Customer Reviews

1999

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

First-time director Nick Davis shows impressive rookie chops in this freshman outing, skillfully handling one of the more diverse and engaging casts you will find assembled in any ensemble piece - from then almost-unknowns Jennifer Garner and Amanda Peet, to well-established actors such as Steven Wright, to the legendary Buck Henry who appears as the characters', and the film's, pater familias. It isn't often a director so successfully manages a group of both new and established talents as Davis does here.

Fans of My Dinner with André, Metropolitan, The Anniversary Party, and Rachel Getting Married will enjoy this pleasurable look at a disparate group of New Yorkers who come together at a party at their friend Andrew's (Matt McGrath) townhouse on New Year's Eve, 1999, to await the New Millennium and what, if any, changes it will bring to their somewhat chaotic lives; also viewers who enjoy the films of Henry Jaglom (especially New Year's Day and Someone to Love) and even the '70s films of Robert Altman such as Welcome to L.A. and A Wedding.

This movie also may have the funniest Bay City Rollers joke in film history.

The characters are universally engaging. Garner is charming as Annabell, the on-again, off-again girlfriend of main character Rufus Wild (Dan Futterman). Garner acts with a depth of feeling which we (understandably) never got to see on Alias. Once you've see her here, her strong work in The Invention of Lying (2009) comes as much less of a surprise. Amanda Peet is perfect as Nicole, the "perfect fantasy woman" who for a time distracts Rufus from his real, and thus much more difficult, relationship with Garner's Annabell.

If Rookie Director Davis makes one rookie mistake it is the most forgivable, in my opinion: he tries to do too much. While it is a movie about a party, and scene-setting is essential, Davis spreads himself too thin, lavishing screen time on fundamentally ancillary characters while neglecting the three main characters -- Futterman's Rufus, Garner's Annabell, and Matt McGrath's Andrew -- for too long periods at a time. Thus there is a sense of missed opportunity (but also future promise) that haunts the end of this film, but one that mirrors one's actual experience at many real parties, where one spends too much time talking with people one doesn't really want to, and not nearly enough time with those with whom one really does.

An excellent first outing, I look forward to seeing Davis's next feature film. He is clearly a born writer/director.

This movie was made back in 1998 about a group of 20 somethings in new york trying to get through new years eve in 1999 going into a new millenium. The film succeeds where 200 cigarette's didn't quite pull it off as far as new years movies go. Noteable performances by Amanda Peet who you will know from "Saving Silverman" and "The Whole Nine Yards" also a great performance from one of my all time favourite comedians "Steven Wright" Showing he can still perform with the best of them. This is a definite happy romantic fun night in movie at a very reasonable price... check it out!

This movie was never released at the cinema or on video so the only place you can get it is right here on dvd. Amanda Peet has a big role in this film and if you're a fan of hers the film is worth getting for her performance alone. The quality isn't perfect but it gives it that nice indy film vibe. If the movie wasn't already good enough the dvd has many extra features such as a hillarious Introduction by the director, Commentary and deleted scenes... all in all a great dvd check it out!

I bought this movie for one reason only- Timothy Olyphant. I'm a big fan. Even his beautiful face couldn't keep me engaged. This movie is horrible- bad lighting, bad sound, bad plot, bad dialog, terrible camera work and my gosh was it BORING. I didn't laugh, I didn't feel any sort of emotion towards the characters. Didn't know much about any of them and didn't much care to. If you, too, are thinking of buying it only for Mr. Olyphant save your money. He's in it for a few moments and, as sad as it is to say, his performance contributes nothing. I was hoping both Garner and Peet would make the parts without Olyphant entertaining, but the suck was distributed evenly throughout the film. I'd feel jilted had I rented it. I'd probably go so far as to want my time back had I watched it free on television.

The only reason why I finished watching this movie it is because I bought it, but if I knew it would keep being so boring I would have not lost my time on top of losing my money...
This is the boring version of the tv show "friends". It is the real boring version. There is nothing wrong with the actors or the acting but the plot is as lame as it can get.
It seems like a bunch of people got together and tried to show us that they can act, which is true, they actually can, the cast was good but the story, what was the story, I don't think I have figured it out, and neither in my opinion did anybody behind this movie....
Save your money!! don't buy it and don't rent it.....
One star goes to Amanda Peet, and the other one to Sandrine....