones stage production. This spartan atmosphere and the film's low-key nature may have kept it from being seen by the moviegoing population at large, but those qualities are also amongst its major strengths. Without the distraction of blockbuster Hollywood theatrics, there is a sharp emphasis on the characters and their personal dramas.

Glengarry Glen Ross follows the exploits of a small office of less-than-reputable real estate salesmen who peddle subpar properties to the unsuspecting. More conmen than closers, these agents find themselves hard pressed to get suckers to sign on the dotted line when the underperformers are suddenly threatened with termination. So begins a rainy night of cutthroat business politics and shattered lives.

One of Glengarry’s most distinguishing features is its noticeable lack of a good guy. Unlike the majority of films that go out of their way to establish sympathetic victims and likeable heroes, this movie is populated by only miserable, pitiable specimens of human desperation -- most of them are deviously cruel, and none of them possess the strength of character to break away from their lives as bottom-feeding con artists. And yet somehow, each major player in this enthralling tale demonstrates engaging, multi-faceted depth.

There is not a single weak performance from the cast that includes Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, and Jonathan Pryce. Even Alec Baldwin, whose brief cameo establishes an every-man-for-himself conflict from the beginning, delivers one of the most memorable roles of his career.

In spite of the story's many depressing elements, it is far from humorless. The dialogue is bursting with entertaining profanity and Mamet's brand of lively repetition. The backstabbing nature of the real estate shell game is at once sad and amusing, and a gamut of emotions are evident in the salesmen. One moment, Jack Lemmon's character is denigrating his own boss with unbelievably cocky trash talk; the next, he is on his hands and knees, groveling for his livelihood. Meanwhile, Pacino delivers his signature swaggering attitude, and is only a few "Hoo-wahs!" away from self-parody.

Glengarry Glen Ross is a simple but profound effort that enjoys a cult status amongst many of its fans. The remarkable ensemble cast makes it a must see for any film enthusiast who has managed to overlook it. (Andrew Manning)